Juvenile Penaeid Shrimp Density, Spatial Distribution and Size Composition in four adjacent habitats within a Mangrove-Fringed Bay on Inhaca Island, Mozambique

The effects of habitat characteristics (mangrove creek, sandflat, mudflat and seagrass meadow) water salinity, temperature, and depth on the density, spatial distribution and size distribution of juveniles of five commercially important penaied shrimp species (Metapenaus monoceros, M. stebbingi, Fenneropenaeus indicus, Penaeus japonicus and P. semisulcatus) were investigated during a high shrimp recruitment peak lasting from January to June 2002, in four contiguous habitats within a non-estuarine mangrove bay at Saco da Inhaca, Inhaca Island, Southern Mozambique. A total of 14,976 specimens representing the five species were collected by means of a 1m beam-trawl fitted with a 2 mm mesh net with a cod-end. Every two weeks corresponding with spring tides on three consecutive nights, three trawls of 50 meters each were carried out each night in each habitat at 1.40–2.15 a.m. after the daily spring tide high water peak. Species distributions among the four habitats during the six months sampled showed significant differences in habitat preference (p>0.001). Fenneropenaeus indicus, M. stebbingi and P. japonicus dominated the catches in sand flats with densities of 27 ± 0.94, 18 ± 0.98 and 7 ± 0.76 shrimp /50 m, respectively. Metapenaeus monoceros dominated catches in mudflats at a density of 21 ± 0.78 /50 m followed by M. stebbingi with 13±1.2 /50 m. Penaeus semisulcatus was almost exclusively captured in seagrass meadows at densities of 8± 0.57 /50 m. Only the Metapeneaus species showed a wide range of habitat utilization. The differences in habitat preference emphasises spatial partitioning between shrimps, reducing competition. Multiple linear regressions of juvenile shrimp densities for each species with water depth, salinity and temperature showed some significant effects. Fenneropenaeus indicus density showed a significant negative relationship with salinity and water depth and a positive relationship with temperature and turbidity. Metapenaeus stebbingi numbers showed a significant positive correlation with increasing salinity and temperature, but a negative one with depth. Penaeus japonicus numbers were significantly related to decreasing salinity and depth. Penaeus semisulcatus abundance was significantly related to decreasing temperature, and increasing turbidity and depth. More than 50% of the total shrimps captured had carapace length of ≤ 3 mm, substantiating the nursery function of the different habitats sampled in the study.