Monitoring of Lobster Resource Panulirus homarus in Oman Sea Coast ( Sistan and Balouchestan Province )

Abstract

Project of monitoring of lobster resource in Oman Sea Coast (Chabahar & Ramin) was performed in autumn (2002) and spring (2003). During of the study some biocharacteristics such as length frequency , time of maximum spawning rate , carapace length at the smallest mature lobster , length at 50 percent maturity and sex ratio were investigated and these qualitative parameters along with quantitative features in mixed catch (Such as egged and unegged females and undersized individuals) in autumn and spring were compared. Based on the results , carapace length of the biggest and smallest lobster were 34 and 112 mm , respectively . Carapace length of the smallest berried female was 55 mm, carapace length at 50 percent maturity (Lm50) was 64 69 mm and sex ratio for females in pot catch in autumn and spring were %64 and %50.5 , respectively. Maximum spring spawning rate was seen and indviduals in this season were bigger than those in autumn. Quantitatively , catch per unit effort (CPUE) in autumn was larger than spring , but a lot of autumnal catch were undersized indviduals and this shows seasonal migration in different length groups. Therefore seasonal behaviour is important such as time of maximum spawning rate or more than it in order to catch season determination. Comparison of total catch in sea and landing site during the study shows that illegal catch in spring is larger than autumn. Continued qualitative and quantitative investigation and comparison of catch in spring and autumn and used tagging in order to study of seasonal migration pattern in lobster are recommended.