Identification species of Acanthopagrus (Family: Sparidae) and stock identification of dominant species in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea using geometric morphometry and otolith

In this study, the identification of the Acanthopagrus species Sparidae family by morphometric characters & meristic counts and the stock separation of Arabian yellowfin Seabream Acanthopagrus arabicus as the dominant species was determined through geometric morphometric and otolith shape in the west and east part of the Hormuz Strait. Samples were collected in five different areas including Khuzestan, Bushehr and Hormuzgan Waters as the west of Hormuz Strait, and Jask, Sirik and Sistan & Baluchistan Waters as the east of Hormuz Strait from June 2014 to May 2016. A. arabicus, A. berda and A.bifasciatus were identified in the northern part of the Persian Gulf & Oman Sea, the first one was identified as a dominant species of this genus. Evaluation of morphometric characters and meristic counts indicated that individuals of A. arabicus in west and east of Strait of Hormuz were significantly different from each other which showed high phenotype diversity of this species (p<0.05) and 85.3% of the individuals were categorized precisely in the correct classification which indicated as a key identification method in the region. From the meristic counts, the number of scales on the lateral line, on the chin and scales from the fifth and ninth spine of dorsal fin to the lateral line were the factors of separation in the west and east of the Strait of Hormuz. Body shape analysis was showed the most variations on the head and top of the body and significant differences of body shape was proved between west and east of Strait of Hormuz. Landmark positions in the samples of the west Strait of Hormuz were indicated the decrease of body depth, increase of head length, leaning of base and pectoral and ventral fin to upper part of the body, meanwhile it was contrary in the samples of the east. CVA correlation analysis showed a significant difference in body shape in the west and east of the Strait of Hormuz (P <0.0001). The otolith shape indices showed a significant difference in the west and east of the Strait of Hormuz and the results of the DFA analysis confirmed the accuracy of the classification of the species in the main region by 53.8 percent and the otolith shape in the west of the Hormuz Strait was more circular and had an equal growth in the length and width, while in the eastern part of the Strait of Hormuz they had more growth and aspect ratio, ellipticity and form factor of the area were approved. The results of the otolith Fourier Shape Analysis showed that six components out of the 77 main components were expressed 90 percent of the cumulative strength and difference, and the most changes were observed in the dorsal and ventral part of the otoliths of the Arabian yellowfin Seabream, and 70.4% of individuals of this species were correctly classified in the west and east of the Strait of Hormuz. The results of this survey confirmed two separate stocks in the west and east of Strait of Hormuz

Length-based fishery status and population dynamics of Spiral Babylon, Babylonia spirata, Linnaeus, 1758, stock in the northern waters of the Oman Sea, Sistan and Baluchestan Province of Iran

In the present study, the population characteristics of Spiral Babylon, Babylonia spirata, were evaluated by sampling at four sites in the northern Oman Sea, Iran, including Pozm, Konark, Beries, Pasabandar from March 2021 to March 2022. A total of 2779 Babylonian snail specimens (1489 males, and 1290 females) were measured and about ten percent of the specimens were described. The mean length and weight of males and females were 36±5, and 32±5 mm and 14±6, 10±4 g, respectively. Growth and mortality indices for females and males including infinite length (L? = 68 and 76 mm), growth coefficient (K = 0.54 and 0.3 (yr-1)), natural mortality (M= 0.7 and 0.4 (yr-1)), fishing mortality (F = 2.30 and 1.79 (yr-1)), total mortality (Z = 3 and 2.19 (yr-1)) and exploitation coefficient (E = 0.77 and 0.82 (yr-1)) were estimated. Based on the LBSPR assessment model, estimated to be about 0.3, and a ratio of Pmega&lt;0.1, Lmean/Lopt &lt;1 and Lmean /LF=M&lt;1 show considered undesirable. The present study showed that the Spiral Babylon stock has reached 'overfished' status

Promotion and updating of laboratories database for Iran Fisheries Research Organization

Creating a database of affiliated laboratories of the institute is organized with the aim of integrating information related to laboratories of research centers and their subsidiaries. The main objective of conducting this project in this stage is to upgrade it, establish and running one software system based on up-to-date technology of networking. In this way, in addition to organizing the centers database, a periodic report on various aspects can be done which help for implementing appropriate monitoring and management. Generally, the items that are designed and upgraded for this system include: Portal, bank of information, advanced possibilities for inputting data, searching and reporting on laboratory equipment and materials, information about calibration and repair and expiration dates of chemical materials, expertise and capabilities of personnel, providing laboratory services of institutes and research centers, direct order collecting of experiments from inside and outside of the institute, exchanging information, new test methods and sharing of new ideas and professional proposals, organizing laboratory materials, and exchange of expensive chemical materials. The advantages of this system compared to the previous version is that comprehensive, precise and updated reports can be collected easily from the general information of research institutes and centers, reports of the number of lab experts with different educational levels in affiliated centers, awareness of numbers and status of the chemical materials in the laboratories of each center, and the significant and important point is about economizing equipment, chemical materials and on time calibration, in time repairing of equipment and providing laboratories tariff and other matters

