SOME ASPECTS OF REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF THE FRINGE SCALE SARDINE, SARDINELLA FIMBRIATA (VAL). FROM KARWAR

S. fimbriata has got a single spawning cycle extending from December to March. Majority of the specimens observed were indeterminates (77.7%), followed by females (13.3%) and males (9.7%). Most of the fishes below 100 mm were indeterminates and those above 100 mm showed various degrees of sexual maturity. Spent fishes were in 138-155 mm size group. The rate of egg production in relation to standard length of the fish was double to that of its total weight, the range in fecundity being 4958-43642. Diameter of ova in advanced stages of maturity was found to range from 0.23-0.43 mm, whereas in the immature and maturing stages, the corresponding values were 0.12 and 0.22 mm respectively,