Biological studies on juvenile fish of Sardinella aurita (Valenciennes 1847) off the Port-Said coast (Mediterranean Sea, Egypt)

A total of 861 specimens of Sardinella aurita were collected from month-ly trash catches from a trawling net operating on the Port Said coast on the Mediterranean Sea from January to December 1997. The species constituted 17.9% of the trash catch and about 3% of the total catch of the gear. The juveniles of S. aurita stayed at the nursery grounds from September till March, and recruited from September till December. The length-weight relationships as well as the condition factor of the juvenile fish were studied. The highest values of the condition factor were recorded in autumn. The feeding activities were quite high during the early winter and autumn. The juveniles of S. aurita are likely to feed in the upper water level (planktonivorous).