Seasonal Gut Content Analysis of Oil Sardine (Sardinella longiceps) at Dabhol, Harnai and Mirkarwada, Ratnagiri Coast, Maharashtra, India

The oil sardine (Sardinella longiceps) is one of the most commercially important pelagic fish species along the Ratnagiri coast of Maharashtra. Understanding the dietary spectrum of oil sardine provides critical insights into trophic dynamics and resource availability in Potential Fishing Zones (PFZs). In this study, 270 specimens of S. longiceps were collected between January–May (pre-monsoon) and September–December (post-monsoon) from fish catched from PFZs of Dabhol, Harnai, and Mirkarwada, Ratnagiri district, Maharashtra. This study examines the qualitative and quantitative composition of gut contents during pre-monsoon (January to May) and post-monsoon (September to December) seasons of year 2024 at three major fish landing centres: Dabhol, Harnai and Mirkarwada. A total of 270 specimens (10 fish per month per site for 9 months) were analyzed using the Occurrence Method. The gut content analysis was not performed during monsoon months i.e. June to August due to fishing ban and PFZs advisory not available during this monsoon months. Planktonic organisms such as diatoms (Fragilaria oceanica, Chaetoceros spp., Thalassiosira spp., Coscinodiscus spp., Biddulphia spp., Rhizosolenia spp.), dinoflagellates (Ceratium spp., Peridinium spp.), copepods (Acartia spp., Paracalanus spp., Copepod nauplii.), fish eggs, Ostracods, polychaete larvae, tintinnids, larvaceans, organic matter, sand particles and detritus were identified. The results revealed marked seasonal variations, with diatom dominance in the post-monsoon period and higher copepod abundance in pre-monsoon months. The findings highlight the influence of coastal productivity and upwelling events on oil sardine feeding ecology.