Estimation of potential yield on demersal fishery resources based on the production of macrobenthic fauna in the Chabahar Bay

Population density, distribution and biomass of macrobenthic fauna in Chabahar Bay were investigated from May 1995 to Match 1996 on a bimonthly basis. The most abundant groups were Amphipods (21.0%), Polychaetes (19.0%), Gastropods (15.7%) and Bivalves (10.6%). Maximum (13000 individuals/m^2) and minimum (4600 individuals/m2) were observed in May and July, respectively. The changes in density were influenced by monsoon season of the Indian Ocean. Spatial and temporal variation in biomass were recorded for all groups separately. The lowest biomass was observed during monsoon period (July-September) with a mean of 51.5g dry wt/m^2 and the highest in premonsoon period (March-May) with an average 164.8gr dry wt/m^2. Furthermore, the average biomass of total macrofauna in the survey area estimated as 109.3 g dry wt/m^2 (corresponding to 481.0 wet wt/m^2) Having these figures, the annual production of Macrobenthic fauna was estimated for the whole studied area. The potential yield of demersal fishery resources (fish and crustacean) was then estimated to be 15390 tons/year. Accordingly the annual exploitable demersal fishery resources for the entire Chabahar Bay was estimated to be 7700 to 8500) tons/year