International Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Research

Authors
PK Ofori-danson, Samuel Addo, Cecilia A Animah, Ali Abdulhakim, Josephine O Nyarko

Abstract
This study was conducted at the Tema fishing harbor to assess length at first capture (L_c50) of Sardinella maderensis and S. aurita landed by purse seines to confirm growth overfishing. Hundred samples for each species were purchased randomly from November 2015 to January 2016. L_c50, length frequency distribution, length-weight relationship, condition factor and selection factor were estimated. L_c50 for S. maderensis and S. aurita was 15.00 cm and 13.00 cm respectively and the mean length, 15.1 ± 2.8 cm and 13.1 ± 2.3 cm respectively, which are lower than the minimum allowable landing sizes suggesting breach of the fisheries regulation in Ghana. The selection factor was 1.83 (S. maderensis) and 1.63 (S. aurita) with 8.3 cm mesh size. Length-weight relationship showed allometric growth forS. aurita and isometric growth for S. maderensis. Results validates growth overfishing of the two clupeids landed at the Tema fishing harbour.