Spawning frequency, fecundity and spawning potential of the whitemouth croaker Micropogonias furnieri in Trinidad, West Indies

Spawning frequency and batch fecundity in the whitemouth croaker, Micropogonias furnieri, were determined in Trinidad waters. Average spawning frequency, determined from the frequency of females with hydrated eggs, was estimated to be 12 times a year. The relationships between batch fecundity (BF), which was the number of hydrated eggs in ripe ovaries, with total length (TL) and ovary-free body weight (BW) were BF = 2.9TL^3.2 and BF = 641BW-43285.1 respectively. Total fecundity was greater than previous estimates of fecundity which were based on conventional methods. Calculation of spawning potential ratio showed that at the present level of fishing mortality, the spawning potential of the Trinidad croaker stock is threatened.