Stock assessment and management recommendations of Indo-Pacific king Mackerel (Scomberomorus guttatus) in the upper Bay of Bengal.

This explorative research aimed to elucidate the stock profile and optimum catch limit of the king mackerel (Scomberomorus guttatus) stock by collecting data in the upper Bay of Bengal. This study used three length-based methods and a catch-based method to determine the growth parameters and biological reference points (BRPs) of king mackerel. A negative allometric growth pattern (b = 2.50) was observed in the length–weight relationship. The life history parameters were estimated as L∞ = 117.35 cm, k = 0.42 year−1 and the mortality estimates were the total mortality (Z = 1.18 year−1), natural mortality (M = 0.46 year−1) and fishing mortality (F = 0.72 year−1). The results show that this fishery is currently likely to be overfished due to overexploitation (F/M = >1) and the stock's spawning biomass (SPR = 9%) is substantially lower than the target reference point because most of the catch (70%) was found to have under the maturity level. The recommended minimum total length for the catch is >59 cm and a yearly catch limit of 2400 mt as OFL (Over Fishing Limit) for the next ten years coordinated with the existing precautionary measures such as an annual fishing ban to raise the stock's biomass over the BMSY level for maintaining sustainable yield of 4516 mt as MSY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]