Species composition of exploited fishes in Van Phong bay, Khanh Hoa province

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the survey of exploited fish resources in Van Phong bay (Khanh Hoa province) conducted in 2013. A total of 351 species of fish belonging to 19 orders, 100 families and 215 genera were identified. Of which, the coastal-benthic fishes and coral reef fishes were the major groups with 283 species (80.63%) recorded; the pelagic fishes were 68 species (19.37%). The order Perciformes was the most diverse with 50 families (60.68%) found, in which the family Carangidae was the most common (19 species). Among 351 species mentioned above, there were 68 species considered as target fishes (occupying with 19.4% of total species) such as mackerels and tunas (Scombridae), groupers (Serranidae), anchovies (Engraulidae), herrings (Clupeidae), mullets (Mugilidae), Goatfishes (Mullidae), Barracudas (Sphyraenidae)… Among the five fishing gears, the number of species caught by trawling net was the highest (237 species) and then diving (140 species), reef nets (158 species), anchovy purse seines (12 species) and seines (47 species). The number of species caught in the southwest monsoon (342 species, 97.4%) was higher than that in the northeast monsoon (269 species, 76.6%).