Maturation in the female eastern king prawn Penaeus plebejus from coastal waters of eastern Australia, and considerations for quantifying egg production in penaeid prawns

A reliable index of egg production in the female eastern king prawn Penaeus plebejus, that accounts for maturity and size, can be created using maturation, fecundity and insemination data combined with mortality and growth data. The traditional gonosomatic index fails to account for female size and maturity, resulting in inaccurate predictions of reproductive activity in early-moult-cuticle females. The accurate index can help in seeding prawn populations to combat overfishing but the limitations of the data need to be carefully considered.