Monitoring of shrimp stocks in the coastal waters of the Persian Gulf (Khouzestan Province)

Abstract

Study of shrimp stock was carried out from January 2003 to March 2004 in two sampling areas of Khouzestan coastal waters. In this period, eight cruises in Life- Buseif (western coastal area) and six cruises in Bahrekan (eastern coastal area) were carried using shrimp trawl net. In Life- Buseif fishing area, the CPUE of total shrimp was the highest (19.18 kg/ h) in November 2002. This parameter estimated 9.42 kg/ h for M.affinis in March. In this area, the highest biomass of total shrimps was in November 2002 (410.1 t). This value was 204.2 t for M. affinis in same month. Maximum mean length of males and females of M.affinis were observed in December (12.4 & 11.4 cm respectively). Maximum and minimum sex ratio (f: m) of this species was 1.4: 1 in August and 0.89: 1 in December 2002. Relative frequency of shrimp in total catch was observed in December (23%) in Life- Buseif. This parameter was 6.24% in January in Bahrekan area. In Bahrekan fishing area, total shrimp CPUE was highest (3.7 kg/ h) in January, and max. CPUE for M. af inis was 3.2 kg/h in same month. Maximum biomass of total shrimp and M. affinis were 72.9 t and 62.9 t in January. Maximum length of male and female of M.affinis were 13.3 and 11.1 cm (in May and March respectively). Maximum and minimum sex ratio (f: m) of M. af inis was 2.9: 1 in May and 0.8: 1 in February. According to the results of this study, shrimp catch season was opened in Life- Buseif from 6 th Nov until 5th Dec 2003. Winter shrimp catch season has been closed in Bahrekan since 2001.