Abstract Studies relating the populational structure of target species to operational and environmental variables contribute directly to the management of the fisheries in these resources. Therefore, this study aimed to provide data on fishing and ecology of the swordfish ( Xiphias gladius) caught by the Brazilian longline fleet operating in the western Atlantic between 2010 and 2016. Generalized additive mixed models were used to evaluate the relationship between explanatory variables and responses based on Catch Per Unit of Effort (CPUE) data. Results show that the Brazilian longline fleet catches the swordfish mostly between latitudes of 5°N to 30°S and longitudes of 20° to 50°W and that the swordfish prefers temperatures under 25°C at depths below 60 meters. The species showed a tendency toward intermediate light intensity, predominating in the crescent moon phase, and a preference for areas with low chlorophyll concentrations. Our findings on operational and environmental interactions with swordfish CPUE suggest areas and times that can be used by fishing fleets and government institutions as a starting point for swordfish management strategies. resources Therefore gladius 201 2016 (CPUE 5N N 5 30S S 30 20 50W W 50 25C C 25 6 meters intensity phase concentrations strategies 3 2

Resumen Introducción: El Pacífico Norte de Costa Rica es una región diversa y productiva; sin embargo, tenemos un escaso conocimiento sobre el estado de los recursos marinos y la dinámica pesquera, particularmente de la pesca artesanal en el Golfo de Santa Elena, uno de los principales caladeros de la zona. Objetivo: Caracterizar la dinámica de esta pesquería. Métodos: Se analizaron los datos recopilados por el Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura y las facturas pesqueras de los sitios de desembarque para el período 2010-2019. Resultados: Hubo una alta variación en la biomasa desembarcada, sin embargo, la captura total por unidad de esfuerzo (CPUE; kg/día) y de las principales especies objetivo no disminuyó significativamente. En general, hubo una CPUE más baja en los meses de surgencia (diciembre-abril). De las 42 especies comerciales reportadas, la mayor biomasa provino del pargo mancha (Lutjanus guttatus; 22 % de la biomasa), el pargo seda (L. peru; 18 %), las cabrillas (Epinephelus spp.; 15 %) y el pulpo (Octopus spp., 13 %). Conclusiones: La CPUE en Santa Elena no ha disminuido significativamente de 2010 a 2019, pero disminuye en la época de surgencia.

Abstract Introduction: The North Pacific of Costa Rica is a diverse and productive region; however, we have a poor understanding of the status of marine resources and fisheries dynamics, particularly for the artisanal fishery in the Gulf of Santa Elena, one of the main fishing grounds of the area. Objective: To characterize the dynamics of this fishery. Methods: We analyzed data collected by the Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura, and sales invoices from landing sites for the period 2010-2019. Results: There was high variation in the landed biomass, however, total catch per unit effort (CPUE; kg/day) and of the main targeted species did not decrease significantly. Overall, there was a lower CPUE in upwelling months (December-April). For the 42 commercial species reported, most biomass was from the spotted rose snapper (Lutjanus guttatus; 22 % of biomass), the Pacific red snapper (L. peru; 18 %), groupers (Epinephelus spp.; 15 %) and octopuses (Octopus spp., 13 %). Conclusions: CPUE at Santa Elena has not declined significantly from 2010 to 2019, but it falls in the upwelling season.

ABSTRACT The relationship between climate variability and the small-scale fishery (SSF) of the Albuquerque Cays was studied from 2004 to 2018. The environmental variables analyzed were: sea surface temperature (SST), wind magnitude, and chlorophyll (Chl-α). The fishery is multi-species; 410 individuals were identified, belonging to 4 orders, 15 families, and 62 species, of which 38.7% are reef, 35.5% demersal, and 25.8% pelagic. The most dominant species were Caranx latus, Elagatis bipinnulata, Coryphaena hippurus, Lutjanus vivanus, Ocyurus chrysurus, Thunnus atlanticus, Sphyraena barracuda, Canthidermis sufflamen, Etelis oculatus, Acanthocybium solandri, Lutjanus jocu, Balistes vetula, Lutjanus buccanella, followed by Rhomboplites aurorubens and Mycteroperca bonaci. The pelagic species that contribute the most in biomass and commercial importance are S. barracuda, A. solandri, T. atlanticus, and E. bipinnulata, the most important due to their high market value. A significant correlation was found among SST, Chl-α, wind magnitude, and catch per unit effort (CPUE) anomalies. The highest CPUE values occurred in January, March, June and September were associated with the passage of cold fronts and hurricanes, giving way to new fishing opportunities and conservation of some resources.

