Stock and catch status of commercial bony fishes In Iranian coastal water of the Caspian Sea: Opportunities and Threats

More than 15 bony fish species (excluding kilka) is exploited by 150 beach seine cooperatives along the coastal states of Guilan, Mazandaran and Golestan in Iranian coastal water of the Caspian Sea. About 12000 legal fishermen and several thousand illegal fishermen (as poaching) are involved in catching of this fish species roud a year. Most of this species are anadromous and constitute coastal stocks which due to degradation of spawning habitat in rivers, Fishery Company planed to restock of these species through artificial propagation and releasing of fingerlings into the rivers. Annually more than 170 million fingerlings of Caspian kutum, pick perch, bream, Caspian trout, roach and common carp are released into the rivers reaches Caspian Sea. The mean 10 years of total catch of all commercial bony fishes (1995 – 2004) was 16015.3 ± 1472.4 tons (X ± SD) that Caspian kutum comprise 49 % of the total catch with the mean catch of 7832.05 ± 1265.1 tons . Mullets with the mean values of 4185.7 ± 1092.3 tons constitute 26.1% of total catch. Other species just shared 24.9%. Of the rest. Some fish species as asp and barb are near – extinction which needs urgent conservation measures. In this article the status of catch and stocks of bony fishes and management measures for optimal harvest in Iranian Coastal water of the Caspian Sea will be discussed.