Use of Intertidal Mangrove by Juvenile Fishes: the Case of Mae Klong Estuary, Inner Gulf of Thailand

Abstract

A total of 7,664 fish from 63 species and representing 27 families were caught in the Mae Klong Estuary. A total of 4,505 fish (58.78 % of the total catch), representing 31 species are considered to be of economic importance. The family Clupeidae was by far the most speciose (9 species), with Ambassis gymnocephalus numerically dominated the fish community (18.45%, 88.93 ind/km²). Many rare species (30 species in total) were recorded, with abundances of less than 1 ind/km². The total number of species was highest in the hot season (50 species), with total number of individuals was highest in the rainy season (40.88 % of the total catch).11 species were found in all seasons and at both day and night. No difference was found for stations (R=0.043, P=0.176), and there was a marginal difference between day and night samples (R=0.049, P=0.045). There was a clearly significant difference between seasons (R=0.154, P=0.001), and the greatest difference in assemblage structure is between the dry and the rainy seasons (P=0.003).  The catches consisted primarily of juveniles or adults of small- sized fishes, indicating that the Mae Klong Estuary was important of nursery ground for fishes. These diverse fish assemblages have a high value for local communities as a large proportion of the species (>30) are utilized by subsistence fisheries and the findings thus have implications for the management of fisheries resources and mangroves in such estuaries.