Fish and Marine Life: More than a 1000 species inhabit Pakistani coastal waters. The fish fauna can be divided into two groups: The cartilaginous and Bony fishes

Cartilaginous fish include sharks, skates and rays and their skeleton is made of cartilage. Bony fish have hard bony skeletons.

In addition to fish, some 700 marine species of invertebrates include crab, shrimp and prawn and another 300 species of shellfish. Both categories of species are of significant economic importance to Pakistan.

Mulluscs and Crustaceans Marine and Diadromous Fish COASTAL FAUNA INCLUDES Marine Fish Mulluscs and Crustaceans Marine and Diadromous Fish

FISHERIES RESOURCES Small Pelagics Large Pelagics Demersal Shellfish

Description Mackerel belonging to the family Scombridae include the Indian mackerels (Rastrelliger), which are rather stout, commercially valuable Indo-Australian fishes up to 38 cm long, and the frigate mackerels (Auxis), which are small, elongated fishes found worldwide and distinguished by a corselet of enlarged scales around the shoulder region that extend along...

SMALL PELAGICS Sardinellas Indian mackerel Scads Miscellaneous clupeoids Thryssas and anchovies

LARGE PELAGICS Kingfish Spanish mackerel Tuna Dolphinfish

DEMERSALS Sharks, Rays Sea catfishes Barracudas Eels Croakers Grunts Snapper Threadfins Pomfrets

SHELLFISH Shrimps Lobsters Cuttlefishes Jellyfish Squids Clams Ivory shell Crabs

MESOPELAGICS Lantern fish