Determination of some population dynamics parameters of red-eye sardines (Etrumeus golanii Dibattista, Randall & Bowen, 2012) caught from İskenderun and Mersin bays

In this study, samples were obtained from Yumurtalık district of Iskenderun Bay and Mersin province in the Eastern Mediterranean to determine some population dynamics parameters of Redeye Sardines (Etrumeus golanii DiBattista, Randall & Bowen, 2012) caught from Iskenderun and Mersin Bays. Commercial fisheries operating in the region were sampled seasonally between September 2019 and August 2020. A total of 440 individuals were examined; 155 of them were male, 248 were female and 36 individuals were unidentified. For all individuals, total length ranged from 8.29 to 22.8 cm and average length was 14.01±2.93 cm; total weight ranged from 7.5 to 95.29 g and average weight was 22.47±17.09 g. The length-weight relationships (LW) calculated for male, female and their sum were W=0.005*L3.133, W=0.003*L3.366 and W=0.003*L3.282, respectively. For the total, L∞=23.00 cm, k=0.36 year-1 and t0=-0.61 years. The mortality rates for total, natural causes and fishing mortality were Z=0.92 year-1, M=0.69 year-1 and F=0.23 year-1, respectively. The exploitation rate was determined as E= 0.25 year-1, which indicates that the Eastern Mediterranean Redeye sardine fish stock is under insufficient fishing pressure.