Abstract
Length–length and length–weight relationships in various length measurement standards were estimated for dominant small pelagic fishes in the Kuroshio–Oyashio current system (Japanese sardine Sardinops melanostictus, Japanese anchovy Engraulis japonicus, chub mackerel Scomber japonicus, and spotted mackerel Scomber australasicus). Fish samples were collected from surface–midwater trawl surveys and commercial purse-seine fisheries between September and October of 2020 in the western North Pacific. Total length (TL), fork length (FL), and standard length (SL) were measured to 0.01 cm, and total body weight (W) was measured to the nearest 0.01 g for each individual. All length–length relationships (TL–FL, TL–SL, and FL–SL) were highly significant (p < 0.0001), with r2 > 0.98 in all species. Length–weight relationships (W–TL, W–FL, and W–SL) were also highly significant (p < 0.0001), with r2 > 0.98 in all species. This study provides new comprehensive information on length–length and length–weight relationships in various length measurement standards for the four small pelagic fish species. These data will be useful references for biological studies and stock assessments of these small pelagic fishes.
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Data Availability
The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
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Acknowledgements
We are very grateful to Michiyo Ichikawa, Aki Narisawa, Akiko Sugawara, Yuko Saiki, and Tomiko Nagai, who greatly contributed to the data collection.We thank all those who helped in the collection of samples and three anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments. We also thank English-speaking professional editors from ELSS, Inc., for English proofreading. Funding for this study was provided by the Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency and the Fisheries Agency of Japan.
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Furuichi, S., Kamimura, Y. & Yukami, R. Length–length and Length–weight Relationships for Four Dominant Small Pelagic Fishes in the Kuroshio–Oyashio Current System. Thalassas 37, 651–657 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-021-00300-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41208-021-00300-9