REPRODUCTIVE DYNAMICS OF HAKE MERLUCCIUS HUBBSI MARINI, 1933 DURING SUMMER OF 1988 AT THE ARGENTINIAN COAST

Abstract

The purposeof this work is to analize the productiveactivity of Merluccius Itubbsihake through the histologic analysis ovarles (523) were extracted from adult fish obtained by the RV OCA-BALDA, which operated on the zone between 43°Sy 47CS and 63°W and 66°W, during December 1988. The gonads were included in paraffin and stained with hematoxylin-eosin. The maturation stages 111, IV, V, VI and the reversión ones VII-5, VII-4, VII-3, VII-2 and VII, ware calculated. The distribution of percentage of gonadal stages for each fishing haul were calculated and analysed through a cluster analysis which determined four groups placed in different geographical spaces: group 1 = maturation and spawning stage III, IV, V and VI; group 2 = maturation, and reversión VII-3; group 3 = reversión in all stage and group 4, reversión VII-4. Nine variables for each haul were analized through the principal component analysis. The variables were percentage of individuáis in stage III, VII-5, VII-4, VII-3, VII-2, VII, length, percent stomach with content, temperatura and salinity. The result was similar to the one obtained through the cluster analysis.