Resumen

MARVAL, Ángel et al. Curve selection of Litopenaeus schmitti and two fish species caught by the artisanal shrimp trawl fishery in the Gulf of Paria, Sucre State, Venezuela. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2011, vol.29, n.1, pp.69-75. ISSN 0798-7269.

The extraction of penaeid shrimp in estuarine stage, is an activity that generates a continuous fishing pressure on the coastal ecosystems of the intertropical zone, for that reason this study aims to evaluate the selectivity of the artisanal trawl system with the “Chica” shrimp net. The catches were made between April and November 2008, using a trawl net with 11 m of length and 2.5 cm of mesh`s ligth and a small boat powered by two engines. In each sweep the bottom was trawled at depths below 5 m during 30 min. Net recovered the organism obtained were separated and weighed respectively. Three kg samples were transported refrigerated to the INIA laboratory in Cumana, Sucre State. Once there, they were taxonomically identified and a measured using a measuring board. Size structures of Litopenaeus schmitti were built separated by sex, Cetengraulis edentulus and Cathorops spixii, aplying the logistic equation to determine the range and size of selection respectively. The size range for female white shrimp fluctuated between 60 and 235 mm and the selection size L_50% was 138.62 mm, whereas in males the size distribution was shown between 80 and 190 mm with a L_50% of 131.09 mm. In the fishes, it was observed size range that oscillated between 55 and 195 mm in C. spixii and 75 and 170 mm C. edentulus, with a L_50% of 105.19 mm and 124.19 mm respectively. It was observed that the gear used in this fishery is very selective as it retains a large number of bodies, most of them without having reached a commercial size.

Palabras clave : Gulf of Paria; Chica; Litopenaeus schmitti; size selection.