Journal of Fisheries and Aquaculture Research JFAR Vol. 5(1), pp. 079-084, June, 2020. © www.premierpublishers.org, ISSN: 9901-8810 Research Article Fishery Assessment of Mullets (Actinopterygii: Mugilidae) in Pakistan Abdul Baset1*, Mushtaq Ali Khan2, Abdul Waris3, Baochao Liao4, Aamir Mahmood Memon5, Ehsanul Karim6, Hamad Khan7, Shah Khalid7 and Imran Khan7 1Department of Zoology, Bacha Khan University Charsadda 24461, Pakistan 2Ocean College, Zhejiang University, Zhejiang 310027, China 3Department of Biotechnology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan 4Department of Probability and Statistics, Shandong University, Jinan, China 5Sindh Fisheries Department, Hyderabad 71000, Sindh, Pakistan 6Bangladesh Fisheries Research Institute, Mymensingh, 2201, Bangladesh 7Department of Zoology, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto University, Sheringal, Dir Upper, Pakistan To estimate the MSY (maximum sustainable yield) from yearly catch and effort data of mullets to appraise the stock of the fishery in Pakistan. The fifteen years (1995-2009) catch and effort data of mullets’ fishery were taken from the handbook of MFD (marine fisheries department) Fisheries Statistics of Pakistan. ASPIC and CEDA, two software packages were used based on surplus production models. The IP (initial proportion) was used 0.9 because the starting catch was 90% of the maximum catch for CEDA with three surplus production models Fox, Schaeder and Pella- Tomlinson. The MSY calculated from Fox with normal, lognormal and gamma (error assumptions) were 5450 (R2 =0.784), 6885 (R2 =0.824), 6372 (R2 =0.804) respectively, while the values from Schaefer and Pella-Tomlinson with normal, lognormal and gamma were 5562 (R2 =0.772), 7349 (R2 =0.810) and gamma were 6850 (R2 =0.791). From ASPIC package, MSY calculated from Fox and logistic models were 7247 (R2 =0.838) and 18840 (R2 =0.867) respectively. The current calculated MSY values from surplus production models were lower than yearly catch, which indicate that the mullets’ fishery stock in Pakistan is overfished. So we may recommend the managers of the fishery to reduce the fishing efforts to sustain the stock in Pakistan for future. Keywords: ASPIC, CEDA, Mullets, Pakistan, Surplus Production Models INTRODUCTION The world population growth resulted the demand for The fisheries resources are mainly with aspect of self- animal protein, so the fisheries products have a significant renovating. Therefore, if the fisheries resources are well role to overcome the demand (FAO, 2012). Fishery studied on fisheries stock assessment, biological resources are not playing a role only in the economic parameters, and well managed then their effects can be development of Pakistan (Nazir et al., 2015; Baset et al., limitless (Pinzón-Espinosa, 2018) to overcome the 2020a), but also take part in the human development and demand for seafood and fisheries. The growing demand welfare, such as in terms of providing a quality source of for seafood requires an increase in food production in a food and employment with the major aspect of self- sustainable manner. The sustainability of fish populations renewable in nature (FAO, 2016) Fisheries of Pakistan can be affected by human activities due to the different play an important role to overcome the demand for fish, management schemes, including direct effect and indirect food security, contribute directly to a source of livelihood in the coastal regions, employment for coastal and non- *Corresponding Author: Abdul Baset, Department of coastal communities, and national GDP of the country, Zoology, Bacha Khan University Charsadda 24461, which is about 70% of the total fish exports (FAO, 2017). Pakistan. Email: [email protected] Fishery Assessment of Mullets (Actinopterygii: Mugilidae) in Pakistan Baset et al. 080 effect. A direct effect on production can be the harvesting sustainable yield (MSY), catch per unit effort (CPUE), impacts in management systems (Hixson, 2014) Fisheries carrying capacity (K), intrinsic population growth rate(r), management pursues to regulate exploitation in replacement yield (Ryield), catchability coefficient (q), commercially important stocks of fish to ensure their long- coefficient of determination and biomass (Liao et al., 2016 term sustainability. To manage these stocks successfully, a & b; Baset et al., 2020b). an understanding of the stock assessment and the dynamics of the population is necessary in Pakistan (Hilborn and Walters, 2013). MATERIALS AND METHODS Pakistan is located in the northern Arabian Sea with Fishery statistical data coastline extends from Iran to India, to about 1150 km from its southeast border the Sindh coast (68◦ 10’E), and Fifteen years (1995-2009) annual catch and effort data of northwest the Baluchistan coast (61◦ 30’E). The EEZ of mullets of Pakistan coastline of both provinces, Sindh and Pakistan spreads over an area of 240000 km2 (Minton et Baluchistan, obtained from the Handbook of MFD al., 2015). The Baluchistan coast has generally rock (Fisheries Statistics of