GLOBAL JOURNAL OF FISHERIES SCIENCE
Integrity Research Journals
ISSN: 2782-750X
Model: Open Access/Peer Reviewed
DOI: 10.31248/GJFS
Start Year: 2018
Email: gjfs@integrityresjournals.org
Stock assessment and management of freshwater mullet, Planiliza abu in the East Hammar Marsh, Iraq
https://doi.org/10.31248/GJFS2026.102 | Article Number: 5D6A940B1 | Vol.8 (2) - April 2026
Received Date: 18 February 2026 | Accepted Date: 22 March 2026 | Published Date: 30 April 2026
Authors: Entisar K. Hamed , Abdul-Razak M. Mohamed* and Jassim M. Abed
Keywords: mortality, Growth and exploitation, Khishni, recruitment, yield-per-recruit.
The present study assessed various parameters of freshwater mullet, Planiliza abu, in the East Hammar marsh, including growth parameters, mortality rates, probability of capture, recruitment pattern, yield-per-recruit, and virtual population analysis, using FiSAT II software. Monthly specimens were collected from November 2023 to October 2024, totalling 4,274 samples for analysis. Results indicated that the asymptotic length (L∞), growth constant (K), age at zero length (to) and growth performance index (Ǿ) for the species were reported to be 19.7 cm, 0.50, -0.32 and 2.288, respectively. The total mortality (Z) was measured at 3.83, while natural mortality (M) and fishing mortality (F) were recorded at 1.20 and 2.63, respectively. The recruitment pattern for the species showed a bimodal recruitment distribution with varying strengths throughout the year. A virtual population analysis (VPA) revealed that most fishing mortality occurred for lengths ranging from 10.0 to 13.0 cm. It was also noted that the length at first maturity was greater than the size at first capture. Currently, the exploitation rate (Ecur) is 0.69, indicating that the population is overexploited, as Ecur exceeds the standard value of 0.5, but remains below the biological reference points (E0.1 and Emax). To improve fisheries management, the mesh sizes of fishing nets must be increased, and the marsh regions must be protected from reducing fishing pressure to promote sustainability and ensure resource availability.
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