Maturation and spawning habits in Epinephelus malabaricus (Bloch and Scheneider, 1801) from Mandapam Coastal waters, Southeast coast of India

Abstract

Epinephelus malabaricus popularly known as grouper and rock cods forms a good fishery in Mandapam Palk Bay and Gulf of Mannar coastal waters. E.malabaricus fish were collected from Mandapam Palk Bay and Gulf of mannar during two successive reproductive seasons from January to April 2018 – 2019 and the fish spawned at regular intervals.  A linear relationship can be seen between fecundity with total length and total weight. The fecundity was found in 99,000 to 1, 50,000 eggs. Males were found to mature earlier females.  Sex ratio indicated that males were slightly more than females (i.e., 1.37:1) and deviated from normal 1:1 ratio. Up to date, there is very rare scientific study that examines the reproductive biology of E.malabaricus as the basis of previous research in the Mandapam Palk Bay and Gulf of mannar coastal waters.  Accordingly, the aim of present research attempt the maturation and spawning habits in E.malabaricus in the Palk Bay and Gulf of mannar covering the maturity of the gonad, the initial size to spawn, peak of the spawning season and, a set of estimating sex ratio and to determine whether any differences exists in their relationship between males and females which as the basis for the formulations of a responsible management strategy of aquaculture and marine fisheries sectors.