Spatial and temporal distribution pattern and biomass trend of flathead slipper lobster, Thenus orientalis (Lund, 1793) from Gulf of Oman
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Abstract
The aim of the present study was to investigate the biomass, Catch Per Unit Area (CPUA), and distribution pattern of the flathead slipper lobster, Thenus orientalis, one of the most important commercial aquatic species along the northern coast of the Gulf of Oman. An annual monitoring survey was conducted during 2009–2019 using the research vessel R/V “Ferdows-1,” covering depths of 10–100 m and equipped with a bottom trawl net.
The highest CPUA was recorded in the eastern and western regions of the study area (45.54 kg/nm² and 25.40 kg/nm², respectively), although the species density was lower in the central area (Strata B, C, and D). The highest biomass (22.7 tons) and CPUA (52.13 kg/nm²) were found in the 10–20 m and 20–30 m depth layers, respectively. Comparison of mean CPUA and biomass among different depth layers and strata revealed that both CPUA and biomass showed a descending trend with increasing depth.
Results of this study showed that the abundance of this species dramatically decreased over the past decade to about 13.3 kg/nm² in 2019. Therefore, it is necessary to implement regulatory mechanisms to manage the stocks of this commercially valuable species, such as establishing closed fishing seasons during breeding and reproduction periods, permitting only the use of traps for lobster harvesting, and prohibiting the capture of egg-bearing females and juvenile lobsters.
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