Status of Bombay duck Harpodon nehereus (Ham.) resource off Saurashtra coast

The Bombay duck Harpodon nehereus (Ham.)landings along the Saurashtra coast showed a declining trend with an average catch of 32 645 tomestyear during 1984-89. Basic food consisted of its own young ones, Acetes spp., Nematopalaemon tenuipes. The species breed throughout the year with peaks during December- January and June. The size at firstmtudtywas 232.5 mm.Individual fish spawned once a year and fecundity varied between 17 075 and 79 631. Average fecundity was 340 ovalg body weight. The growth parameters L_and K wereestimated.The fishing mofity coefficient (F)for the period was 1.009 while natural morWty was 1.535. The MSY was estimated as 34 668 at F, 1.1 19.