Batch fecundity and spawning frequency of southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis Norman, 1937) in the South-west Atlantic Ocean

MACCHI, G. J.; PÁJARO, M.; WOHLER, O.; ACEVEDO, M.; CENTURIÓN, R.; URTEAGA, D.

New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research

The Royal Society of New Zealand

Lugar: Wellington; Año: 2005 vol. 39 p. 993 - 1000

0028 8330

The reproductive biology of southern blue whiting (Micromesistius australis) inhabiting waters of the south-west Atlantic Ocean (52°-53°S and 57°-62°W) was studied by using histological analysis of the ovaries.  In this area during 2003, spawning peak occurred at the beginning of September south of the Malvinas Islands. Batch fecundity of this species ranged from 35, 000 (41 cm total length (TL) to 245, 000 (62 cm TL) oocytes and relative batch fecundity was 122 ± 43 (Mean ± SD, n = 24) oocytes per gram of somatic weight. The average proportion of mature females with stage-0 postovulatory follicles was 0.25 for September 2003, which indicated a spawning frequency of 4 days during the peak of the season. Large females produced more egg batches than small spawners during the same period, but no significant relationship was found between oocyte dry weight and female size of southern blue whiting.