Age and Growth Study of Etroplus Suratensis (Bloch, 1790) Western Ghats of Tamiraparani River, India

Abstract

The present study deals with age and growth of Etroplus suratensis. Growth equation based on modified von Bertalanffy's equation was arrived. The growth parameters such as L" = 40. 4 cm and K = 0. 41 were estimated combining both sexes. The spawning peaks one in October and another in February could be observed. The exploitation ratio of 0. 28 indicated that the resource of E. suratensis is less exploited along the Tamiraparani riverine system. The life span of E. suratensis was estimated for seven years. The study further recommends that the efforts should be increased to achieve the optimum exploitation (0. 5) of the present average annual catch of this species from Tamiraparani riverine system in Western Ghats of India in particular.