Optimized exploitation of Pharaoh Cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis Ehrenberg, 1831) stocks in the Iranian part of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the trends in Pharaoh Cuttlefish (Sepia pharaonis) capture fisheries and determine the suitable range for optimized exploitation of S. pharaonis resources in the Iranian part of Persian Gulf and Oman Sea using catch data. The data on Pharaoh Cuttlefish capture fisheries in Iranian southern waters for the twenty-three years was collected and the suitable range for optimized exploitation of S. pharaonis was estimated using the R Software. The average values (95% confidence interval) using the Monte Carlo simulation method for intrinsic population growth rate (r), maximum sustainable yield (MSY), the biomass of maximum sustainable yield (Bmsy) and maximum fishing mortality rate of maximum sustainable yield (Fmsy) were 0.92 (0.73-1.17) per year, 5100 (4200-6200) tons, 1100 (8670-13900) tons, 0.46 (0.36-0.58) per year, respectively. The results showed that the annual catch of S. pharaonis exceeded the maximum sustainable yields and measures should be taken to reduce the number of capture fisheries and fishing effort. With results of the prediction model was observed moving average analysis (MAPE=2.85, MAD=0.10, MSD=0.02) and ARIMA (0, 0, 1) (AIC=9.79, BIC=6.38), are better than other models for a period of five years for modeling annual this species landing. It seems that reducing fishing permits and fishing effort will put the S. pharaonis stock situation in a more favorable condition in the long term and will further benefit the exploiters and the fishing community

Stock Assessment of Indo-Pacific King Mackerel, Scomberomorus guttatus (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, southern Iranian waters, using CMSY and DBSRA

The purpose of this study was to investigate the catch trend and estimation of the optimized catch limit of the Scomberomorus guttatus (GUT) stock by collecting catch data in southern Iranian waters.  In this study, two methods were used to determine the biological reference points (BRPs) of Indo-Pacific king mackerel in southern Iranian waters i.e. the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. Catch data was collected for 23 years (1997-2019), and the optimized catch limit was estimated using a limited data approach and R Software. The average catch (Ct) for this period was 5123 tonnes (95% confidence interval 4026 -6218 tonnes), and it had significantly increased over the past two decades. The average (maximum-minimum) of carrying capacity (K), maximum sustainable yield (MSY), the biomass of maximum sustainable yield (Bmsy), current biomass (B) and fishing mortality of maximum sustainable yield (Fmsy) were obtained by the Depletion-Based Stock Reduction Analysis (DBSRA) and Catch- maximum sustainable yield (Cmsy) models. The Bmsy ­and K in two models showed no significant difference from the one-sample t-test at P&gt;0.05. The results revealed that the exploitation ratio in the Indo-Pacific king mackerel stock is full fishing (full exploitation), and do not suggest an increase in exploitation ratio and fishing effort are proposed

Stock assessment of Yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares (Bonnaterre, 1788) using the LBB and LB-SPR methods in the northern Oman Sea, Iran

The current work aimed to develop a framework for the estimation of the optimized catch limit of the Yellowfin tuna (YFT), Thunnus albacares stock using catch data in the Iranian southern waters. In this study, two methods were employed to determine the biological reference points (BRPs) of this species. Biometry data was collected for 18 years (1993-2019) and the optimized catch limit was estimated using the limited data approaches. In an estimation method of Length-based Bayesian biomass (LBB), the highest length of this species was calculated as 166 (163-169) cm. The estimate of F/M = 1.9 (1.35-2.5) confirms the overfishing of yellowfin tuna, but the estimate of B/B0=0.17 (0.109-0.238) shows the overfishing of the biomass. In an estimation method of length-based spawning potential ratio (LB-SPR), F/M&gt;2.5 is upper the level that probably results in the maximum sustainable yield (F/M = 0.8-1.0). In the present study, the spawning potential level of the population was estimated at approximately 11%, which means over-exploitation of this species so far. The results showed that the exploitation ratio of YFT stock is overfishing (overexploitation) and a decrease in exploitation ratio and fishing effort are proposed. Regarding the condition of yellowfin tuna stock, both LBB and LBSPR methods confirmed each other and there is no big difference between them