Study on catch spatial changes and classifying of beach seine cooperatives in Iranian coast of the Caspian Sea

The objective of the present study was classification of beach seine based on catch during the years 2009-2012. In the present study the catch of 123 beach seine in three provinces; Guilan, Mazandaran and Golestan, for each effort and species (Rutilus frisii kutum, Liza spp., Cyprinus carpio, Rutilus rutilus, Vimba vimba, Chalcalburnus chalcoides, Shads, Aspius aspius, Barbus sp, Abramis brama, Stizostedion lucioperca, Salmo trutta caspius, Esox lucius and Silurus glani) were used as input data. According to the results, among catch of 14 species/groups, kutum represented the highest proportion of total catch at 66.24%, followed by mullet, carp and shads with 27.42.81, 1.31 and 4.26% of total catch. Applying complete linkage, a hierarchical cluster analysis, the 123 beach seines were grouped into 3 individual clusters. First cluster was included 8 and second and third clusters were included 25 and 90 beach seines, respectively. Third cluster had lowest catch and these beach seines located in east and west coastline of Iranian water of the Caspian Sea.