ABSTRACT The control of the fishing effort and establishment of individual catch quotas has been proposed as a strategy to manage the Pacific hake (Merluccius productus) fishery in the north of the Gulf of California. In this study, the issues related to the efficiency of hake fishing vessels are analyzed. Two different types of vessels, large and small, were identified using the physical characteristics of 53 vessels in a cluster analysis. Using generalized linear models (GLM), efficiency variation (catch per unit of effort CPUE) was assessed with data derived from onboard observations of 74 trips made by 25 vessels and 814 sets from 2015 to 2019. The variables used to determine their contribution to CPUE were years, vessel types, fishing areas, depth strata, and their interactions. The factors year, fishing area, net type, and vessel type explain the interannual variability in the CPUE. The model, which included the interactions, showed 18% of explained deviance and indicated that interactions between year and area and between depth and vessel were significant and contributed the most to the deviance explained by the model. A GLM exhibited 11% of the explained deviance without considering interactions and indicates that large vessels are 1.5 times more efficient than small vessels.

Abstract The present study was based on the analysis of 10,467 trawls of the industrial piramutaba (Brachyplatystoma vaillantii) fishing fleet of the Brazilian state of Pará, which were mapped by onboard GPS loggers (between February 2008 and September 2011) and the PREPS data from 40 vessels which were tracked by this system between 2008 and 2011. The variation in the mean monthly CPUE, based on Lomb’s periodogram, revealed a well-defined and constant cycle with a duration of approximately one year. Three environmental factors influenced this cycle. The El Niño 3.4 index had a negative correlation with the CPUE of the piramutaba fishery, with a time lag of 15 months, while monthly rainfall and the mean discharge of the Amazon River correlated strongly (r=0.89 and 0.87, respectively; p<0.001) with the CPUE, with time lags of 12 and 11 months, respectively. The spatiotemporal analysis of the distribution of the activity of the piramutaba fishing fleet indicated that the most intense area of operation of the fleet lies between latitudes 00º N and 02° N, and longitudes 047º40’ W and 049º40’ W. This area was divided into four geographic quadrants, although fishery operations were concentrated in only three of these quadrants. The study proposed a quadrimester fishing cycle with zoning in three of the quadrants, where fishing would be permitted for four months (occupation period), followed by an 8-month rest period for the recuperation of stocks, aiming at the sustainability of this fishing exploration.

Freshwater crayfish are damaging invaders across southern Africa; however, monitoring techniques and efforts are disparate across the region as different sampling methods have been used. To develop a standard method for assessing redclaw crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus abundance, a survey was conducted to assess for differences in detection and catch per unit effort (CPUE) in Lake Kariba. Two sampling approaches were compared: opera traps baited with cooked maize meal historically used in crayfish surveys in Zimbabwe, and Promar collapsible traps baited with dry dog food, which have been used for assessments in South Africa and Swaziland. Baits were compared in the Barotse Floodplain in Zambia using the Promar trap. Detection probability (Pcapture) and CPUE were significantly lower for opera traps baited with cooked maize meal (Pcapture = 0.41; CPUE = 1.19 ± 0.24 ind.•trap -1•night -1) compared to the Promar traps baited with dry dog food (Pcapture = 0.67; CPUE = 4.53 ± 0.82 ind•trap -1•night -1). The Pcapture and CPUE for Promar traps baited with dog food (Pcapture = 0.89; CPUE = 4.29 ± 0.83 ind•trap-1•night -1) was significantly higher than for maize meal baited traps (Pcapture = 0.29; CPUE = 0.25 ± 0.17 ind•trap -1•night -1). Sex ratio and carapace length of crayfish sampled did not differ between sampling methods. Due to higher CPUE, the authors consider the Promar collapsible trap baited with dog food approach as the better method for determining crayfish population abundance and suggest that comparisons of abundance take this into consideration by applying conversion factors if different methods are applied.

