Correlation between the sea turtles and shrimp trawl fishery in Thailand

Abstract

Shrimp trawl fishery has been operated along the coastal area in Thai water.Otterboard trawl net with boom has been used in shrimp fishing vessel size range less than 14 meters in length. The catch compositions are large shrimp and small shrimp. Large shrimp mainly composed of Penaeus merguiensis, P. semisulcatus, P.monodon, P. latisulcatus, Metapenaeus ensis, M. affinis and M. intermedius. Small shrimp mainly composed of Metapenaeopsis spp., Trachypenaeus spp. and Parapenaeopsis spp. Sea bottom characteristics were analyzed with catch rate data to investigate the distribution of species. P.merguiensis and Metapenaeus spp. were distributed in muddy area while P.semisalcatus and P.monodon were mainly found in muddy-sand area. P. latisalcatus was mostly found in sandy-mud or sandy area. Metapenaeopsis spp. was normally found in muddy-sand or sandy-mud area while Trachypenaeus spp. and Parpenaeopsis spp. will be found in muddy area. Furthermore, environmental information such as temperature, salinity, water depth, water current and wave of surface sea water will be used for further analysis. The objective of this study is to investigate the correlation between the sea turtle and shrimp trawl fishery. Hence, the results of tracking or migration path of sea turtle will be need and very important for this study.