Penaeus merguiensis (De Man, 1888) shrimp exploitation rate in the Arafura Sea, Merauke, South Papua

The moratorium on shrimp fishing in the Arafura Sea is based on the Regulations of the Minister of Maritime and Fisheries Affairs Number 56 of 2014 and Number 2 of 2015, to control shrimp fishing mortality. In nine years of the 2014-2023 moratorium there has been no shrimp fishing permit for fishermen in South Papua. The community has been wanting the opening of shrimp fishing in the Arafura Sea in a 12-mile area of the province. The research objective was to analyze the growth rate, mortality, and exploitation rate of Penaeus merguiensis shrimp fishing in the Arafura Sea, Merauke, South Papua, before and after the moratorium. This research used a survey method with systematic random sampling technique. Data collection time: March-May 2011 (before the moratorium) and August 2022 - July 2023 (after the moratorium). Shrimp growth equations before the moratorium were: Lt = 49.0 (1-exp-0.7(t- 0.2003)) for the male, and Lt = 52.6 (1-exp-1.2 (to-0.1139)) for the female. After the moratorium, the equations were: Lt = 45.9 (1-exp-1.2(t-0.1182)) for the male, and Lt = 58.2 (1-exp-1.3 (to-0.0459)) for the female. Shrimp mortalities before the moratorium for the male were Z = 5.32 year-1, M = 1.47 year-1, and F = 0.72 year- 1; and for female they were: Z = 2.97 year-1, M = 1.54 year-1, F = 1.43 year-1. After the moratorium, the mortalities for the male were: Z = 7.24 year-1, M = 1.76 year-1, and F = 5.48 year-1, and for the female they were: Z = 4.18 year-1, M = 1.73 year-1, F = 2.45 year-1. Exploitation rates (E) of shrimp before the moratorium were E = 0.72 year-1 and E = 0.48 year-1 for male and female respectively. After the moratorium the rates were E = 0.76 year-1 and E = 0.59 year-1 for male and female respectively. The growth rate of shrimp after the moratorium was greater than before the moratorium. Natural mortality (M) was the highest before the moratorium, and became low after the moratorium, and was dominated by mortality due to fishing (F). The exploitation rate of male shrimp before and after the moratorium was E > 0.5 in the overfishing category, and the exploitation rate of female shrimp after the moratorium was in the overfishing category. The results of the study can be used as a consideration for P. merguiensis shrimp management policies in Merauke, South Papua.