Life-history and population dynamic of the White treads fish, Holothuria leucospilota in the Iranian part of the Oman Sea with a note on its conservation and management

In the present study, the Life-history and population dynamic characteristics of Holothuria leucospilota were evaluated in the Iranian part of the Oman Sea by sampling at nine sites, including Ramin, Kachoo, Aliabady, Beries, Beries plane, Pasabandar, Tis, Pozm and Gurdium from March 2017 to March 2018. Biometric data of 862 specimens were obtained, and the growth and mortality indices, including infinite length (L? = 50.5 cm), growth coefficient (K = 0.51 (yr^-1)), growth performance index (? = 3.11), natural mortality (M = 0.94(yr^-1)), fishing mortality (F = 0.56 (yr^-1)), total mortality (Z = 1.50±0.12 (yr^-1)) and exploitation coefficient (E = 0.36 (yr^-1)) and time zero (-0.27) were calculated. Mean of relative production per recruitment (Y / Rp), relative biomass per recruitment (B / Rp) and exploitation rate (U) of the studied population of H. leucospilota were 0.02, 0.30, and 0.28, respectively. Mean GSI and maturity stage indicated that the spawning seasons were June (spring) and December (autumn). The mean size at first sexual maturity (LM50) was 246 mm for males, 220 mm for females and 225 mm for both sexes. The results of the current work showed that the studied H. leucospilota stock had not yet reached to overfished’ status.