Species, sex, size and male maturity composition of ... - Seaturtle.org
Species, sex, size and male maturity composition of ... - Seaturtle.org
Species, sex, size and male maturity composition of ... - Seaturtle.org
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2 A. B. M. MOORE ET AL.<br />
29°<br />
Iraq<br />
Kuwait<br />
Sharq<br />
Fahaheel<br />
Shatt al Arab<br />
Iran<br />
Iraq<br />
Saudi Arabia<br />
Red Sea<br />
Yemen<br />
Gulf <strong>of</strong> Aden<br />
Iran<br />
Pakistan<br />
Gulf<br />
Oman<br />
Gulf <strong>of</strong> Oman<br />
Arabian Sea<br />
26°<br />
Bahrain<br />
Saudi Arabia<br />
Doha<br />
Qatar<br />
Al Khor<br />
The<br />
Gulf<br />
Abu Dhabi<br />
Strait <strong>of</strong> Hormuz<br />
Gulf <strong>of</strong><br />
Oman<br />
0 50 100<br />
km<br />
200<br />
U.A.E.<br />
Oman<br />
49° 53° 56°<br />
Fig. 1. Map <strong>of</strong> The Gulf showing political boundaries <strong>and</strong> the locations sampled during the current survey.<br />
research is lacking in the Indian Ocean, despite high <strong>and</strong> increasing reported l<strong>and</strong>ings<br />
(Anderson & Simpfendorfer, 2005). In Arabian waters, Oman has led the efforts to<br />
characterize the diversity, biology <strong>and</strong> fisheries <strong>of</strong> its elasmobranch fauna in the Gulf<br />
<strong>of</strong> Oman <strong>and</strong> the Arabian Sea, both through l<strong>and</strong>ings-based <strong>and</strong> fisheries-independent<br />
data (Henderson et al., 2006, 2007, 2009; Henderson & Reeve, 2011). The elasmobranchs<br />
<strong>of</strong> The Gulf (Fig. 1) have received little attention, however, <strong>and</strong> are poorly<br />
understood (Moore, 2011). A number <strong>of</strong> concerns about Gulf elasmobranchs have<br />
been highlighted including the role <strong>of</strong> the Islamic Republic <strong>of</strong> Iran <strong>and</strong> the United<br />
Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) as major contributors to global elasmobranch l<strong>and</strong>ings <strong>and</strong><br />
shark-fin exports, respectively, a possible increase in dem<strong>and</strong> for meat <strong>and</strong> cartilage<br />
locally, as well as a possible fisheries-related change in elasmobranch community<br />
<strong>composition</strong> along the Iranian coast since the 1970s (Moore, 2011).<br />
In addition to research efforts, since 1999, the United Nations Food <strong>and</strong> Agriculture<br />
Organisation (FAO) has encouraged all states catching elasmobranchs in either<br />
targeted or by-catch fisheries to voluntarily participate in the International Plan <strong>of</strong><br />
Action for the Conservation <strong>and</strong> Management <strong>of</strong> Sharks (IPOA-Sharks) <strong>and</strong> to have<br />
developed a ‘Shark-Plan’ by 2001 (FAO, 1999). The IPOA-Sharks is aimed at ensuring<br />
the sustainable use <strong>of</strong> all chondrichthyans <strong>and</strong> places particular emphasis on the<br />
importance <strong>of</strong> catch data to support this aim (FAO, 1999). All <strong>of</strong> The Gulf states (i.e.<br />
Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia <strong>and</strong> the U.A.E.; excluding Oman<br />
here, whose coastline is largely non-Gulf) operate a range <strong>of</strong> fisheries for teleosts<br />
<strong>and</strong> invertebrates, including extensive gillnetting (Bishop, 2002). In addition, there<br />
are some reports <strong>of</strong> targeted elasmobranch fisheries in Gulf waters <strong>of</strong> the U.A.E.<br />
(Anderson & Simpfendorfer, 2005). As such, all Gulf states can be assumed to be<br />
© 2012 The Authors<br />
Journal <strong>of</strong> Fish Biology © 2012 The Fisheries Society <strong>of</strong> the British Isles, Journal <strong>of</strong> Fish Biology 2012, doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2011.03210.x