Current Status and Exploitation of Wild Spiny Lobsters in Vietnamese Waters

摘要

SEVEN species of spiny lobsters are found in the Vietnamese East Sea: Panulirus ornatus, P. homarus, P. longipes, P. stimpsoni, P. versicolor, P. penicil-latus and P. polyphagus. Four species — P. ornatus, P. homarus, P. longipes and P. stimpsoni —support a significant commercial fishery. These lobsters are distributed mainly in the central seawaters stretching from Deo Ngang mountain pass at the latitude of 18°N (Quang Binh province) to the spur of Ky Van mountain at latitude of 10°30'N (Vung Tau province). It means that spiny lobsters with high economic value are present in the seawaters of 14 central provinces. This distribution has provided a potential resource of lobsters in these seawaters, but the way lobsters have been exploited has varied because of the different physical geography and the sea-edge topography of each province.