18 páginas, 3 figuras, 6 tablas.-- Scientific Council MeetingOvaries of cod from Flemish Cap were sampled at three
different times during the reproductive cycle. We study the
use of the oocytes in the circumnuclear ring, cortical
alveoli and vitellogenesis stages, the postovulatory
follicles and gonosomatic index for the identification of
females at the beginning of the ripening.
The results obtained indicate that there is a period of
less than two months between the end of spawning and the
beginning of the development of the cortical alveoli stage,
and more than three months to the beginning of vitellogenesis
in all mature females. It is necessary to wait for these
periods to use these structures to identify all the females
at the beginning of ripening.
Postovulatory follicles last a long time in the ovary,
and their identification is possible seven months after
spawning; the reconstruction of the last maturation ogive can
be made three months after spawning.
The mean gonosomatic index of mature and immature
females showed significant differences three months after
spawning, but the overlap between the maximum and minimum
values impedes the use of this index to identify all females
at the beginning of ripening.Peer reviewe
