Title : Some spawning aggregations in Sudan red sea coast
Abstract:
Sudan has Red Sea Coast line 853 km length, with boundaries with Egypt in the north, and Eretria in the South. Including bays, flourish coral reefs, mangroves and sea grass beds. Ten Spawning Aggregations along Sudan Red Sea coast were assessed in February 2024, during Ilegal Unreported, Unregulated (IUU) fishing assessment survey in Sudan. This survey is a part of SFISH project implemented by PERSGA in Red Sea and Gulf of Aden Countries. Maximum SSC score was (+118) for Khor Hawiri which is located in southern of Sudan Red Sea Coast (Agig), and minimum SSC score was (-13) for Abu Shigra which is located in north of Sudan Red Sea Coast (Dongonab area one of Sudan World Heritage Sites), the median SSC score was (+56.5). Some spawning aggregations sites were deteriorated, as a result of ghost fishing by lost nets, illegal fishing (using illegal fishing tools, as guns, using of powder, nylon nets in some fishing areas), and increasing fishing effort. Some spawning aggregation enriched with nutrients due to relatively high rains during that period, as agreed by most of the interviewed fishers. The most important fish species found in these ten spawning aggregation: Snappers, shark, emperors, barracuda, groupers, shrimp, mullets, parrot fish. Hook and line the most common used in these ten spawning aggregations sites, in addition to gill nets, and cast nets.
Keywords: Red Sea, Sudan, Spawning Aggregations, IUU, SSC
