LONG-TERM CHANGES IN THE FISH ASSEMBLAGE OF SULAIBIKHAT BAY, KUWAIT

Between February 1986 and July 1990, a total of 47,761 fish representi ng 70 species from 38 families were captured using an otter trawl in S ulaibikhat Bay, Kuwait. Young of the year dominated the catches. The a ssemblage can be characterised by depth and season, with depth made up of intertidal and subtidal. Seasons consisted of winter, spring and s ummer. The 20 most numerous species can be placed into several categor ies with typical examples as follows: regular species are: Leiognathus decorus (de Vis); spring and summer intertidal species Liza carinata (Valenciennes); irregular species Terapon puta (Cuvier) and subtidal s pecies Solea elongata (Day). Fish abundance data showed considerable v ariation between years. The long-term dominant species, Leiognathus de corus (de Vis), unlike most other species reported here, was present i n all life history stages and in consistent numbers every year. The tw o numerical dominants, Liza carinata and Pomadasys stridens (Forsskal) , showed marked between-year differences in numbers, being present in large numbers in one year only.