Stock Status of Whitespotted Bambooshark, Chiloscyllium plagiosum (Anonymous [Bennett], 1830) in Sabah, Malaysia, Using Yield-Per-Recruit and Spawning Per-Recruit Analyses

Abstract

Whitespotted bambooshark, Chiloscyllium plagiosum (Anonymous [Bennett], 1830), is a major shark species caught in waters off Sabah, Malaysia. Despite the massive landing amount, its biological and stock status information is limited. In 2015–2016, the elasmobranch data collection was conducted in Southeast Asia, including Sabah. A yield-per-recruit (YPR) and spawning-per-recruit (SPR) analyses were performed to assess this data-deficient species’ stock status. The growth parameter, average maximum length, L∞, and growth rate, K, for males and females were 81.13 cm and 0.21 year-1 , and 84.30 cm and 0.18 year-1 , respectively. Limit and target biological reference points, maximum fishing mortality and fishing mortality corresponding to 10 % of YPR slope (Fmax and F0.1, respectively) for YPR, and fishing mortality corresponding to 20 % and 30 % of spawning stock remained (F20% and F30%, respectively) for SPR, were calculated. The results suggest neither growth nor recruit overfishing was occurring. Monitoring and surveillance of existing management measures are necessary to ensure sustainable utilisation of the stock.