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Reproductive Biology of Barracuda, Sphyraena Guachancho, on Ivorian Coasts (Eastern Central Atlantic) C

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Reproductive Biology of Barracuda, Sphyraena Guachancho, on Ivorian Coasts (Eastern Central Atlantic) C Reproductive Biology of Barracuda, Sphyraena Guachancho, on Ivorian Coasts (eastern Central Atlantic) C. M. A. Akadje, Y. N. Amon, K. N’Da, François Le Loc’h To cite this version: C. M. A. Akadje, Y. N. Amon, K. N’Da, François Le Loc’h. Reproductive Biology of Barracuda, Sphyraena Guachancho, on Ivorian Coasts (eastern Central Atlantic). Vie et Milieu / Life & Envi- ronment, Observatoire Océanologique - Laboratoire Arago, 2019, 69 (2-3), pp.177-185. hal-02749011 HAL Id: hal-02749011 https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02749011 Submitted on 3 Jun 2020 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. VIE ET MILIEU - LIFE AND ENVIRONMENT, 2019, 69 (2-3): 177-185 REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF BARRACUDA, SPHYRAENA GUACHANCHO, ON IVORIAN COASTS (EASTERN CENTRAL ATLANTIC) C. M. A. AKADJE 1, 2, Y. N. AMON 3, K. N’da 4, F. LE Loc’h 5* 1 Laboratoire des Ressources Aquatiques Vivantes, Centre de Recherches Océanologiques, BP V 14 18, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire 2 University of Man, UFR Forestry and Environmental Agronomic Engineering, BP 20 Man, Côte d’Ivoire 3 Université Peleforo Gon Coulibaly, UFR-Sciences Biologiques, BP 1328 Korhogo, Côte d’Ivoire 4 Laboratoire de biologie cytologie animale, Université d’Abobo-Adjamé, 02 BP 801, Abidjan 16, Côte d’Ivoire 5 IRD, Univ Brest, CNRS, Ifremer, LEMAR, IUEM, F-29280 Plouzane, France * Corresponding author: [email protected] SPHYRAENA GUACHANCHO ABSTRACT. – To provide information for improving barracuda stock management on the Ivo- BREEDING PERIOD SEXUAL MATURITY rian coast, the reproductive biology (length-weight relationship, sexual development and size at CÔTE D’IVOIRE first maturity) of Sphyraena guachancho was studied in relation to the marine seasons and fish size classes. Samples were obtained between July 2010 and June 2011 from commercial fisher- ies in Abidjan fishing port. A total of 662 specimens (328 females, 334 males) with sizes rang- ing from 19 to 63 cm FL were analyzed. The sex ratio of Sphyraena guachancho was found to be slightly in favour of males (1: 0.98). The length-weight relationship is isometric for both sexes. The gonadosomatic index (GSI), hepatosomatic index (HSI), condition factor (K) and percentage of mature individuals for both sexes reveal that the breeding period corresponds to the Low Cold Season, mainly during January. The size at first maturity of the Sphyraena guachancho population is 28.8 cm. It was not significantly different between males (27.8 cm) and females (30.3 cm). Sexual maturity was found to be earlier than measured in previous stud- ies at different locations. INTRODUCTION ing techniques and started to monitor fish breeding sea- sons (Baran et al. 2000). Global warming and overfishing have significant Sphyraena guachancho is the main barracuda caught impacts on all aquatic biological systems, exposing spe- in most countries of the Gulf of Guinea (UNIDO-GEF- cies to local extinction risks for variable periods and caus- IGCC 2012). In Côte d’Ivoire, studies conducted by ing related alterations of species assemblages (Cheung Daget & Iltis in 1965, Fager & Longhurst in 1968, and the et al. 2009, Albouy et al. 2013) and trophic interactions more recent campaign of the N/R “Fridtjof Dr. Nansen” (Albouy et al. 2014). The apex predators at the top of the in 2000 (Aziable et al. 2012) also confirmed its presence food web may integrate or intensify these effects on eco- in most landings of barracuda in Côte d’Ivoire. There is systems (Veit et al. 1997, Croxall et al. 2002, Cury, 2005). a general decreasing trend in S. guachancho landings for Under these changing conditions, fish predators may trawlers and seiners on the Ivorian coast (DAP, 2011). develop breeding strategies to ensure species survival To date, no attention has been paid to the reproduc- (Potts & Wootton 1984; Murua & Saborido 2003). It has tive strategy of this species. The study by Kromer et al. therefore become crucial to understand the reproductive (1994) on the bioecology of barracuda in Guinea, focused biology of threatened fishes. Fish reproductive strategy is only on Sphyraena afra. Matsuura & Suzuki (1997) and expressed by the length and duration of breeding period, D’Alessandro et al. (2011) studied the ecological aspects spawning frequency and size at first maturity (Potts & of the larvae of S. afra in the southwest Atlantic. Infor- Wootton 1984, Wootton 1998). These features are also mation is lacking on the life strategy of S. guachancho fundamental for fish population management (Jennings et both in Côte d’Ivoire and worldwide. As a consequence, al. 2001). no real management measures can yet be planned for this The Sphyraenidae are top predators. On the West Afri- species. As reproduction is the starting point of recruit- can coast, barracudas are among the fishes whose stock ment that determines the number of individuals in a popu- and catch average size are declining (Chavance et al. lation, it is important to accurately determine the sexual 2002, Gascuel 2002, Diallo et al. 2004, Gascuel et al. cycle and size at first sexual maturity for this species. 