Landing, consumption, and DNA barcoding of commercial seabream (Perciformes: Sparidae) in Kuwait

To our knowledge, this is the first inclusive assessment of the status of Sparidae fisheries in the territorial waters of Kuwait, integrating information on catch trends, consumer preferences, recreational fishing behaviour, and molecular based identification of fish species by DNA barcoding Fisheries landing data were obtained from the official fisheries bulletin released by the Kuwait Central Statistical Bureau. Surveys were conducted to assess consumer preferences on seabream species, landed seabream species, and the behaviour of recreational anglers towards seabream species. DNA barcodes were generated to authenticate commercial seabream using the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COXI) gene and then compared with GenBank sequence entries; these sequences were then used to construct a neighbour-joining (NJ) phylogenetic tree. Yellowfin seabream Acanthopagrus latus was the prime and most favoured commercial seabream species (45%), followed by Sparidentex hasta, which was the top-rated secondary, unassessed seabream species. Approximately 54% of households conduct recreational fishing more than twice a month, and most (77%) primarily target S. hasta and Ac. latus. Consumer demand for secondary seabreams, which were not assessed and are listed in the bulletin under the category 'others', was evident. The NJ phylogenetic tree revealed that Arabian Gulf seabreams, including those of Kuwait, are genetically different from their counterparts inhabiting neighbouring waters. The data presented here highlight the urgency to modify the existing fisheries list using accurate identification tools, such as DNA barcoding, for the sustainable and conservation-oriented management of local fisheries, which are in decline.

Automated summary

This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of Sparidae fisheries in the territorial waters of Kuwait, covering catch trends, consumer preferences, recreational fishing behavior, and molecular identification of fish species. Yellowfin seabream and Sparidentex hasta are the most favored commercial seabream species, with the majority of households primarily targeting these species for recreational fishing. There is also significant consumer demand for secondary seabream species that were not assessed in the study.