Title : Assessing Stock Status and Sustainable Yield of Sea Catfish (Arius Maculatus) in Pakistan's Coastal Waters: Insights from CMSY and ASPIC Models
Abstract:
In fisheries science, stock assessment involves gathering and analyzing data on fish populations to estimate their abundance, growth rates, mortality rates and other vital parameters.The stock status of the commercial fish species Sea Catfish (Arius maculatus) in Pakistan was assessed using CMSY and ASPIC models based on catch and effort data from 2001 to 2022. In Baluchistan, the estimated maximum sustainable yield (MSY) for A. maculatus was close to 94,420 tons in the fox model and 82,390 tons in the logistic model, aligning well with the CMSY and BSM estimates of 12200 to 10300 tons. Similarly, in Sindh, MSY estimates ranged from 26700 to 30300,800 tons in CMSY and BSM models, and 33,530 to 30,160 tons in fox and logistic models.These estimates closely match the catches from the previous year (11,458 tons in Balochistan and 12,234 tons in Sindh in 2022), indicating that the fishery is being exploited near its maximum sustainable yield capacity along the coastline of Pakistan.The findings from the BSM and CMSY model indicate that the B/BMSY ratio for Arius maculatus were < 1 , suggesting over-fishing of this species along the coastline of Pakistan. This information is crucial for fisheries managers to implement sustainable harvesting levels, conservation measures, and other management strategies to ensure the long-term health and viability of the fishery.
Keywords: Arius maculatus, ,Pakistan Coastline, CMSY,BSM,ASPIC,over-fished
