BOTTOM TRAWLING SURVEYS FOR ABUKIR-ROSETTA REGION DURING 1969-1970

BOTTOM TRAWLING SURVEYS

FOR ABUKIR-ROSETTA REGION DURING 1969-1970

By
DR. M. T. HASHEM:
Institute of Oceanog’raphy and Fisheries, Alexanaria, U..t1.R.

INTRODUCI10N
The Mediterranean Sea is considered to be one of the major sources of fish
production in Egypt. From 1930 to 1960 the commercial production had increased from 13708 to 51484 tons. This progressive increase was mainly due to
the increased fishing intensity during these years (EI-Zarka & Koura, 1965).
In the last years (after 1960) the commercial production of fish and shrimp from
the Egyptian waters of the Mediterranean Sea have been subjected to serious
changes. The total yield decreased from 51484 tons in 1960 to 13587 tons in
1968. Such big decline in fish production is not only due to the huga drop in the
Sardine fishery, whose catch decreased from 18166 tons in 1962 to 463 tons jn
1968, but also due to the continuous decrease in the catches of shrimp and some
other fishes (Fishery Statistics, 1962-1968).
For the management of our sea fisheries, exploratory bottom trawling surveys
were carried out in Abukir-Rosetta Region, within 30°- 00′ to 30°-30′ E. longitude
and 310 – 20′ to 32°· 00′ N. r..la~itude, during 1969- 1970. The main objective of
these trawling surveys was to gain information on the biology, distribution and
relative abundance of the economically important fish and shrimp species inhabiting this area. The collect~d data would allow for the rational exploitation and
development of the trawl fishery in the Egyptian waters of the Mediterranean
Sea.
The work has actually been divided into two main parts; the first part
consists of catch and effort study, while the second part is planned to study the
biology of the fish and shrimp, in various months and at different depths. This
la.”t part will be prepared and published in subsequent papers.