Abstract

For several years, Quintana Roo, Mexico was the most important state in which exploitation of the queen conch (Strombus gigas) fishery was a major concern. Today, the resource exploitation has been reduced at the southern zone of the state, primarily on Banco Chinchorro. Several management regimes have been implemented to regulate exploitation in ways tbat prevent extinction of the resource: initially seven months of no fishing at all, followed by nine months of fishing restricted by quotas. To evaluate population parameters, samples were taking during September 1991 to July 1993, in two different areas (Banco Chinchorro y Punta Gavilan) in which more than 7000 organisms were measured. Siphonal length varied from 4 to 27 cm, with juveniles as the dominant size class. Population growth and present age structure were estimated from length frequency data using the ELEF AN and SLCA methods.

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