RESUMEN Un mayor conocimiento de la selectividad de los artes de pesca permite determinar la capacidad de selección de los tamaños y formas de las especies capturadas, además de proporcionar información útil para su conservación y aprovechamiento. Este estudio determinó los parámetros de selectividad de redes de enmalle (7,0, 7,6 y 10,2 cm de tamaño de malla) y anzuelos J (n.° 7, 9 y 10), utilizados en las capturas artesanales de la cojinoa (Caranx crysos), en diferentes sitios de pesca de la región de Santa Marta. El método SELECT se utilizó para determinar los parámetros de selectividad mientras que, para evaluar diferencias en la captura por unidad de esfuerzo (CPUE) entre los tamaños de malla y los calibres de anzuelo evaluados, se utilizó la prueba de Kurskall-Wallis. Los resultados mostraron que el modelo log-normal describe mejor la selectividad de las redes de enmalle y las líneas de mano para C. crysos. Las longitudes modales calculadas con este modelo fueron 23,00, 25,09 y 33,46 cm para los tamaños de malla 7,0, 7,6 y 10,2 cm mientras que 23,72, 30,49 y 33,88 cm fueron calculados para los anzuelos n.° 7, 9 y 10, respectivamente. La aplicación de estos resultados, considerando una talla de madurez de 35 cm para una eventual medida de manejo de la pesquería de cojinoa, debe además considerar que la CPUE mostró diferencias estadísticas entre los tamaños de malla y los calibres de anzuelo, lo que podría afectar los ingresos a corto plazo del pescador.

ABSTRACT A greater knowledge of the selectivity of fishing gear allows determining the capacity to select the sizes and shapes of the species caught, in addition to providing useful information for their conservation and use. This study determined the selectivity parameters of gillnets (7.0, 7.6 and 10.2 cm of mesh size) and J hooks (n.° 7, 9 and 10), used in the artisanal catches of the blue runner (Caranx crysos), in different fishing sites in the Santa Marta region. The SELECT method was used to determine the selectivity parameters, while the Kurskall-Wallis test was used to evaluate differences in the catch per unit of effort (CPUE) between the mesh sizes and the evaluated hook gauges. The results demonstrate that the log-normal model better describes the selectivity of gillnets and hand lines for C. crysos. The modal lengths calculated with this model were 23.00, 25.09 and 33.46 cm for the mesh sizes 7.0, 7.6 and 10.2 cm while 23.72, 30.49 and 33.88 cm were calculated for hooks n.° 7, 9 and 10, respectively. The application of these results, considering a maturity size of 35 cm, for an eventual management measure of the blue runner fishery, must also consider that the CPUE showed statistical differences between mesh sizes and hook gauges, which could affect the fisherman’s short-term income.

ABSTRACT: Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is a key resource in the Antarctic region, as it is the primary food source for fish, whales, seals, flying birds, penguins and cephalopods. The high concentrations of the species and its possible uses -food for human and animal consumption and in the production of industrial, pharmaceutical and dietetic products- generates interest in the fishing industry. Its relevance motivated the implementation of administrative measures and international regulations for this fishery, which are summarized in this review. Chile is the only South American fishing country that has shown interest in participating in Antarctic krill fishery. Thus, between 1983 and 1994, the Fisheries Development Institute and some companies carried out fishing activities mainly aimed at prospecting and researching this species. However, starting in 2011, the factory trawler FV Betanzos began sustained commercial krill fishing aimed at krill meal production. This document analyzes the information collected by said vessel between 2011 and 2016, including areas of operation, fishing depth catches and CPUE obtained. Also, the main challenges faced by this fishery and the actions planned as solutions are assessed.

