Age and growth of Spualiobarbus curriculus from Zhaoqing Guangdong Section of Xijiang River

In base of the 296 specimens of Squaliobarbus curriculus captured by gill-net in the Zhaoqing Guangdong section of Xijiang River during May~June, 2006 and May, 2008, we observed the annual rings on scales of S.curriculus and studied the growth of the fish. The results reveal that the individual catches of age 3 and age 4 are dominant. The relative growth rate of length is greater before age 3 and then decreases. The inflexion point of weight growth curve is aging inflection point at age 8. The total mortality coefficient Z is 0.337 9; the natural mortality coefficient M is 0.193 6; the fishing mortality coefficient F is 0.144 3; the fishing mortality rate E is 0.427. To protect the fishery resources, the capture specifications of length should not be less than 230 mm and the weight should not be less than 220 g.