the minimum value (17.2%) was noted in the mul- 

 let. Other fishes with high protein content were 

 silvery croaker, four-thread threadfin, silvery 

 grunt, and spotted Spanish mackerel. The value of 

 protein observed for the silvery pomfret was found 

 to be higher than the value reported by Das et al. 

 (1976) for this species from Shatt Al-Arab. 



The fat content ranged from 0.2% in crimson 

 snapper to 5.3% in four-thread threadfin. Except 

 for the four-thread threadfin and mackerels, fishes 

 were generally low in fat content. The magnitude 

 of variation in fat values for individual species was 

 higher in comparison to that observed for protein. 

 Of the various constituents of the fish body, fat is 

 perhaps the most variable component varying 

 with factors like age, sex spawning cycle, feeding, 

 season, etc. Generally low fat values observed dur- 

 ing the present investigation could possibly be the 

 result of relatively poor winter condition of these 

 fishes. 



Moisture content varied from 72.1% in four- 

 thread threadfin to 79.6% in mullet. 



Ash content varied little. Except for the mack- 

 erels which showed slightly higher values, ash 

 content varied between 1.2 and 1.3%. 



Gross energy content was highest (136.6 cal/100 

 g) in the muscle of the four-thread threadfin, fol- 

 lowed by mackerels and silvery croaker. Lowest 

 value (83.9 cal/100 g) was noted for the mullet. The 

 energy content for the silvery pomfret and silvery 

 grunt resemble closely the values reported by 

 Sidwell et al. (1974). The energy content for the 

 various species of mullet quoted by Sidwell et al. 

 (1974) was, however, higher than that obtained for 

 Liza macrolepis. 



canned finfish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Part II. Fatty 

 acid composition. Mar. Fish. Rev. 36(2):8-14. 



Das, k., s. K. al-Nasiri, n. a. Shukri, and K. p. sharma. 



1976. Biochemical studies on some commercially impor- 

 tant fish of Shatt Al-Arab and the Gulf. Arab Gulf 

 6:157-161. 

 HORWITZ,W. (editor). 



1975. Official methods of analysis of the Association of 

 Official Analytical Chemists. 12th ed. Assoc. Off. 

 Anal. Chem., Wash., D.C., 1094 p. 

 jafri, a. k., D. K. khawaja, and S. Z. QASIM. 



1964. Studies on the biochemical composition of some 

 freshwater fishes. I — Muscle. Fish. Technol. 1:148-157. 

 KURONUMA, K., AND Y. ABE. 



1972. Fishes of Kuwait. Kuwait Inst. Sci. Res., Kuwait 

 City, 123 p. 



LOVE, R. M. 



1970. The chemical biology of fishes with a key to the 

 chemical literature. Acad. Press, Lond., 547 p. 



Sidwell, V. D., J. C. Bonnet, and E. G. Zook. 



1973. Chemical and nutritive values of several fresh and 

 canned finfish, crustaceans, and mollusks. Part I: Proxi- 

 mate composition, calcium, and phosphorus. Mar Fish. 

 Rev 35(12):16-19. 



Sidwell, v. d., R R. Foncannon, N. S. Moore, and J. C. 

 Bonnet. 



1974. Composition of the edible portion of raw (fresh or 

 frozen) crustaceans, finfish, and mollusks. I. Protein, fat, 

 moisture, ash, carbohydrate, energy value, and choles- 

 terol. Mar. Fish. Rev 36(3):21-35. 



SIDWELL, V. D., A. L. LOOMIS, K. J. LOOMIS, P R. foncannon, 

 AND D. H. BUZZELL. 



1978. Composition of the edible portion of raw (fresh or 

 frozen) crustaceans, finfish, and mollusks. III. Microele- 

 ments. Mar. Fish. Rev 40(9):l-20. 

 SIDWELL, V. D., A. L. LOOMIS, R R. FONCANNON, AND D. H. 

 BUZZELL. 

 1978. Composition of the edible portion of raw (fresh or 

 frozen) crustaceans, finfish, and mollusks. IV. Vitamins. 

 Mar Fish. Rev 40(12):1-16. 

 STANSBY, M. E. 



1976. Chemical characteristics offish caught in the north- 

 east Pacific Ocean. Mar Fish. Rev 38(9):1-11. 



Acknowledgment 



Thanks are due to Nazar Hussain, Head, 

 Mariculture and Fisheries Department, Kuwait 

 Institute for Scientific Research, for his keen 

 interest in the program. 



Literature Cited 



AFZAL, M., AND F. J. HAYAT. 



1977. A study of fish consumption habits in Kuwait. 

 Kuwait Inst. Sci. Res., Kuwait City, 134 p. 

 ANONYMOUS. 



1977. Annual statistical abstract 1977 14th ed. [In Engl, 

 and Arabic] State of Kuwait, Central Statistical Office, 

 Ministry of Planning, 421 p. 



Bonnet, J. C, V. D. Sidwell, and e. G. Zook. 



1974. Chemical and nutritive values of several fresh and 



Manal M. AL-JUDAIMI 



Mariculture and Fisheries Department 

 Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research 

 Kuwait 



A. K. JAFRI 



Mariculture and Fisheries Department 



Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research 



Present address: Fisheries Laboratory, Department of Zoology 



Aligarh Muslim University 



Aligarh 202001, India 



K. A. George 



Mariculture and Fisheries Department 

 Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research 

 Kuwait 



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