Reproductive Biology Status Reproductive Biology Status of Moonfish (Mene maculata) in Palabuhanratu Bay during West Monsoon

The moonfish (Mene maculata) is a demersal fish with important ecological and economic value. The high use of pitcher fish as food fish has the potential to disrupt reproductive patterns, recruitment and stock availability of pitcher fish resources, for which information on reproductive biology is minimal during the west monsoon. This research aims to analyze the reproductive biology status of moonfish in Palabuhanratu Bay. The research period took place from September 2021 to February 2022 (representing the west monsoon), with a sample of 522 fish. Fish samples were taken using a simple random sampling method at Palabuhanratu Nusantara fishing port. The data was analysis to obtain the sex ratio, allometric growth pattern, spawning season, the reproductive potential, and the size at maturity. Results shown that the sex ratio was 1:0.76, which is dominated by male fish. Moonfish have a negative allometric growth pattern. The peak of spawning season during the study period was in September and October. Reproductive potential ranges from 11,988 to 21,164 eggs. The spawning pattern of moonfish is indicated as total spawner. The result of Spearman-Karber method analysis showed that the size of the first maturity of female and male moonfish (Lm50) was 143 mm and 150.5 mm TL, respectively. So, female moonfish mature gonads earlier than male fish.