Survey on stocks of Caspian Sea mullets ( Liza aurata ; Liza saliens ) in Iranian coastal waters of the Caspian Sea

This study was conducted to determine growth parameters, catch and fishing effort trends, stock assessment of Caspian Sea mullets in the Iranian coastal waters of Caspian Sea in the fishing season of 2013 - 2014. For gathering of data on biometry and catch statistics, 5 mobile working group in the regions of Anzali , Kiashahr , Noshahr , Babolsar and Torkmen were involved from the start to the end of fishing season.Gathered data Were entered to the computer. For data analysis , common methods were undertaken for estimation of growth parameters , mortality rates , biomass and Maximum Sustainable yield ( MSY ) as well. . According to the result, the number of beach seines cooperatives was 124 and fishing efforts were 44688 beach seining haul . The catch per unit of effort CPUE) was calculated 53 kg/haul during this fishing season . The total catches of Caspian Sea mullets (including illegal fishingestimated as 2373 mt. Growth parameters of golden gray mullet (Liza aurata ) were estimated as K=0.16 /yr, L∞ = 57.4 cm, t0 = - 0.45 /yr. Based on catch-at-age data, in the fishing season of 2013-2014 , the total biomass, from the biomass-based cohort analysis were estimated 12473.3. mt. Based on these results , the fishing mortality rate in fishing season of 2013-2014 were 0.575 /yr . In this survey , the Maximum sustainable yield were estimated as 2558.6 mt respectively . Generally from three Northern province's cooperatives 3406 sampels collected.Results of biometry of golden gray mullet (Liza auratus) showed that the mean length and weight and age of this species were 32.3 ± 6.1 cm and 383.5 ± 74.823.4 g and 1.2 ± 5.6 y respectively and leaping gray mullet (Liza saliens) showed that the mean length and weight and age of this species were 24.8 ± 3.3 cm and 119 ± 25.5 g and 2.5 ± 0.6 y respectively . The biometric results showed that ,97.5 % of the samples belonged to golden gray mullet and population of leaping gray mullet was sever declined. Also , the fishing of the mullet was increased over the last year by 10.3 % from 2151 tones to 2373 tones per year during 1391-92 and 1392-93 , respectively . Iranian Fisheries Science Research Institute Published