Reproductive biology of the Guinean amberjack, Seriola carpenteri (Mather, 1971) in the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of Côte d Ivoire

The reproduction of Seriola carpenteri (Mather, 1971) was studied from August 2017 to July 2018 in the Ivorian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) based on samples from artisanal fishing at the Abobo-Doumé canoe dock. A total of 360 specimens, including 197 males and 163 females, were examined. The sex ratio is 1:1. The monthly monitoring of the Gonado-Somatic Index (GSI) and the stages of sexual maturity revealed that S. carpenteri reproduces twice a year in all seasons. The first period extends from September to January, and the second runs from March to June. The Hepato-Somatic Index (HSI) indicates that S. carpenteri is a lean fish. The size of the first sexual maturity (L50) of the S. carpenteri population is 30.43 cm, with males reaching 30.77 cm and females 30.05 cm. Absolute fecundity varies from 27,750 to 225,330 oocytes for weights ranging from 300.2 to 935 g, with standard lengths ranging from 22.8 to 36.2 cm. Relative fecundity ranges between 68 and 254 oocytes per gram of body weight. Seriola carpenteri exhibits high reproductive success due to its low atresia rate of 19.32%. The database formed by the results of this study could serve as a basis for the domestication of this species in the marine ecosystem, aiming for greater availability of animal protein and rational exploitation of this fishery resource.