Population Biology of Korean Pomfret Pampus echinogaster (Basilewsky, 1855) (Perciformes: Stromateidae) on the Western Coast of Korea, Yellow Sea

Investigations were made on population biology of Pampus echinogaster (Basilewsky, 1855) in the coastal areas of Korea, Yellow Sea, between August 2005 and July 2006. Population structure was not significantly different between male and females. Monthly variation of gonadosomatic index (GSI) of both sexes defined spawning period extending from March through July. A similar pattern was also observed in change at maturity stages. For males and females GSI was positively correlated with hepatosomatic index (HSI). Fecundity, ranging from 41,250 to 103,610 eggs, was related to body size, indicating that body size is the useful determinant of fecundity. The sexual maturity ($L_{50}$) was estimated as 14.98 cm TL for males and 19.32 cm TL for females. Parameters of growth estimated by the modified von Bertalanffy growth function model showed that the values of $L_{\infty}$ and K for combined data were 39.12 cm TL and 0.65 $yr^{-1}$. The growth performance index of this study (2.75) was higher than that of the previous study (2.45). This difference could be attributed to sampling method. The recruitment patterns indicated one normally distributed group. Percentage of the recruitment was 51.04% in the spawning season and the highest in August (19.78%).