Investigation of Black pomfret Parastromateus niger (Bloch, 1795) catch status in the southern waters of Iran (Persian Gulf and Oman Sea)

The rate of overfishing of Black pomfret (Parastromateus niger) in the southern waters (1997-2018) was performed based on CMSY model, R software, Bayesian status approach (Problem solving based on basic information) and Monte Carlo simulation. The average catch of this species was 5570 tons with a 95% confidence interval of 4145 to 6994 tons and the average catch increased significantly during the last two decades in the Southern Waters  (R = 0.86, P <0.05). The catch of this species in the southern waters has increased from about 2500 tons in 1997 to about 12500 tons in 2018 and Sistan and Baluchestan province has the highest trend of Black pomfret fish catch in the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea. Considering the rate of overfishing (total weight) of Black pomfret fish in the southern waters, the catch status of this species has changed from low (green color) in 2008 to medium catch (yellow color) in 2018. The overfishing rate of this species in Bushehr province is red color. It seems, in order to maintain sustainable yield, fishing effort rate and catch rate in the southern waters, especially in Khuzestan and Bushehr provinces, should be reduced.