Analysis of the catch composition of small shrimp-beam-trawl net in shallow waters of Pearl River Estuary, China

Shrimp trawling is a main fishing method of shrimp fishery along Guangdong coastal sea of China. We carried out, from October to November 2006, a survey of the catch composition of small shrimp-beam-trawler fishing in the shallow waters of the Pearl River Estuary, China, in order to identify the composition of the catches and the impact of the trawling on fisheries resources. Results showed that the catch was diverse in species, and complex in composition with high percentage of juvenile and by-catch. Main species caught were Metapenaeus joyneri (18.57%), Portunus hastatoides (15.48%), E. carinicauda (11.50%) and Penaeus monodon (11.16%). Shrimp (M. ensis, Exopalaemon carinicauda) and fish (Argyrosomus argentatus, Muraenesocidae, Pampus argenteus) were 100% juvenile in catches, with percentage of juvenile for Coilia mystus and Collichthys lucidus up to 87.65% and 96.15%, respectively. The targeting species were shrimps (M. joyneri, E. carinicauda, and P. monodon). Non-target catches were mostly fishes and crabs. This study suggested that the trawling method is supposed to be harmful to fishery resources.