Ramon and Bailey. Spawning seasonality of Thunnus alalunga 



729 



with a mean diameter near 0.1 mm (Fig. 2). Between 

 September and December, the number of albacore 

 with partially yolked or fully yolked oocytes increased 

 rapidly, and mean monthly oocyte diameters pro- 

 gressed from 0.12 mm to 0.57 mm (Fig. 2). Albacore 

 with fully yolked oocytes were found from the sum- 

 mer months through March. No hydrated ovaries 



were observed in either the New Caledonia or the 

 Tonga samples. By April, the most advanced-stage 

 oocytes were resting-state oocytes with a mean di- 

 ameter of 0.1 mm for all samples (Fig. 2). 



A correlation exists between the most advanced 

 stage of oocytes and GSI, as indicated by the posi- 

 tive coefficient of determination, r 2 = 0.829 (Fig. 3). 



