Study of Beach Seine Fishery Effect on Macroinvertebrate Community Changes in the South of Caspian Sea

This study was carried out for determining beach seine effects on the macroinvertebrate communities in Shohadaye Anzali -Shirin Mahale andestuaries of Polrud River study areas. In order to survey the effects of beach seine, samplings were carried out in selected stations during the beach seine fishery season (October- March) and when no beach seine fishery was performed (June-September). Hence, four stations in Shohadaye Anzali - Shirin Mahale and three stations in Polrud River estuaries were chosen for sampling. Statistical analysis of data, normalization, correlation, mean comparison for different parameter used, was performed by applying Kolmogorov–Smirnov test (K–S test) and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient, respectively. One-way ANOVA for comparison of means of each parameter, between stations, was used. Classifications of homogeneity of the groups of different benthic organisms throughout the stations were analyzed by Tukey’s test. The results of this study showed that there were significant differences in frequency and biomass of the macroinvertebrate species, during the the beach seine fishery season and after the closing of beach seine fishery (p< 0.05). The results also showed that there were no significant differences in species diversity index (p > 0.05).