Estimation of Black Sea Cucumber (Holothuria leucospilota, Brandt, 1835) population density in the Northern Waters of Makran Sea (Sistan and Baluchestan Province)

Abstract

Introduction: The present study was conducted in six stations in the eastern coasts of Sistan and Baluchestan province by underwater counting method in two seasons (the per monsoon and the Post monsoon) and depths less than 5 meters and depths of 5 to 10 meters, in the period of 2019.
Materials & Methods: During different sampling stages, 201 Holothuria leucospilota (Brandt, 1835) sea cucumbers were caught by a diver in the sampling area, and total length and total weight data were measured and recorded.
Result: Range of the total length was between 6-43 cm and the average 23±6 cm and the total weight was between 228-788 g and the average 284±164 g. Length-weight relationship of total H. leucospilota species were W= 18.09 L ^ 1.73 (R2 = 0.72, N = 201) and the value of b Length-weight relationship indicating their allometric growth. The sea cucumbers total density was significantly between different stations (P<0.05). The population density of black sea cucumber species at the per monsoon and the post monsoon seasons were not significant (P>0.05).
Conclusion: In this study, the estimated density of H. leucospilota populations below 10 meters in the east of Sistan and Baluchestan province has changed from 142 to 120 per hectare and it seems that the population of sea cucumber in the eastern part of the province can be exploited.