Occurrence and abundance of commercially important fish species of family Clupeidae and Engraulidae in the MianiHor, Sonmiani Bay, Balochistan

Family Clupeidae found dominant with 15 species in which Dussumieriaacuta, Ilisha megaloptera and Escualosa thoracata found abundant in most of the year, whereas Engraulidae family ranked second with 9 species among those the Stolephorus indicus, Thryssa vitrirostris and Thryssa mystax found in abundance. Species distribution and catch size varied with the months and showed a seasonal pattern in lagoon water. The change in salinity and temperature was observed as the main factor for change of species diversity and abundance in the Sonmiani Bay.