Study of length-weight relationship and relative condition factor of Epinephelus tauvina (Forsskal, 1775) from Veraval Coast of Gujarat, India
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17017/j.fish.1451Keywords:
condition factor, Epinephelus tauvina, greasy grouper, length-weight relationshipAbstract
The study of length-weight relationships (LWR) in fish species is crucial for understanding their growth patterns, health status, and for effective fisheries management. Epinephelus tauvina (Forsskal, 1775), commonly known as the greasy grouper, is an important commercial species along the southwest coast of India, particularly in Veraval, Gujarat. The LWR of E. tauvina was assessed based on fish specimens collected between December 2024 and November 2025. Fish specimens were collected monthly from marine fishermen directly before any mixing or sorting of the fishes. These samples were analysed using regression analysis to study the relationship between total length and total weight. The length range reported was 21.7 to 51.8 cm with the weight range varied between 104.6 and 854.2 g. Furthermore, the LWRs analysis revealed b value of 3.025 (r2 = 0.902), 3.020 (r2 = 0.902) and 3.002 (r2 = 0.948) for male, female and pooled individuals, respectively, indicating isometric growth in males, females and the overall population of the species. These high r2 values demonstrate a strong correlation between length and weight in E. tauvina. This study provides baseline information on several biological characteristics of the observed grouper species that will benefit and improve the fisheries management in the region. Such data are valuable for ensuring sustainable exploitation and supporting the conservation of this commercially significant grouper population in the region.
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The data that support the findings of this study are available on a reasonable request from the corresponding author.
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