A Study of Growth Pattern Sex Ratio and Condition Factor of Swimming Crab (Callinectes amnicola) from Iwofe Fish Landing Site, Rivers State Nigeria

Samples of Callinectes amnicola were collected from Iwofe fish landing site in New Calabar River for the study of its growth pattern, sex ratio and condition factor. A total of 624 crab specimens were collected once in amonth, for the period of 3 months between May and July 2017 from fishers that obtained catches from the wild. They were identified using standard fish identification keys. Lengths-weights, sex ratios and condition factor were calculated according to standard methods. Data were subjected to Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO)-ICLARM Stock Assessment Tools (FISAL II and Microsoft Excel for regression analysis. The overall “b” values were 2.0269 (July), 1.7207 (June) and 2.0679 (May) for equation “W=a+b”CL. The “b” values showed negative allometric growth pattern. The “k” values for the combined months ranged between 3.76 and 15.95 (K>0.5), showed that C. amnicola from Iwofe fish landing site is healthy and sustained good environment.