Journal of Environmental Biology

Age, growth, population dynamics and stock status of

Perna perna in Omani waters

S.M. Al-Barwani¹*, S.M. Nurul Amin², A. Arshad², A. Govender¹, H. Al-Habsi¹, K. Al-Riyami¹ and Jassim A. Al Khayat³

¹Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, P. O. Box 34, PC 123, Sultanate of Oman

²Department of Aquaculture, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia

³Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Science, Qatar University, P.O. Box 2713, Doha, Qatar

*Corresponding Author E-mail: sharthi@squ.edu.om

Key words

Exploitation rate

Growth performance index

Mortality

Perna perna

Stock status

Publication Data

Paper received : 26.04.2017

Revised received : 17.08.207

Re-revised received : 05.09.2017

Accepted : 28.12.2017?

Abstract

Aim: Population parameters such as growth, recruitment pattern, mortality, exploitation rate and the length-weight relationship were investigated for the brown mussel, Perna perna in Omani waters. ?    

Methodology: Monthly shell-length frequency of P. perna were collected from three different locations, namely, Mirbat, Ra's Al-Had and Ra's Madrakah for one year from December 2010 to November 2011. The data were analysed using the FiSAT (FAO-ICLARM Stock Assessment Tools) software to estimate population parameters. ?     

Results: The length of individuals ranged from 10.34 to 104.03 mm and the weight from 0.12 to 52.45 g. The estimated relative growth coefficient (b) was 3.079 (? 0.019), and the 95% confidence level of b ranged from 3.045 to 3.116. The annual recruitment pattern of P. perna showed a continuous trend throughout the year. The peak recruitment at Mirbat (19%) and Ra's Al Had (21%) was observed in June, whereas at Ra's Madrakah (24%) it was observed in July. The estimated total mortality values of P. perna were 2.84 yr^-1, 3.28 yr^-1 and 2.48 yr^-1 at Mirbat, Ra's Al Had and Ra's Madrakah, respectively, while the natural mortality rates were 1.25 yr^-1 at Mirbat, 1.29 yr^-1 at Ra's Al Had, and 1.23 yr^-1 at Ra's Madrakah. The fishing mortality rates were 1.59 yr^-1 at Mirbat, 1.99 yr^-1 at Ra's Al Had and 1.25 yr^-1 at Ra's Madrakah. The Perna perna attained an approximate length of 53.5 mm at the end of one year. Exploitation rate (E) was 0.56, 0.60 and 0.50 at Mirbat, Ra's Al Had and Ra's Madrakah, respectively. 

Interpretation: The results revealed that the stock of P. perna at Mirbat and Ra's Al Had areas was over exploited. However, currently at Ra's Madrakah the stock of P. perna is currently optimally exploited.

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