Reproductive and recruitment seasons for penaeus aztecus in the tamaulipas-veracruz area, Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

An integral fishery analysis was made for the population of Penaeus aztecus in the Tamaulipas-Veracruz area from 1974 to 1995. Fourteen age classes between 3 and 16 months old were found, and their respective total abundances were virtually reconstructed (this included shrimp that was caught and shrimp that were not caught in the study area). Age classes were statistically separated into two statistical population indices: the abundance of spawners (or SI index) and the abundance of recruits (or RI index).Time series were generated for these indices to establish when reproductive and recruitment seasons began, ended, and reached maximum abundance. SI index was structured with reproductive ages from 6 to 13 months old, and RI index with young recruits of 4 months old. Reproductive season (or lagoon recruitment) spanned from middle December to early May, with the highest spawners abundance in February. Recruitment season (or marine recruitment) spanned from early April to middle September, with the highest abundance of young recruits during June/July. The seasonal changes in the abundance of spawners were described with lagoon recruitment (in the marine environment). The seasonal changes in the abundance of recruits were described with marine recruitment (between lagoons systems and the marine environment). A higher exploitation level of spawners than for young recruits was recorded. Recently closure seasons are implemented between May and August/September/October. These completely protect marine recruitment, and the lagoon recruitment remains unprotected.