Short Communication: Fishing inside Qeshm Island’s MPA, A tortuous approach

Chamanara V, Kamrani E, Zahirinia M,Manez KS. 2016.Short Communication: Fishing inside Qeshm Island’s MPA, Atortuous approach. Nusantara Bioscience 8:169-173.Incremental pressure of population growth in coastal areas has led to loss in manymangrove areas. Although these areas are fish nursery grounds and are very important in stock assessments, there is no accurate and up-to-date available data about them. In this research the catch data in the Qeshm IslandMarine Protected Area (MPA)of Iranwasinvestigated using 11 stake nets. Totally, 81 specimens belonging to 69 genus and 63 families were caught, which majority of them werediscards. The commercial fish were young which were mostly smaller than LM. In case of White Pomfret as well, only 15.3% of thecaught individuals were in the legal catch size. Hence, this catch composition would be a potential threat to fish stocks. The majornumerical and weight based specimens were Dussumieriaacuta(10.05%) andArius maculatus (5.9%), respectively. Containing 7species, the Clupeidae was themost abundant family in the catch composition. Eventually, total annual catch by abovementioned stakenets within the mangrove forests in the Qeshm Island marine protected area was estimated to be 186.77-188.75 tonnes, approximately.