Pakistan) Karachi (Table 1). The bottom and rough shelf which is about 772 km long. The Handbook was published last time in 2009. The latest data Jiwani Bay, Gawader, Pasni, Kalmat, Ormara, and from 2010-20 of eleven years still pending. In the book, Sonmiani Bay are the major fish landing areas along the fishing efforts was representing the fishing boats’ number Baluchistan coast. It has a rough bottom with a narrow and and the yearly catch was presented in the form of weight rough shelf, therefore trawling is not possible (Psomadakis (metric ton). et al., 2015). The coast along the Sindh is about 348 km long and the bottom is generally sandy, muddy, or sandy Table 1. Annual catch and effort data of mullets’ muddy. The flow of fresh water from the Indus River makes fishery in Pakistan. this area more productive (Psomadakis et al., 2015). This Year Catch Effort CPUE region has creeks with a forest of mangroves where it 1995 17280 11066 1.56154 creates an ecosystem that supports the biodiversity that 1996 17631 11061 1.593979 beneficial as the nursery grounds and well habitat for 1997 18935 10983 1.724028 fisheries resources (Whitfield et al., 2017). The mangrove 1998 17580 11444 1.536176 forests of the Sindh coastline were the sixth-largest in the 1999 12336 11768 1.048266 world. 2000 9618 12114 0.793957 2001 11048 12618 0.875575 The coastal waters of Pakistan are rich in fisheries 2002 10108 12695 0.796219 resources of both fishes and shellfishes (Mohsin et al., 2003 10316 12838 0.803552 2017; Jarwar, 2008). The mullet fishery has established 2004 10363 13002 0.797031 with a big appreciation by means of food source (Pinnegar 2005 9266 13145 0.704907 and Engelhard, 2008), as well as ecologically significant 2006 9063 13308 0.681019 detritivore linking lower trophic levels with a wide variety of 2007 9735 13426 0.725086 estuarine and marine fish and birds (Whitfield et al., 2012). 2008 8218 13522 0.60775 Mullets have been distributed throughout the world and 2009 8226 13879 0.592694 dwell in temperate, tropical, semi-tropical oceans (Zacks, Note: Effort is number of fishing boats; Total catch in 2013). Mullets fishery made a position in India that is the metric tons. main part of the food for coastal communities (Salagrama, 2006). In Pakistan, the mullet fishery’s importance and Surplus Production Models SPMs significance are not much familiar than other coastal fishes Yearly data of fifteen years (catch and effort data) were (Masood et al., 2015). analyzed by CEDA (Hoggarth et al., 2006) and ASPIC (Prager, 2005) two computer packages. In these computer Fishes known as mullets or grey mullets belong to the packages, three SPMs (surplus production models) which family Mugilidae (Islam et al., 2009) which plays a are Fox, (1970), Schaefer (1954), and Pella-Tomlinson significant role in commercial fisheries and aquaculture (1969) are available. Currently different tolls have been worldwide (Imsiridou et al., 2007). Family Mugilidae used to analyze different kind of data, but the SPMs are composed of 30 genera and 81 species (Fishbase, 2020; best tolls to analyze the yearly data of catch and efforts. Nelson et al., 2016) but in Pakistan, 4 genera and 12 dB / dt = rB (B∞ - B) by Schaefer (1954) species are known (Psomadakis et al., 2015). Mullets inhabit coastal marine waters, estuaries, and freshwater, After Shaefer work in 1954, fifteen years later the two which often use in fish pond culture because of rapid scientists Pella and Tomlinson (1969) had described a growth and hardness (Bianchi, 1985). There were few comprehensive production equation, while soon after one studies present on different aspects of mullets in Pakistan, year, the Fox (1970) placed forward an equation of but it was important to write on the mullets’ fisheries status. Gompertz growth. Both models have been stated So in the present study, we have found the maximum following: Fishery Assessment of Mullets (Actinopterygii: Mugilidae) in Pakistan J. Fish. Aquacul. Res. 081 n-1 n-1 dB / dt = rB (B∞ - B ) by Pella and Tomlinson (1969) determination (R2), stock biomass in giving MSY (BMSY), dB / dt = rB (lnB∞ - lnB) by Fox (1970) and fishing mortality rate at MSY (FMSY). The initial proportion (IP) of B1/K (Starting biomass over carrying In the equations B represents fish stock biomass, t is used capacity) was input values by users, it was assumed that for time (year), B∞ indicates carrying capacity, while when IP is close to zero, this indicates that the data are intrinsic rate of population increase is presented by r and from a virgin population, and if IP is close to one it means n is the shape parameter. the data starts from the fully developed state (Prager, Bt+1 = Bt + rBt (B∞ - Bt) - Ct 2005). Ct = qEtBt Here, C, q and E are presenting catch, presenting RESULTS catchability and representing fishing efforts respectively. While F (fishing mortality) can then be computed as: MSY values of CEDA F = qE CEDA computer software package shows sensitive with IP CEDA (catch and effort data analysis) value 0.9, results were showing in Table 2.