Population Dynamics and Management of Goldlined Seabream Rhabdosargus sarba (Sparidae) from the Oman Coast of Arabian Sea

Abstract

Rhabdosargus sarba is one of the most important coastal demersal species inhabiting Omani waters. An estimate of the age and growth of R. sarba ranging from 15 to 43.2 cm total length collected from the Omani waters is made by examining the growth increment of their whole otoliths. The growth rings showed that R. sarba rarely attain more than six years. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters were K = 0.33 yr-1, L∞ = 46.97 cm and to = -0.83 yr. The mean total mortality coefficient Z estimated by two different methods was 1.8 yr-1. The geometric mean of natural mortality coefficient M was 0.6 yr-1. Exploitation rate E was computed as 0.67, while the length at first capture was 22.9 cm. The yield per recruit analysis showed that the stock of R. sarba in the Arabian Sea is overexploited and the exploitation rate should be reduced by about 47% to maintain a sufficient stock biomass for spawning and recruitment as well as the length at first capture should be raised to about 30 cm.