Length, Weight, and Age Relationships of the Persian Sturgeon, Acipenser persicus, in the Southeast of the Caspian Sea: A case study at Turkaman Station During Summer Catching

Among the 40 commercially exploited fish species in the Caspian Sea area, the six species of
sturgeon are unique. Persian sturgeon is one of the five living species in the family of Acipenseridae in the southern parts of the Caspian Sea. Study on assessment of commercial sturgeon stocks is indispensable for the effective fishery management of the spawning sturgeon population. The aim of present study was to investigate age, sex and length compositions in Acipenser persicus and to define the relationships between length, weight and age of the fish in the southeast of the Caspian Sea during summer catching .
This study was carried out at Turkman Sturgeon Fishery Station. in 200 I . Samples were collected from 80 specimens ofA. persicus (31 males and 49 females). Fork length as well as total weight of the captured fish were recorded. Age determination was carried out using first pectoral fin ray.
Results indicate that age, fork length and total weight means in females were higher than those in males (P<0.05, P This study shows that overfishing status is prevailing in females which can be reduced through a biological conservation plan. The correlation between fork length and total weight, length enlarement and increase in weight are due to feeding factors , habitat environmental conditions such as temperature and oxygen, as well as food composition provided to animals.