Population Dynamics of Spinycheek Lanternfish Benthosema fibulatum (Gilbert and Cramer 1897), Caught off the South-west Coast of India.

Aspects of population dynamics of Spinycheek lanternfish Benthosema fibulatum (Gilbert and Cramer 1897), caught off the south-west coast of India were studied. The asymptotic length (L∞) and growth constant (K) were estimated at 108 mm and 0.460 yr-1 respectively while tmax was worked out as 6 years. Benthosema fibulatum grows faster initially and attains a total length of 101.22 mm over 6 years. The coefficients of total mortality (Z), instantaneous natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) were estimated as 2.32 yr-1, 0.51 yr-1 and 1.81 yr-1 respectively. The exploitation rate (E) was estimated as 0.78 yr-1. Size at first capture (Lc) was estimated as 62.84 mm TL. The relative yield per recruit reached maximum at an exploitation rate (Emax) of 0.772. Though there has been no targeted fishery for myctophids in the area of study, they constituted a significant proportion of bycatch of deep sea shrimp trawlers. Benthosema fibulatum stock may be unsustainable when fishery intensifies in future to meet demand from fish meal industry, unless proper action is taken to manage the stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]