Mzingirwa, Fatuma A., Nyamora, Jane M., Omukoto, Johnstone O. and Tuda, Paul ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5629-9406 (2021) Stock assessment of the Tigertooth croaker, Otolithes ruber (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) from the commercial prawn trawl fishery by-catch in coastal Kenya. Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science, 19 (2). pp. 149-165. DOI https://doi.org/10.4314/wiojms.v19i2.11.

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Abstract

Commercial bottom prawn trawling has been reported to generate a higher proportion of by-catch of up to 70% in Kenya. The Tigertooth croaker, Otolithes ruber is one of the species caught in large quantities as commercial by-catch and also by artisanal fishers. This has led to growing concern that the species could be at risk of over-exploitation. The purpose of this study was to carry out a stock assessment of O. ruber. Stock assessment parameters were estimated using ELEFAN with the generic algorithm as included in the R package TropFishR. The length-converted catch curve and the length-based yield per recruit model were employed. The exploitation rate (F/Z = 0.71) indicates that the stock is overfished based on the length-converted catch curve. The current fishing mortality (F = 2.3) based on the catch curve is larger than the reference level ( = 1.1) based on the yield per recruit analysis and also indicates that the stock is overfished (= 2.09). To reverse the current trend of exploitation, improved management of the stock is required, which should include further studies on other by-catch species and the generation of data to capture the whole fishery for a better estimation of stock status.

Document Type:	Article
Programme Area:	PA Not Applicable
Research affiliation:	Integrated Modelling > Resource Management
Refereed:	Yes
Open Access Journal?:	Yes
DOI:	https://doi.org/10.4314/wiojms.v19i2.11
ISSN:	0856-860X
Date Deposited:	11 Mar 2026 13:23
Last Modified:	11 Mar 2026 13:23
URI:	https://cris.leibniz-zmt.de/id/eprint/6165

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