ABSTRACT Background: The Gulf of California possesses a high diversity of marine ichthyofauna while representing one of the main fishing areas in Mexico. The shark and ray fishery constitute an important economic and social importance. Goals: In the present study, the richness and relative abundance was estimated (expressed as CPUE), for 15 batoids species taken by the artisanal fisheries in the southern zone of the Espiritu Santo Island, State of B.C.S. from October 2013 to December 2015. Methods: Batoids were taxonomically identified to species level, measured, sexed and weighed and species richness calculated. Catch as CPUE was standardized to 100 m of gillnet per hour (x100 as a scaling factor) and evaluated among species and at different spatial scales (season, year, season per year and month). Results: A total of 2198 individuals were captured and comprised of four orders, 10 families, 10 genera, and 15 species. The nominal capture effort used was 27560 m of bottom-set gillnet and 1763 h submerged time. Four species, Rostroraja velezi, Pseudobatos glaucostigma, Urobatis maculatus and Mobula mobular, were added to the existing ichthyofauna listing for the Espiritu Santo Island. Additionally, Mobula munkiana and Hypanus dipterurus represented the highest contribution in abundance and weight during the time of this study. The first species is currently protected by national and international laws, whereas the latter is a commercially exploited species. Conclusions: The partial overlap of the highest CPUE values recorded in the warm season, with the fishing ban and the reproductive activity of some species in summer, could contribute as a population recovery effect if the fishing effort after the ban is regulated.

RESUMEN Antecedentes: El Golfo de California presenta una alta diversidad de organismos marinos y es una de las principales áreas de pesca en México. La pesquería de tiburones y rayas constituye una importante actividad económica con relevancia social. Objetivo: En el presente estudio se estima la riqueza y abundancia relativa (expresada como CPUE), de 15 especies de batoideos capturados por la pesca artesanal en la zona sur de la Isla Espíritu Santo, B.C.S. desde octubre del 2013 a diciembre de 2015. Métodos: Los ejemplares capturados fueron determinados taxonómicamente al nivel de especie, medidos, sexados y pesados. La riqueza específica correspondió al número total de especies capturadas durante el periodo de estudio. Los datos de CPUE fueron estandarizados a 100 metros de red por hora (x100 como factor de escalamiento) y evaluados entre especies y a diferentes escalas temporales (época, año, época por año y meses). Resultados: Se capturó un total de 2198 individuos, agrupados en cuatro órdenes, 10 familias, 10 géneros y 15 especies. El esfuerzo nominal empleado fue de 27560 metros de red y 1763 horas de remojo. Las especies Rostroraja velezi, Pseudobatos glaucostigma, Urobatis maculatus y Mobula mobular fueron adicionadas a los listados ictiofaunísticos existentes para la Isla Espíritu Santo. Mobula munkiana e Hypanus dipterurus, fueron las especies de batoideos con la mayor contribución en abundancia y peso durante el tiempo de la investigación. La primera está protegida por leyes nacionales e internacionales y la segunda es una especie aprovechada comercialmente. Conclusiones: La superposición parcial de los valores de CPUE más altos registrados en la época cálida, con la veda y la actividad reproductiva de algunas especies en verano, podría contribuir como un efecto de recuperación poblacional si se regula el esfuerzo pesquero posterior a la veda.

