Abstract

The growth rate of juvenile blacktip sharks, Carcharhinus limbatus, from Archipelago Los Roques National Park was estimated by length frequencies analysis, regression adjustment of age-length data and tag-recapture data. The information analyzed was obtained from the commercial shark fishery monitoring and comprise three sample periods (1995-96, 1998-99 y 2001). The birth season for C. limbatus was from middle of June to the end of August. The length structure is characterized by a bimodal pattern between June-November and unimodal between December-May. The juveniles leaved the nursery area after a period of 1.3 years. The juvenile growth was described by a linear model function, estimating a growth rate of 50.64 cm/year. The tag-recapture information indicated a mean growth rate of 57.84 cm/year. Taking into account some studies made it in other geographic zones (Gulf of México, Florida and South Africa), is evident that the juveniles of C. limbatus exhibited a fast growth in the study area, duplicating the birth size in one year and reaching a sexual maturity at less of two years

PDF Preview