Taxon name
Scomberoides commersonnianus
Lacepède, 1801
Uploaded by
National Red List Database
Taxonomic information
Scientific name
Scomberoides commersonnianus
Lacepède, 1801
Assessed taxon level
Species
Higher level taxonomic groupings
Vertebrates
Fishes
Species authority
Lacepède, 1801
Location and scope
Specific locality or subnational name or regional name
United Arab Emirates (the)
Scope (of the Assessment)
National
Countries included within the scope of the assessment
United Arab Emirates (the)
Does the assessment cover a marine EEZ area(s)?
Not_assigned
Conservation Status
Assessed as
Least Concern
Criteria system used
IUCN
(see Assessment details)
Assessment rationale/justification
This pelagic, inshore species occurs throughout UAE waters. It is commercially exploited, and a 2013 stock assessment for Abu Dhabi considered it overfished. Catch has been increasing in Abu Dhabi over the time period from 2005 to 2018, and it remains common and abundant on both coasts. It is also exploited elsewhere outside UAE waters, and there are some past reports of potential declines off Bahrain. Declines are not known to be approaching a threatened or Near Threatened level at this time; therefore, it is listed as Least Concern in UAE waters. This species should be re-evaluated upon results from a stock assessment scheduled to occur in 2020.
Assessment details
Assessors/contributors/reviewers listed
UAE National Red List Workshop
Criteria system used
IUCN
Reference for methods given
IUCN. 2012. IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria: Version 3.1, Second edition. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK. iv + 32pp pp. And IUCN. 2012. Guidelines for Application of IUCN Red List Criteria at Regional and National Levels: Version 4.0. Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK: IUCN. iii + 41pp.
Further information
Endemism (according to assessment)
Endemic to region
Not assigned
Taxon distribution as listed in assessment
This species occurs throughout UAE waters. Globally, it is widespread in the Indo-West Pacific (Smith-Vaniz 1984, Randall 1995). The depth range is 15 to 30 m (R. Myers unpublished data).
Is there a map available in assessment?
Yes
Habitat and systems
Ecological system type
Habitat
Habitat details as listed in assessment
This coastal, pelagic species occasionally enters estuaries. Itgenerally swims in small schools near reefs and offshore islands andfeeds during the day on fishes and cephalopods (Smith-Vaniz 1984, Randall 1995). The maximum total length is 120 cm (Smith-Vaniz 1984). The size at first maturity for females is estimated to be 47.6 cm fork length and 3 years of age, while males attain first maturity at 38.5 cm between 2-3 years (Griffiths et al. 2005). Longevity is estimated to be at least 11 years (Griffiths et al. 2006). Spawning occurs between March and June off Abu Dhabi (Grandcourt et al. 2013). The mean age and size at first sexual maturity for females is 5.9 and 71.1, respectively, while males reach first sexual maturity at 6 years and 72 cm (Grandcourt et al. 2013). gen length of 7 years = 21 yrs for 3 gen lengths
Threats and conservation measures listed
Threats listed in assessment
Fishing activity is not known to be driving declines approaching a Near Threatened or threatened level in the UAE at this time. Corals in the UAE and Arabian Gulf have severely declined due to the increasing frequency of mass bleaching events caused by rising water temperatures, which is a consequence of climate change, as well as pervasive coastal development (Riegl et al. 2018, Burt et al. 2019).
Publication
Ralph, G.M., Stump, E., Linardich, C., Bullock, R.W., Carpenter, K.E., Allen D.J., Hilton-Taylor, C., Al Mheiri, R., and Alshamsi, O. 2021. UAE National Red List of Marine Species: Reef-building corals, cartilaginous fishes and select bony fishes. 2021. Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