2004). They also appear on the UNEP list of endangered This study presents reproductive indices that can be species (Robertson et al. 2010). Faced with this situation, used to assess the reproductive behaviour of Sphyraena some countries such as Guinea have regulated their fish- guachancho and contribute to improve stock management 178 C. M. A. AKADJE, Y. N. AMON, K. N’DA, F. LE LOC’H in Côte d’Ivoire. Knowledge of the reproductive traits (2004), and then grouped according to the standardized termi- (fecundity, reproduction periods) would help to establish nology of Brown-Peterson et al. (2011). The rates of immature, fishing management measures. developing, spawning capable, regressing, regenerating individ- uals were also recorded. Gonads and livers were weighed on an electronic balance with 0.0001 g precision. MATERIALS AND METHODS Reproduction Index: Reproduction was characterized using Sampling: Barracudas were caught in the Ivorian Exclusive the length-weight relationship, gonadosomatic index (GSI), Economic Zone (ZEE) (Fig. 1), an area of 176,254 km2, with hepatosomatic index (HSI), condition factor (K), proportion 566 km of coastline in the central Atlantic Ocean. Seasonal of mature individuals and size at first sexual maturity and sex- hydroclimatic conditions of this area directly influence the avail- ratio. ability of fishery resources due to a mean salinity of 35 and a Length-weight relationship was defined by the relationship: sea surface temperature (SST) ranging from 23 to 30 °C (Arfi et W = aFLb (1) al. 1993). According to Morlière (1970), SST in Ivorian waters By logarithmic transformation, a linear relationship is is characterized by four separate climatic periods: a Great Cold obtained: Season (GCS), extending from July to September; an episode of LogW = Loga + bLogFL (2) Cold Season (Low Cold Season: LCS) usually observed every where W = gutted weight of the individual, FL = fork length year from December to February (SST between 23 and 25 °C); Index, a is a constant representing the y-intercept, b (slope of the periods from March to June and October to November are the regression line) characterizes the environment of species. It referred to as the Great and Low Dry Seasons (GDS and LDS), expresses the relative shape of the fish body. (Bert & Ecoutin, respectively, with SST ranging between 28 and 30 °C. Individ- 1932, N’Goran 1995, Ouattara et al. 2008.). The Student t sta- ual barracudas were collected every month from July 2010 to tistical test was used to characterize the allometry or isometry June 2011 from commercial catches of trawlers in the Abidjan (Abdallah 2003) of the length-weight relationship. fishing port. The mesh was 140 mm at the entrance of trawls, The gonadosomatic index (GSI) is calculated as follows decreasing gradually to reach 120 mm at the bottom. On board, (Analbery 2004): fishes were immediately stored in ice blocks after fishing. The GSI = (PG / W) × 100 (3) sampling was optimized to obtain the widest size ranges pos- where Pg is the weight of the gonad. sible. Each individual was measured (Fork length FL, cm) to Hepato-somatic index (HSI) is calculated as follows (Bougis the nearest 0.1 cm using an ichthyometer. Body weight of the 1952): specimens was recorded on an electronic balance with 0.1 g pre- HSI = (Ph / W) × 100 (4) cision. Sex was determined by abdominal incision and identifi- where Ph is the liver weight in g. cation of sexual stages was made with the Sphyraenidae sexual Condition factor (K) is calculated as follow (Lalèye et al. maturity scale of De Sylva (1963) modified by Allam et al. 1995): Fig. 1. – Location of the Exclu- sive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Côte d’Ivoire. Vie Milieu, 2019, 69 (2-3) REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY OF SPHYRAENA GUACHANCHO 179 K = (W / FLb) × 1000 (5) Table II. – Analysis of variance of reproduction parameters per The means of the reproductive parameters (gonadosomatic sex. * = P < 0.05. Index averages by sex. GSI = gonadosomatic index; HSI = hepatosomatic index; K = condition factor; index, hepatosomatic index, condition factor and the proportion TM = proportion of mature individuals. of mature individuals) and the length-weight relationship were Statistics compared between sexes and months by ANOVA using Statis- Females Males F P tica software. GSI 2.31 ± 1.45 1.27 ± 0.52 17.13 < 0.0001* Size at first sexual maturity (L50) was defined by the Leven- HSI 1.04 ± 0.37 0.73 ± 0.27 22.29 < 0.0001* berg-Marquardt method (Marquardt 1963) using Statistica soft- K 5 ± 1 6 ± 1 19.17 < 0.0001* ware.
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