The maturation of Japanese anchovy, Engraulis japonica Temminck and Schlegel, was studied from specimens collected by local fishermen and targeted for herring-like fish fishery (HELF) in northeastern Taiwan. Two hundred fortyeight ovaries collected during the period of March 12, 1992 to April 30, 1993, were examined. Oocyte development were categorized in four stages according to cytological appearances. The size of the oocyte was represented by the length of the major axis. During the period, March through May, the migrating schools of Japanese anchovy in l-Lan Bay were 11-12 em in standard length, and the gonadosomatic index (GSI) of 4.0-6.0 that indicated the reproductive status of this species in the Bay. Both GSI and percent of maturation (PM) are valid indices to measure ovarian maturity. The group maturation remained almost constant "intra-annually" and "inter-annually" during the HELF fishing season.
Reproduction, Engraulis japonica, HELF, Taiwan
