Demersal Fish Resources Around Qatar

Abstract

The study was based on the data available from Fishery Resources Survey in the Gulf and Gulf of Oman, conducted by F.A.O., between 1975 and 1979 and the samplings of the fish production in Qatar during 1980/81. The survey was conducted with standard type Engel high opening trawl, having a 32mm mesh codend, and the sampling stations were randomly selected. About 150 demersal species belonging to about 50 families were identified from the survey and the fishery catches. The density distributions for important fish families were based on the swept area method, and the biomass of demersal species was estimated to be about 86,500 m/tons of commercially valuable species and 11,300 m/tons of non-commercial species, within the Qatar Waters of 35,000 kirb. The yield of demersal species from existing fisheries within the area, was estimated to be 2,900 m/tons. The maximum potential yield of the exploited stocks was estimated to be 22,000 m/tons of commercially valuable species and 3.000 m/tons of non-commercial species.