Abstract
Demographic structure of catches and at first maturity of Melicertus kerathurus (Forskål, 1775) females (38.525±2.71 mm) were estimated from commercial fisheries data collected in the South-West Adriatic Sea, from 2011 to 2013. The length distribution of the catches shows a different pattern for the two sexes and the analysis of the maturity cycle indicated that the reproduction period is in summer.