Population Analysis of The Snapper Lutjanus Griseus, Based on The Artisanal Fisheries of The Tamiahua Coast, Veracruz

Abstract

Artisanal fishery in the Gulf of Mexico is mainly undertaken for subsistence and is, thus, of great socioeconomic importance, with Lutjanidae one of the most important families caught in the region. However, there is scarce fisheries knowledge in the Gulf of Mexico and, in light of pressure from the fishing community, research into the population dynamics of these species is of vital importance for the management or conservation of coastal resources. This study aims to contribute information for the analysis of the population of Lutjanus griseus (Linnaeus, 1758), a common species on the Tamiahua coast, in the state of Veracruz. Samples and biometric data (weight, sex, total length and maturity) were recorded by the fishing community on this coast. The monthly population structure was constructed using fish size. Data from 987 individuals, the size of which oscillated from 15 to 80 cm, were registered over the course of a year. The sex ratio was 1:1, while the maximum calculated age was 10 years. Von Bertalanffy and Gompertz growth models reported a maximum age and growth of L∞=182.46 K= 0.05 and t^o = -1.71. The best fit was achieved by means of the Gompertz model, as based on the Akaike criteria and the biological interpretation of the parameters. Reported data and the models used in this study suggest that the minimum catch size should be 40 cm and that the fishery should either cease activities in the months of the reproductive peak or that quotas should be among the fishing cooperatives on the coast of Tamiahua.