Status and Identification of Sharks & Rays Resources in the Bay of Bengal of Bangladesh Region

Abstract

The study was conducted during April, 2006 to March, 2014 on the status of shark fishery (shark and ray) resources in the Bay of Bengal of Bangladesh region; data were collected from Fishery ghat fish landing center, Chittagong and BFDC fish harbor, Cox’s Bazar. A total 11 species of sharks belonging to 3 families (under Carcharhinidae-8 species, Sphyrnidae-2 species and Hemiscyllidae-1 species) and 24 species of rays belonging to 7 families (under Dasyatidae-14 species, Rhinobatidae-2 species, Rhynchobatidae-1 species, Gymnuridae-1 species, Myliobatidae-2 species, Rhinopteridae-2 species and Mobulidae-2 species) were recorded. The elasmobranch species, such as sharks were Grey sharp nose shark (Rhizoprionodon oligolinx-Springer, 1964), Graceful shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchoides -Whitley, 1934), Bull shark (Carcharhinus leucas -Valenciennes in Muller and Henle, 1839), Black tip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus -Quoy and Gaimard, 1824), Soft tail shark (Carcharhinus sorrah- Valenciennes, in Muller and Henle,1839), Milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus -Rupell,1837), Spade nose shark (Scoliodon laticaudus -Cuvier 1829), Tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier -Peron and LeSueur, in LeSueur, 1822), Scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini -Griffith and Smith, 1834), Great hammerhead shark (Sphyrna mokarran- Ruppell, 1837) and Slender bamboo shark (Chiloscyllum indicum -Gmelin, 1789). And the ray’s species were- Pink whip ray (Himantura fai -Jordan and Seale, 1906), Tube mouth whip ray (Himantura lobistoma -Manjaji- Matsumoto & Last, 2006), Leopard whip ray (Himantura undulata -Bleeker,1852), White spotted whip ray(Himantura gerrardi- Person and Lesucur,1822), Reticulate whip ray (Himantura uarnak -Forsskal,1775), Brown whip ray (Himantura uarnacoides -Bleeker, 1852),Scaly whip ray (Himantura imbricata -Bloch and Schneider, 1801), Dwarf whip ray (Himantura walga -Muller and Henle, 1841),Chinese sting ray (Dasyatis sinensis -Steindachner, 1892),Sharp nose sting ray (Dasyatis zugei -Miiller and Henle, 1841), Blue spotted sting ray (Dasyatis kuhlii -Muller and Henle,1841), Banana leaf -tail ray (Pastinachus sephen -Forsskal, 1775), Blotched fantail ray (Taeniura meyeni -Miiller and Henle, 1841), Porcupine ray (Urogymnus asperrimus -Bloch and Schneider,1801), Giant shovelnose ray (Rhinobatos typus -Bennett, 1830),Club nose guitar fish (Rhinobatos thouin -Anonymous, in Lacepede,1798), Bowmouth guitar fish (Rhina ancylostoma -Bloch and Schneider,1801), Japanese butterfly ray (Gymnura japonica -Schlegal, 1850), Banded eagle ray (Aetomylaeus nichofii -Blyth, 1860),White spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari -Euphrasen, 1790), Rough cow nose ray (Rhinoptera adspersa -Valenciennes in Muller and Henle, 1841), Javanese cow nose ray (Rhinoptera javanica -Muller and Henle, 1841), Lesser devil ray (Mobula kuhlii- Valenciennes, in Muller and Henle,1841) and Japanese devil ray (Mobula japonica -Miiller and Henle, 1841). Among the shark species, Milk shark (Rhizoprionodon acutus), Spade nose shark (Scoliodon laticaudus) & Scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini) were dominantly exploited and Grey sharp nose shark (Rhizoprionodon oligolinx) & Soft tail shark (Carcharhinus sorrah) are rarely exploited. And belong to ray species Brown whip ray(Himantura uarnacoides), Leopard whip(Himantura undulata), Giant shovelnose ray(Rhinobatos typus), Japanese devil ray(Mobula japonica), Japanese butterfly ray(Gymnura japonica), Rough cow nose ray(Rhinoptera adspersa), Banded eagle ray Aetomylaeus nichofii) & Dwarf whip ray(Himantura walga) were prominently landed and Pink whip ray (Himantura fai), Tube mouth whip ray (Himantura lobistoma), White spotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) & Club nose guitar fish (Rhinobatos thouin ) were rarely found. Key Words: Sharks, rays, species, landing volumes, artisanal and industrial fishing