Abstract

Variability in community (richness, diversity and evenness) and population (size structure) attributes of discard was evaluated for a shrimp artisanal fishery in Celestun lagoon a Natural Protected Area, Mexico. Sampling was done using two bottom nets with different mesh size codends: 1.3 cm (used in the fishery) and a suggested 2.5 cm, in different climatic seasons. Spatial structure abundance of discard in the artisanal shrimp fishery was evaluated along the estuarine habitat and assessed using spatial and season-al factors, such as relative influence of environment (Submerged Aquatic Vegetation). Although the shrimp:discard ratio was 1:1 in both cases, total biomass and abundance with the 1.3 cm were, respectively, 4.6 and 1.8 times higher than with the 2.5 m. This result was consistent in time and space. Discards were dominated by fishes [60% in 1.3-cm and 96% in 2.5cm]. The highest dis-cards were registered in the „nortes? (cold front) season for both mesh sizes. The 1.3 cm mesh size significantly retained smaller sizes than the 2.5 cm mesh size in six of the eight most important species. An increase in mesh size and fishery closure during the „nortes? season is suggested to mitigate the impact of the fishery on discarded fauna.

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