A SURVEY AND COMPARISON OF BREEDER STOCKS OF SHRIMP SPECIES IN THE FISHING GROUNDS EAST OF HORMOZGAN PROVINCE, IRAN

The main fishing ground for shrimps in Hormozgan province along the Persian Gulf are located in the north of Qeshm Island to Sirik area with a yearly catch of 1500-2000 tons from east coast of Hormozgan province located in Iranian waters of Oman Sea.
Collection of breeder shrimps in important fishing grounds of Sirik to Jask area was started in 1995 for shrimp culture objectives and the present research was carried out in 2001 to 2002 and 2007, aiming at identifying shrimp species, determining frequency distribution of the species in the catch and evaluating shrimp maturity stages in the catch. Samples were collected using swept area methgd on a biweekly or monthly basis. Result showed that Fenneropenaeus indicus was dominant in the shrimp catch comprising 44.8-59.5% while this rate was 13.5-34% for Fenneropenaeus merguiensis, 15.7-20.5% for Penaeus semisulcatus, 5.5-16% for Metapenaeus affinis, 0-14.5% for M.stebbingi 0-4.5% for Parapenaeopsis stylifera in the Jask and Sirik areas in 2001-2002 and 2007. CLM50%was 34.7mm for F. indicus females, 31mm for F. merguiensis, 34.3mm for P. misulcatus and 27.16mm for M affinnis in Jask and Sirik areas. Tukey test showed that the average carapace length in F. indicus, F. merguiensis and P. semisulcatus caught in Jask were significantly larger than those from Sirik area (P<0.05). Sex ratio was not 1:1 in these shrimp species and there is significant differences between them (P<0.05). Maximum abundance of F. indicus, F. semisulcatus, M.affninis and F. merguiensis spawners, were found during March to June in Jask and June to July in Sirik areas.