A survey of discard fish in Khuzestan fishery grounds

Abstract

The main purpose of this study was to describe and estimate the seasonal pattern of discard fish in the waters of the Persian Gulf coasts in Khuzestan. sampling was carried out Monthly by using fishing boats in the waters of Khuzestan province for one year in fishing areas of Lifeh, Boseif, Khure-mussa and Bahrakan.Discard fish samples were included 61 species from 37 families, nearly 39 percent commercial and 61 percent of non- commercial species. Rayfish and catfish have been observed in most fishing nets. Average size of most species particularly bony fish were under 15 cm. The amount of discard fish per unit of fishing effort is not significantly different between seasons. The highest portion of the catch belongs to Rayfishes. Total discard fishes of gillnets were estimated 3162 tones. Total weight of commercial fishes with small size in trash fish was estimated 225 tones. The rate and proportion of discard fish in total catch of gillnet was estimated 0.23 and 0.31 respectively. Chondrichthyes with 12 species and 60% of gillnet catch has the highest percentage of discard fish of gillnet. A large number of commercial species with small size such as Otolithes ruber (Schneider, 1801), Scomberomorus commerson (Lacepede, 1801) and Scomberoides commersonnianus (Lacepede, 1801) could be due to the role of nursery grounds in Khuzestan coastal waters.