Resilience of Key Biological Parameters of the Senegalese Flat Sardinella to Overfishing and Climate Change

• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0156143
• Publication Date: 2016-06-09T19:29:01Z
• Authors: Kamarel Ba; Modou Thiaw; Najih Lazar; Alassane Sarr; Timothée Brochier; Ismaïla Ndiaye; Alioune Faye; Oumar Sadio; Jacques Panfili; Omar Thiom Thiaw; Patrice Brehmer
• Keywords: Overfishing; Stock assessment; Sardinella; Fish measurement; Stock (firearms); Fish stock

The stock of the Senegalese flat sardinella, Sardinella maderensis, is highly exploited in Senegal, West Africa. Its growth and reproduction parameters are key biological indicators for improving fisheries management. This study reviewed these using landing data from small-scale Senegal literature information dated back more than 25 years. Age was estimated length-frequency to calculate assess performance index. With global climate change there has been an increase average sea surface temperature along coast but length-weight parameters, sex ratio, size at first sexual maturity, period condition factor S. maderensis have not changed significantly. above hardly changed, despite high exploitation fluctuations environmental conditions that affect early development phases small pelagic fish lack plasticity species regarding studied should be considered when planning relevant fishery management plans.