Fishery status of narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson, Lacepede 1800) in the northern waters of the Oman Sea, Iran

In the present study, population characteristics of Scomberomorus commerson were evaluated by sampling fish at five fish landing sites in the northern Oman Sea (Iran) including Beris, Ramin, Pozm, Konarak and Jask from March 2017 to March 2018. The biometric analysis was performed on more than 11000 fish specimens. Growth and mortality indices were calculated including infinite length (L∞= 165 cm), growth coefficient (K= 0.5 (yr-1)), growth performance index (Ф= 4.13), natural mortality (M= 0.75(yr-1)), fishing mortality (F= 2.49 (yr-1)), total mortality (Z= 3.24± 0.15(yr-1)) and exploitation coefficient (E = 0.77 (yr-1)) as well as length time at time zero (-0.2). Relative production per recruitment, relative biomass per recruitment and exploitation rate of S. commerson were Y'/Rp= 0.06, B'/Rp= 0.32 and U= 0.65, respectively. The Pobj value is <1, and Popt and Pmega >0, the fishery show considered undesirable. The present study showed that the narrow - barred Spanish mackerel had undesirable stock condition and fish stocks have reached 'overfished' status. Therefore, specific measures should be taken to reduce catch and fishing effort.