Abstract

Grouper-snapper catch landings of inshore (menor and mediana) and offshore (mayor) fishing fleets from state of Yucatan, at four fishing ports of the north coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, were studied during an annual cycle. According to the kind of fleet considered, total or partial surveys were monthly done, to analyze the grouper (Serranidae, Epinephelinae, Epinephelini) and snappers (Lutjanidae, Etelinae y Lutjaninae) landings. Sampled organisms were identified, measured and weighted. From the 21 and 14 grouper and snapper species present in the southern Gulf of Mexico, 13 (62%) and 9 (64%) of them were respectively observed in the landings of the three fishing fleets. Groupers predominated in number (79 - 84%) as well as in weight (74 - 94%) in the landings of all fleets, excepted in those of the inshore fleet (menor) where snappers were more important in number (52%). The red grouper Epinephelus morio always predominated in the catches of the three fleets (35 - 79% in number and 44 - 87% in weight). Snappers of mayor importance in the catches were Lutjanus campechanus (8% in number and weight) for the offshore fleet and Lutjanus synagris (9 - 16% in number and 3 - 6% in weight), Ocyurus chrysurus (7 - 30% in number and 3 - 12% in weight) and L. jocú (5% in number and 6% in weight) for the inshore fleets. Analysis of the size-frequency distributions of collected organisms permitted to observe that various grouper and snapper species were probably exploited during its juvenile phase. Potential implications of results obtained in the present study, for the management of the fishery, are presented and discussed.

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