FISHERIES REGULATIONS BASED ON YIELD PER RECRUIT ANALYSIS FOR THE COMMON SOLE SOLEA SOLEA (SOLEIDAE) AT BARDAWIL LAGOON, MEDITERRANEAN COAST OF SINAI, EGYPT

Abstract

Based on length frequency data, age and growth, mortality and exploitation and relative yield per recruit were examined for the common sole collected from Bardawil lagoon along two fishing seasons 2009-2010. A total of 2179 specimens were collected between April and December for the two fishing seasons and the examined individuals were aged between 1 and 6 years for length range of 12 – 39 cm Total length The von Bertalanffy growth parameters were identified (K= 0.33 year -1 , L∞ = 44.36 cm and t0 = -0.45 years). The rates of total mortality (Z) and natural mortality (M) were 2.49 and 0.66 year -1 , respectively. Rates of fishing mortality (F) = 1.83 year -1 and exploitation ratio (E) = 0.73 indicate that the population of this species is being heavily exploited. The estimated total length at first capture (Lc) was 17.06 cm. According to the relative yield per recruit analysis, the common sole stock in Bardawil lagoon is overexploited. It is recommended that the commercial fishery of Bardawil lagoon should be subjected to a total allowable catch, a maximum size limit should be implemented as well as all fishing techniques in the lagoon should be re-evaluated and the destructive ones must be prohibited.