Abstract

The spiny lobster, Panulirus argus, is a resource of growing commercial importance and the foundation of significant income to several fishers communities in Venezuela. Nevertheless, there are few studies about population indicators to support sustainable management measures of this fishery. Samplings of cephalothorax (LC) and total weight (P) of 2398 individuals were made in landing places between November 2002 and April 2005. A virtual population analysis was made using the algorithm of Ehrhardt and Legault (1996), and the population parameters determined for the species in Cuba (León et al.; 1995) and the relation P= 0,0104 * LC 2,4667 (Gómez, 2004) for converting LC to weight. The analysis of average LC in three fishing seasons indicated that 58,7% of individuals were below the minimum size allowed for capture (120 mm LC). The landings by fishing season were 16,9; 18,8 y 18.3 t, respectively, and were mainly composed by individuals 4 to 6 years old. The yearly estimates of the fishing mortality (F) were 0,44, 0,24 and 0,24 year-1 and those of total biomass (B) were 50,05; 91,79 and 76,30 t. It is considered that values F and B are low and, although could be underestimated, they would indicate an apparent stability of the population in the fishery. A significant array of individuals below the age of 4 years was not included in the analyses, which should have been measured in order to get a better fit of the model and more reliable population parameters. The results suggest that there should be a monitoring of the lobster population during the closed fishing season and a better efficiency of the official control during landings should be promoted

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