“…Our results also show that there is an increase in individual weight resulting from gonad maturation (Braga, 1997), also documented for Sardinella brasiliensis by several authors (Vazzoler & RossiWongtschowski, 1976;Rossi-Wongtschowski, 1977;Isaac-Nahum et al, 1983Matsuura et al, 1992, Matsuura, 1998. The coefficient "a" can be identified as the allometric condition factor (Braga, TABLE 1: Sardinella brasiliensis: regression analyses ("a" and "b" regression coefficients of allometric model, r² = coefficient of determination) and relative growth analysis ("t" = t-test statistic, P = probability value of t-test, n = number of observations) by year and season (Su = Summer, Au = Autumn, Wi = Winter, Sp = Spring).…”