title: The coastal fishes and fisheries of the Socotra Archipelago, Yemen.
abstract: The Socotra Archipelago is situated in the Gulf of Aden where tropical and "pseudo-temperate" conditions combine to create a unique marine ecosystem. The diversity, ecology, productivity and fisheries of the coastal fish assemblages are still relatively understudied and no update of the scientific knowledge existed. The islands support unique coastal and coral-associated fish assemblages in spite of the limited biogenic reef frameworks. Fish diversity is the highest among comparable Arabian eco-regions, and fish biomass productivity high too by Indian Ocean standards. The production of the once traditionally-managed small-scale fishery is severely declining and whether it is sustainable nowadays is extremely doubtful. At a time when Yemen is torn apart by a severe political and humanitarian crisis it is timely to review and update the current state of knowledge for scientists and managers, and thereby ease access to existing information, facilitating follow-on studies and evidence-based conservation and fisheries management.
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Sektion Ichthyologie, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Senckenberg Biodiversität und Klima Forschungszentrum (BiK-F), Tropical Marine Ecosystems Group, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Electronic address: uzajonz@senckenberg.de.
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Zajonz
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Sektion Ichthyologie, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Université de Bretagne Occidentale, UMR 6539, CNRS/IRD/UBO, Laboratoire des Sciences de l'Environnement Marin LEMAR, Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer IUEM, Rue Dumont d'Urville, 29280 Plouzané, France; Kyoto University, Field Science Education and Research Center (FSERC), Educational Unit for Studies on Connectivity of Hills, Humans and Oceans (CoHHO), Oiwake-cho, Kitashirakawa, Sakyo-ku, 606-8502, Kyoto, Japan.
authors.forename: Edouard
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lavergne
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Biodiversität und Klima Forschungszentrum (BiK-F), Tropical Marine Ecosystems Group, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
authors.forename: Rebecca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Klaus
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Sektion Ichthyologie, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Qatar Museums Authority, P.O. Box 2777, Doha, Qatar.
authors.forename: Friedhelm
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Krupp
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Biodiversität und Klima Forschungszentrum (BiK-F), Tropical Marine Ecosystems Group, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Hadhramout University of Science and Technology, Department of Marine Fisheries and Resources, Marine Biology Division, Al-Mukalla, Yemen.
authors.forename: Moteah Sheikh
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Aideed
authors.affiliation: Senckenberg Biodiversität und Klima Forschungszentrum (BiK-F), Tropical Marine Ecosystems Group, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Environmental Protection Authority, Socotra Branch, Hadibo, Yemen.
authors.forename: Fouad Naseeb
authors.initials: FN
authors.lastname: Saeed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D037421:Anthozoa / Q000254:growth & development; D044822:Biodiversity; D018533:Biomass; D017753:Ecosystem; D005398:Fisheries / Q000458:organization & administration*; D005399:Fishes / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development*; D062305:Geographic Mapping; D019156:Indian Ocean; D058998:Remote Sensing Technology; D012621:Seasons; D015006:Yemen
keywords: Artisanal fisheries; Diversity and ecology; Fish assemblages; Fish biomass; Socotra Archipelago