ANALYTICAL STUDY OF THE FISHERIES IN THE LOWER REACHES OF THE TIGRIS RIVER, NORTH QURNA, BASRAH, IRAQ

The fisheries of the lower reaches Tigris river, north Qurna in Basrah Governorate have been analyzed during period from January to December 2005. fishing boats used there varied lengths form 5 10m, which 50% were motorized with 25-75 HP. Seine and drift gill nets are main gears used, their ranged 100 200m mesh sizes 14-100mm 7-32mm for seine respectively. number fishermen each boat 1 7. Twenty three fish species recorded caught area, eight marine species, belonging twelve families, addition shrimps. total catches 629Kg - march 3335Kg July- September catch 7671Kg. Three namely catfish Silurus triostegus, crucian carp Carassius carassius khishni Liza abu comprised 86.93% constituting 69.65%, 11.02% 6.26%, average per unit effort was 19.8 Kg/hr/100m 2.42 nets. diversity evenness indices biomass 1.0 0.33, respectively, July-September 1.5 0.52, October-December. highest similarity index composition between April-June (87%), lowest January-March (63%).