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The growth, mortality and exploitation status of Otolithoides pama collected from the Hooghly-Matlah estuarine system of West Bengal, India from November 2016 to April 2018 were estimated. The sample specimens were collected from the artisanal fishery, mainly from drift gillnets and bagnet with mesh size 15–70 mm and the length-frequency distribution was analyzed employing the FiSAT programme. The growth parameters L α , K and t 0 were estimated at 418 mm, 0.58 yr − 1 and -0.1356 years, respectively. The lengths of the fish at the end of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th year were recorded as 202, 297, 350, 380 and 397 mm, respectively. The total mortality (Z), natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) were 4.16, 1.14 and 3.02 yr−1, respectively. The exploitation level (E) was observed as 0.73 which surpassed the optimization value of 0.5 considered for sustainable fisheries. The present study revealed that the fishery is overexploited and calls for an urgent need to reduce the fishing pressure to accomplish a sustainable fishery.

The food and feeding habits of Otolithoides pama collected from three different sites of Hooghly-Matlah estuary, West Bengal, India for a period of 18 months (November 2016 to May 2018) were studied. Both fishes and prawns have dominated the food items in the gut. A very high percentage of empty stomach frequently occurred throughout the year. The species is a macrophagous carnivore and feeds mainly small fishes and prawns. The feeding intensity was more in juveniles stages with prawns and fishes dominated the gut contents while teleosts preferred by the adults. Among the teleosts the main food items were Otolithoides pama, Harpadon nehereus, Secutor insidiator, Sardinella spp., Setipinna spp., other sciaenids like Johnius spp., other clupieds like Tenualosa ilisha, Ilisha megaloptera, Polynemus paradesius, Arius spp., mullets like Mugil and Chelon spp., Rastrelliger kanagurta, Coilia dussumieri, Bregmaceros maclellandi, Trichiurus spp., and unidentified teleosts body parts. Among non-penaeid prawns Acetes spp. was the most dominant food items, among penaeids Parapenaeopsis spp., Metapenaeopsis spp., Metapenaeus spp., Parapenaeus spp., Solenocera spp. constitute food items. GaSI was found high during February, June and October and low during July–August for both the sexes. The monthly mean RLG values were highest during October for male and March for female. Both seasonal changes in diet composition and ontogenetic changes were noticed between juveniles and adults.