Estimation of the fisheries parameters reproduction, growth and mortality rates of the golden banded goatfish, (Upeneus moluccensis) Bleeker, 1885 Mullidae, Teleostei population from the Karataş (Adana) coasts

The age composition, growth, mortality rate, spawning season, sex ratio of golden banded goatfish (Upeneus moluccensis) were studied on the basis of 572 individual, sampled from the Karataş (Adana) in the eastern Mediterraenan. Among them females made up %62.25, and males %37.75 of the samples. The length-weight relationships estimated separately for males and females. They were; W=0.0092L3 (,sand W=0.009L3 095. It was also found that, VFth age group was dominate for both males and females respectively. The monthly changes in gonodosomatic index (GSI) values for females indicated that the spawning occurred mainly in between of July and September. The age data derived from otolith reading were used to estimate of the growth parameters of von Bertalanffy equation. The estimated growth parameters in length for females were found to be Ur=27.94 cm, K=0.0K6 year"', to= -4,711, year, and for males, Lor>=25.11 cm, K=0,1 13 year"', t0= -4,037 year. Keywords: Upeneus moluccensis, Reproduction, Age Growth, Mortality Rates ii