South Africa is under increasing pressure to develop small-scale fisheries in inland waters. To inform appropriate development of this sector in the Free State Province, the catch rate of double-ended fyke nets was evaluated using survey data from 20 impoundments sampled during the 2013/2014 summer season. Fyke nets were set over night and the total sample effort was 114 fyke net nights. Overall catch per unit effort (CPUE) was 16.8 ± 28.3 kg·net−¹·night−¹ and catch composition was dependent on impoundment, but generally comprised of a mixture of common carp Cyprinus carpio, African sharptooth catfish Clarias gariepinus, smallmouth yellowfish Labeobarbus aeneus, Orange River mudfish Labeo capensis and moggel Labeo umbratus. The influence of temperature and the potential benefits of baiting the nets were subsequently evaluated through monthly sampling in the hyper-eutrophic Krugersdrift Dam and at the oligotrophic Gariep Dam. Baiting did not significantly influence CPUE, which was significantly higher at Krugersdrift Dam (19.97 ± 23.22 kg·net−¹·night−¹) than at Gariep Dam (5.02 ± 6.05 kg·net−¹·night−¹). Increasing temperature had a positive effect on CPUE at Krugersdrift Dam but not at Gariep Dam. Species composition also differed between impoundments and, as a result, we conclude that seasonal catch rates and species compositions will need to be evaluated prior to implementation of fyke net fisheries in specific localities.

Abstract Support vector machine (SVM) is shown to have better performance in catch per unit of effort (CPUE) standardization than other methods. The SVM performance highly relates to its parameters selection and has not been discussed in CPUE standardization. Analyzing the influence of parameter selection on SVM performance for CPUE standardization could improve model construction and performance, and thus provide useful information to stock assessment and management. We applied SVM to standardize longline catch per unit fishing effort of fishery data for bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) in the tropical fishing area of Atlantic Ocean and evaluated three parameters optimization methods: a Grid Search method, and two improved hybrid algorithms, namely SVMs in combination with the particle swarm optimization (PSO-SVM), and genetic algorithms (GA-SVM), in order to increase the strength of SVM. The mean absolute error (MAE), mean square error (MSE), three types of correlation coefficients and the normalized mean square error (NMSE) were computed to compare the algorithm performances. The PSO-SVM and GA-SVM algorithms had particularly high performances of indicative values in the training data and dataset, and the performances of PSO-SVM were marginally better than GA-SVM. The Grid search algorithm had best performances of indicative values in testing data. In general, PSO was appropriate to optimize the SVM parameters in CPUE standardization. The standardized CPUE was unstable and low from 2007 to 2011, increased during 2011-2013, then decreased from 2015 to 2017. The abundance index was lower compared with before 2000 and showed a decreasing trend in recent years.

RESUMEN Introducción: La pesquería de jaiba de la Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta está sometida a una fuerte presión sobre los individuos inmaduros, lo que ha conllevado a su sobrepesca. Objetivo: Se determinaron la dimensión y la ubicación de ventanas de escape para facilitar la salida de individuos con tamaños no deseados. Materiales y métodos: Mediante videograbaciones se estudió el comportamiento y sitios de preferencia de la jaiba dentro de la nasa. El tamaño de las ventanas se estimó utilizando las relaciones morfométricas: ancho a la base de la espina lateral (ABEL) vs. longitud del caparazón y ABEL vs. altura del cuerpo. Para establecer diferencias estadísticas entre los tamaños capturados y entre la captura por unidad de esfuerzo (CPUE) de nasas, con o sin ventanas, se utilizó la prueba W de Mann-Whitney. Resultados: Las relaciones fueron explicadas mediante las relaciones lineales: Lc=0.5938*ABEL+0.3102 y Alt=0.3094*ABEL+0.2934. El ABEL correspondiente a la talla de madurez se estimó en 106 mm. Se instalaron cuatro ventanas rectangulares (35 x 67 mm) en las esquinas inferiores. La estructura de tamaños capturada evidenció diferencias (P<0.05) mostrando una reducción de la captura de individuos inmaduros. Sin embargo, no se presentaron diferencias entre las CPUE evaluadas. Conclusión: La incorporación de ventanas de escape en nasas favorece la disminución de las capturas de individuos inmaduros y contribuye a la sostenibilidad de esta pesquería.

