A study of the catch data of the Jurong in the South China Sea in 1971 and 1972

Abstract

The semi-commercial bottom trawl fishing by the training vessel JURONG in the South China Sea in 1971 and 1972 was confined to three areas at its south western portion. The positively skewed frequency distributions of catch per hour assumed approximately the shape of a normal curve when the yield was transformed logarithmically. Sample statistics from these transformed values form the basis of discussion of the yields for 1971 and 1972 in relation to fishing seasons and types of nets used. Yield records from JURONG showed that the catch in waters off Terengganu (northeast coast of West Malaysia) was poorer than that of Homan and Sarawak. These yields were briefly discussed together with values obtained by the R/V CHANGI. In the area off Sarawak, the Engel II net obtained much better catches than the four seam net. The percentage composition of dominant fish categories from Tioman and Sarawak are also discussed.