Culturing of fish to produce their larvae in order to be released in sea water after being reached to finger lings stage is no doubt one of the most important factors to maintain and enrich fisheries storage in the Marine Environment of UAE.

An outline about Mullet fish

There are more than hundred species of Mullet fish distributed all over the world, in the Arabian Gulf, Southern part of Indian Ocean, Queens land in Australia, costs and Abyss of USA, Indonesia, Eastern costs of Africa and other.

Mullet fish belong to Mugilidae family which include many species. However, eight species only are available in the Arabian waters. Studies have shown that there are 3 species of Mullet fish in UAE waters as follows: Valamugil Seheli. Mugil cephalus. liza macrolepis

Valamugil Seheli species has the most economic value due to high average of growth comparing with other species, abundancy, good taste and quality of meat.

From the morphological aspect, Mullet is characterized with a compact and fat body, pressed from both sides, the head is small, the front dorsal fin is small and supported with 4 thorns. The pelvic fin has one fin, the back of fin is characterized by an olive green colour moves gradually to brown, silver or light yellow in both sides and the abdomen which is usually punchy.

Colouring starts from the base of the abdoment fins to the tail. The body is covered with big pointed scales.

Mullet is apelagic fish move in groups in the sandy and muddy areas up to 20 meters deep. Mullet fish inhabits the mouths of rivers especially in the larvae stage and they can bear various changed of water salinity.

Mullets feed on plants (seaweeds and algae) and some species of small animals like invertebrates.Mullets are caught by nets either on the surface or bottom of water.The maximum length of fish reaches about 75 cm and the maximum weight may reach eight kgs.

Group of mullet fish move in spring and winter from the mouths of the rivers to the open sea in the countries which have rivers till they become mature and returns back to their original location after spawning and stay there until the next coming season of propagation.

Methods of attaining mullet larvae

Care to mullet fish mother

Mothers of mullet fish are attained from the marine research centre where they obtain concentrated feeding during the month prior spawning period.

Collection of eggs

Propagation season starts mostly in the middle of January and continue till mid of March. There for net bags are put in the upper outlet of mother ponds to collect eggs, then the excessire water will be drained through the rearing ponds.

Net bags are usually placed during the mid day time and are collected in the morning of the following day. Net bags contain the collected eggs will be pour out and washed by filterized seawater to remove any residves and algae. Then they are put in graduated cylinder of 1000mm to recognize the fertilized eggs which precipitate in the bottom of the cylinder, while unfertilized eggs are floating on the swface.

Spawning and egg Hatching

Fertilized eggs are put in a circled basin of fiberglass of 500 litre caoacity provide by Oxigen and fertilized seawater.

Fertilized eggs hatch next morning ang larvae of 2-3 mm come out and feed on yolk (vitellus) of eggs as well as phytoplankton and Rotevera for 2-3 weeks.

Larvae are moved to Aquaculturing ponds for two months till they reach to 15-20 mm length.

Culturing

After two monthes larvae will be put in culturing ponds in the Marine Resource Research Centre and they are fed by local prepared meals contains wheat flour, vitamins minerals and algae. when they reach the fingerlings stage after 3-4 months mullets will be released in the lagoons (khores) and marine preserves inorder to enrich the fisheries storage.

Some of finger lings will be kept in the Marine Resource Research Centre in Um Al Quwain to attain eggs in the next season.