ABSTRACT Introduction: The crab fishery in Cienaga Grande from Santa Marta is subject to strong pressure on immature individuals, which has led to overfishing. Objective: The dimension and location of escape gaps was determined so that the unwanted sizes could exit. Material and methods: From video recordings, the behavior and sites of preference of the crab were studied. The size of the gap was estimated using the following morphometric relationships: carapace width at base of lateral spines (ABEL) vs carapace length and ABEL vs body height. To establish statistical differences between the captured sizes and the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of traps with or without gaps, the Mann-Whitney W test was used. Results: The relationships were explained by a linear relationship according to the equations: Lc=0.5938*ABEL+0.3102 and Alt=0.3094*ABEL+0.2934. The ABEL corresponding to the maturity size was estimated at 106 mm. Four rectangular windows were installed (35 x 67 mm), which were located in the lower corners. The size structure captured showed differences (P<0.05) showing a reduction in the capture of immature individuals. However, in terms of capture efficiency there were no differences between the evaluated CPUE. Conclusion: The incorporation of escape windows in the fishing of crabs could favor the reduction of the catch rates of immature individuals and consequently contribute to the sustainability of this fishery.

RESUMO Introdução: A pesca de siri-azul da Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta está sujeita a fortes pressões, principalmente em indivíduos imaturos, o que levou à sobrepesca. Objetivo: A dimensão e a localização das janelas de escape foram determinadas para que os tamanhos indesejados pudessem sair. Materiais e métodos: Das gravações em vídeo, o comportamento e os locais de preferência do siri foram estudados dentro da armadilha, depois as janelas foram projetadas e localizadas. O tamanho das janelas foi estimado usando as seguintes relações morfométricas: Altura da Base da Espinha Lateral (ABEL) vs comprimento da carapaça e ABEL vs altura do corpo. Para estabelecer diferenças estatísticas entre os tamanhos capturados e a captura por unidade de esforço (CPUE) das armadilhas com ou sem janelas foi utilizado o teste W de Mann-Whitney. Resultados: As relações foram explicadas pôr as relações lineares: Lca=0,5938*ABEL+0,3102 e Alt=0,3094*ABEL+0,2934. O ABEL correspondente ao tamanho de maturidade foi estimado em 106 mm. Quatro janelas retangulares foram instaladas (35 x 67 mm) localizadas nos cantos inferiores. A estrutura de tamanho capturada apresentou diferenças (P<0,05) mostrando uma redução na captura de indivíduos imaturos. No entanto, em termos de eficiência de captura, não houve diferenças entre as CPUE avaliadas. Conclusão: A incorporação de janelas de escape na pesca de caranguejos poderia favorecer a redução das taxas de captura de indivíduos imaturos e, consequentemente, contribuir para a sustentabilidade dessa pescaria.

ABSTRACT This study evaluates the habitat characteristics, fishing effort, and production, as well as changes in the individuals, such as changes in size frequency, of the spawning aggregations of mutton snapper Lutjanus analis and grey triggerfish Balistes capriscus, caught in the Chinchorro Bank Biosphere Reserve (CBBR), Mexico. The mutton snapper aggregation was located in coral patches, while the spawning aggregation of grey triggerfish was located on the windward terrace of the reef flat. Fishery data was obtained for the duration of the spawning event in 2008, with a total of 5 days for mutton snapper and 4 days for grey triggerfish. The fishery recorded a total of 830 mutton snappers, with individual sizes ranging from 40 to 77 cm in fork length (FL). Individual size and catch per unit effort (CPUE) decreased through time, with the lowest values presented at the end of the 5 days. In contrast, a total of 665 grey triggerfish were recorded in the catch, ranging from 45 to 61 cm (FL) with the largest sizes caught at the end of the fishing period, concurrently with the lowest CPUE. A lack of governance allowed both species to be harvested during their spawning aggregations. The creation of an international body composed of fishers, managers, conservationists, and scientists from the countries belonging to the Mesoamerican Reef System is urgently required to look for agreements in conservation and management strategies of these commercially important species.

