Diversity and Abundance Fish Assemblages in the Setiu Wetlands, Terengganu, Malaysia

The sampling programme was conducted to determine the diversity and abundance in fish assemblages from June 2011 to July 2012 using gill and trawl nets and traps. A total of 13,132 individuals of fishes comprising 116 species and 50 families were recorded. Family Siganidae had the highest family abundance recorded with 43.0%. Siganus javus was determined as the most abundant species with a percentage value of 38.8%. Ninety species were caught and considered to be commercially valuable. Four species were recorded as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List, which were Hippocampus spinosissimus, Hippocampus trimaculatus , Himantura uarnak, and Pegasus laternarius; while Himantura walga, Favonigobius melanobranchus, Favonigobius rechei. Epinephelus coioides , and Epinephelus diachanthus were listed as near threatened. Overall values of diversity, richness and evenness indices were found to be 2.60, 12.12 and 0.55, respectively. Estimates from these indices were an indication of high fish species composition, richness, and evenness in the population of fishes in Setiu wetlands. It is recommended that government should gazette the Setiu Wetlands as a state park in Terengganu for future planning.