Search

Among the various species of small pelagic fish, Sardinella sindensis (Day ,1878) has high economic and ecological importance and is one of the most important species exploited by fishermen. In recent years, the catch rate of this species has increased, and due to the limited data available on its stock in southern waters, it is not possible to use models based on the complementary data to assess its stock. In the present study, the catch-maximum sustainable yield (CMSY) model was used to determine the stock status of Sardinella sindensis in southern waters. Catch data related to the last 23 years (1997- 2019) were collected and entered into the model to calculate fisheries reference points. The value for B/BMSY by the model was estimated to be more than 1.0 and the value of F/FMSY was less than 1.0, which indicates the healthy stock status of this species in the southern waters of Iran. The maximum sustainable yield (MSY) was estimated to be 86,000 tons. In recent years, the catch rate has been exceeded this amount and has caused the stock to move gradually towards the overfishing zone. Based on the results, it is suggested to control and manage the fishing activities regionally (specially in Hormozgan province) by taking into account the fishery potentials, monitoring the exploitation status with regard to the environmental factors affecting the stocks of this species.

Among the various species of small pelagic fish, Sardinella sindensis (Day, 1878) has high economic and ecological importance and is one of the most important species exploited by fishermen. In recent years, the catch rate of this species has increased, and due to the limited data available on its stock in southern waters, it is not possible to use models based on the complementary data to assess its stock. In the present study, the catch-maximum sustainable yield (CMSY) model was used to determine the stock status of Sardinella sindensis in southern waters. Catch data related to the last 23 years (1997-2019) were collected and entered into the model to calculate fisheries reference points. The value for B/BMSY by the model was estimated to be more than 1.0 and the value of F/FMSY was less than 1.0, which indicates the healthy stock status of this species in the southern waters of Iran. The maximum sustainable yield (MSY) was estimated to be 86,000 tons. In recent years, the catch rate has been exceeded this amount and has caused the stock to move gradually towards the overfishing zone. Based on the results, it is suggested to control and manage the fishing activities regionally (specially in Hormozgan province) by taking into account the fishery potentials, monitoring the exploitation status with regard to the environmental factors affecting the stocks of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diet of kingfish was examined in the Iranian coastal waters in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea during the year 2005-08. With the examination of 1655 kingfish stomachs caught by drifting gillnets, it was revealed that this species fed three groups of preys including fish, Cephalopods, and Crustaceans, of which the fish group accounted for the highest in the frequency of number (99.3%) and in the frequency of occurrence (99.1%). Nine families for the fish group, one family for Cephalopods and one family of Crustaceans were identified, with totally fifteen species were identifiable. In fish group, Engraulididae and Clupeidae families had the highest frequency of number (22% and 13.5% in respective family) and the highest frequency of occurrence (8.4% and 14.4% of the total stomachs examined in respective family), which Clupeidae seems to be a preferred food for kingfish in the coastal waters. Feeding intensity of kingfish is higher when the peaks of small pelagic catches occurred in spring and winter in the coastal waters. Because of the importance of Sardines and Anchovies in the feeding of kingfish, it is necessary to harvest the valuable resource of the small pelagic fish.