Gill net surveys were conducted in 2013 to determine species composition and fisheries potential of Flag Boshielo Dam. Species contributing the most towards total biomass were Labeo rosae (40%), Oreochromis mossambicus (15%), Schilbe intermedius (10%) and Labeobarbus marequensis (9.8%). Catch per unit effort for gill nets set at night (4.4 ± 0.6 kg·100 m-net−1·hr−1) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than for those set during the day (0.9 ± 0.1 kg·100 m-net−1·hr−1). Total fish biomass captured in 30, 50, 70, 90 and 110 mm mesh sized nets was 3.1, 31.5, 43.5, 23.5 and 16.1 kg, respectively. Catch in gillnets with mesh sizes ≥ 70 mm was dominated by L. rosae comprising 60% of the catch in the 70 mm mesh; L. rosae (40%) and O. mossambicus (36%) in the 90 mm mesh; and O. mossambicus (40%) and Clarias gariepinus (40%) in the 110 mm mesh. If a small-scale fishery were to be initiated, it is recommended that mesh sizes should exceed 70 mm and that further research on the biology and ecology of the main target species and of the current utilisation of the fishery be conducted to guide sustainable utilisation.

ABSTRACT. The longnose stingray (Dasyatis guttata) is a target species in the artisanal fisheries of the southern Gulf of Venezuela. Despite its economic importance, nowadays, studies about its status are lacking. During six continuous months (18 working days in total), we followed the artisanal fishery activities from Zapara Island, and evaluated morphometric characteristics, sex ratio, and the capture per unit effort (CPUE/ind/1000 hooks) of D. guttata. Biological sampling included: disc widths (AD), body mass total (PT), and sex. Using statistical analysis we assessed: a) the length-weight relationships by sex, b) monthly body condition, using the Fulton Index (K), and c) the CPUE. We evaluated 210 individuals of D. guttata. The mean values of our results were: AD = 64.14 ± 13.18cm (range 32-95 cm); PT = 8.36 ± 4.87 kg (range 0.8024.50 kg). The sexual proportion was (2.26♀: 1♂) (χ2 = 31.71; P < 0,05); hence we presume a spatial segregation occurred between females and males in the studied area. Length-weight relationship was statistically significant (P < 0.0001), and also varied according to the sex ♀: PT(kg) = [(0.00027)×(AD(cm)246)]; ♂: PT(kg) = [(0.00035)x(AD(cm)2.34)]. The K value showed differences between sexes during November and December. We obtained a CPUE of 4.88 individuals/1000 hooks. We compared our findings with previous research carried out in the southern Caribbean. Further research about this species in the area is recommended.

RESUMEN. La raya látigo Dasyatis guttata es una especie objetivo en la pesca artesanal del sur del Golfo de Venezuela. A pesar de su importancia económica, actualmente pocas evaluaciones se han efectuado para conocer su estado. Con el seguimiento de las actividades pesqueras de la flota artesanal de Isla Zapara, se evaluaron las características morfométricas, composición de sexos, captura por unidad de esfuerzo (CPUE, ind/1000 anzuelos), de D. guttata, durante seis meses continuos de muestreo (18 días de pesca). Los muestreos biológicos mensuales incluyeron el ancho de disco (AD), peso total (PT), y sexo. Se evaluó a) la relación talla-peso para cada sexo, b) el factor de condición mediante el índice de Fulton (K) mensual, y c) la CPUE. Se consideraron 210 ejemplares de la especie. Se obtuvo un promedio de AD = 64,14 ± 13,18 cm; (rango 32-95 cm), y de PT = 8,36 ± 4,87 kg (rango 0,80-24,50 kg) y proporción sexual de (2,26♀: 1♂) (χ2 = 31,71; P < 0,05), por lo que se presume una segregación espacial de hembras y machos en la zona. La relación talla-peso fue significativa (P < 0,0001), y diferentes para cada sexo ♀: PT(kg) = [(0,00027)x(AD(cm)2,46)]; ♂: PT(kg) = [(0,00035)×(AD(cm)2,34)]. El valor K mostró divergencia entre sexos en noviembre y diciembre. La CPUE se estimó en 4,88 ind/1000 anzuelos. Se compararon estos resultados con investigaciones previas en la región sur del Caribe y se recomiendan mayores estudios de la especie en esta zona.