Estimates of the Fecundity of the Atlantic chub Mackerel Scomber colias (Gmelin, 1789) in the Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean Moroccan Coasts

Abstract

Fish fecundity is a key life history characteristic, and can be used in stock assessment and management. In this study, we estimated the batch fecundity of the Atlantic chub mackerel Scomber colias, along the coast of Morocco at two locations: Larache in eastern Atlantic and M’diq in western Mediterranean. The sampling program of the studied specimens was carried out by the purse seine fleet during the spawning season. The individual egg production was similar between locations, with no significant differences, resulting in a mean batch fecundity of 54,389 ± 18,763 eggs, and a relative batch fecundity of 269 ± 51.9 eggs/g. We analyzed the effect of internal drives like size (total length and total weight) and age, but also the fish condition. Size and age were good predictors of fecundity with models incorporating age explaining the highest proportion of variance. The condition factor was positively related with the batch fecundity, females with better condition spawn a large amount of eggs. The refinement of the estimates of egg production of Scomber colias might represent a step forward to improve the assessment of this species in Moroccan waters.