Volume 55
Biological Surveys to Assess the Relative Abundance and Distribution of Coastal Sharks and Teleosts of the Mexican Gulf of Mexico, 1997, 1998, 2001 and 2002
Authors
Grace, M.A.; De Anda Fuentes, D.E.; Castillo-Geniz, J.L. Download PDF Open PDF in BrowserOther Information
Date: 2004
Pages: 1024
Event: Proceedings of the Fifty Fifth Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute
City: Xel Ha
Country: Mexico
Abstract
In an effort to maintain viable shark populations in U.S. waters, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, an agency of NOAA) developed the 1993 Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) for Sharks of the Atlantic Ocean (NOAA 1993). To determine the efficacy of the 1993 FMP for sharks, NMFS Mississippi Laboratories instituted field surveys (1995 - 2002) to assess the distribution and relative abundance of coastal sharks in the western U.S. North Atlantic Ocean and U.S. Gulf of Mexico. In order to expand survey coverage for several shark species, NMFS and the Instituto Nacional de la Pesca (INP) initiated a series of cooperative research projects (1997, 1998, 2001 and 2002) within Mexican territorial waters of the Gulf of Mexico. The primary objective of the Mexican Gulf of Mexico project was to develop a fisheries independent data base for sharkmanagement species (i.e., large and small coastal sharks) and important teleosts (i.e., snappers and groupers). Secondary objectives included tagging studies and biological sampling. Twohundred and three bottom longline stations were completed during 44 survey days. Captures included 97 sharks (11 species), 63 other elasmobranchs (3 species) and 246 teleosts (30 species).