Research Article: Identification of shrimp potential fishing zones in the northern part of the Persian Gulf using the Fuzzy Overlay model for integrating satellite and ground-based data

This study aimed to identify the potential fishing zone (PFZ) for shrimp in Bushehr province waters, located in the south of Iran using remote sensing data. The Sea surface temperature (SST) and chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) data were extracted from the +ETM Landsat ۷ sensor and MODIS Aqua (EOS PM) satellite images from the summer of ۲۰۰۲ to the summer of ۲۰۱۷. The land-based physicochemical parameters were recorded using a CTD (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) device in ۲۷ stations in the geographical positions from E ۵۰˚ ۴۴´ and N ۲۸˚ ۵۹´ to E ۵۱˚ ۴۰´ and N ۲۷˚ ۳۳´, in June and July ۲۰۱۷. The shrimp catch per unit effort (CPUE) was calculated from the results of Shrimp stock assessment projects performed in Bushehr province waters by Iran Shrimp Research Center. The highest values of SST-Chl-CPUE fuzzy overlay were obtained at stations ۲۴, ۲۲, ۴, ۱۶, ۲۱, ۱۹, ۲۷, ۲۶, ۲۵ and ۱۰. The highest amount of shrimp CPUE was recorded in the areas where the SST was lower and the chlorophyll-a was higher. The results showed a strong and positive relationship between the amounts of long-term shrimp CPUE and fuzzy overlay of SST-Chl-a in the studied area (p<۰.۰۵). Based on the results, the potential zones for shrimp capture in Bushehr province waters were Nakhiloo, Mond River, Ra's-e-Khan, Motaf, Heleyleh, and Rostami, which located in the southern and northern parts of the studied area. Results of the validation study showed that ۶۳% of the captured shrimp by commercial vessels were in the introduced PFZ.