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Mullet’s
distribution
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Mullet’s
growth
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Mullet’s
age |
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Mullet’s distribution |
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mullet is included in the fishes of mugiliformes’ mugilidae. There are
over seventy kinds of mugilidae fishes around the world, twenty-plus
kinds of which have been found in the coastal waters of Mainland China
and Taiwan. Mugilidae fishes, frequently seen marine ones, spread
throughout the waters of tropical, sub-tropical, temperate zones and
stay in the waters of either sea water or fresh water. Natural mullet
catch in Taiwan is located in the coastal waters of Hsinchu down to
Pingtung and Hengchun. |
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The mullet, migrating in the coastal waters of the western Taiwan, grows
in the mouth of the Yangtze Basin, Mainland China. Every year when
water temperature suddenly comes down in the vicinity of winter, the
school of mullet follows the ocean to move southward from Hsinchu,
Miaoli, Taichung, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung to Pingtung along the Taiwan
Straits, and lays the eggs after passing through the Linpien Stream.
Besides, the mullet also appears in the waters from Fangliao, Hengchun
to Oluanpi and even down to the South Sea. |
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Marine mullet’s distribution: In addition to the aforesaid Yangtze Basin
and western coast of Taiwan, the mullet is distributed in the sea waters
of the northern East Coast of U.S.A. to the southern Florida, and the
coast of Queensland, Australia and Brazil. Above all, the mullet and
mullet roe, products of Taiwan, are the plumpest and prettiest and of
best quality. The quality of mullet roe produced in the sea area of
Florida, U.S.A. is no more than the sea waters of Taiwan but the quality
in the coast of Queensland, Australia and Brazil is more inferior. |
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Taiwan coastal fisheries view |
mullet's capturable view |
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Mullet’s growth |
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Conforming to the rules of natural existence, the growth of wild mullet
ranging from egg spawning to fry formation takes two years or three.
The oldest mullet caught by the fishing vessel on the sea is aged five.
Being the benthic species, the mullet in the western coast of Taiwan
usually eats the foods like
diatom, spirulina, organic scraps, copepods, mud and other planktonic
animals. |
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According to Mr. CHEN, Min-hsiung and raiser Mr.
HUANG, Min-yung (with five years of experiences in mullet culture), when
the north wind is coming, the mullet’s ovary begins to grow. In the
light of solar terms, the mullet starts to be pregnant and grow since
“white dew”. It takes nearly two months or two and a half months to
attain the maturity. Based upon Mr. Huang’s experience, the two-age
mullet weighs up to 3-plus catties and the mullet roe, about five or six
taels under the normal condition. The three-age mullet weighs up to
four catties or more and the mullet roe, about seven or eight taels
under the normal condition. In addition to the application of advanced
technology, the mullet grows better than ever. Sometimes the mullet roe
can reach some ten-plus taels in weight. |
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Mullet’s
age：According
to the study conducted by Marine Laboratory, there is “internal
ear stone” in the balance organ (internal ear) of
osteichthyes, which can be horizontally cut into a concentric circle
like annual ring. Therefore, the age can be decided on the basis of
the mullet head’s ear stone. When we visited the mullet roe
factory, Mr. Chen, Yao-Kun specially indicated where the internal
ear is through the substantial fish.
Another way for judging the age is based upon
the scale’s ring.
The scale is able to reveal the fish’s age because the fish is born
with the scales. The scale consists of lots of different flakes.
The scale in the middle of fish body is thicker; the upper, smaller
and oldest; the lower, the biggest and youngest (as shown in the
right figure). After the mullet’s spinal column is planished, the
annual ring is also available for judging the age. |
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