Abstract

The red octopus Octopus maya sustains with O. vulgaris the most important fishery in the Yucatan Peninsula. The pattern of population movements has a great effect on the distribution and abundance of the resource, is therefore closely related to the fishery exploitation and the management measures, especially those based on spatial considerations. Disper-sion rates of the red octopus were estimated in order to characterize and quantify this type of movement. The estimates were made by population sector (juveniles and adults) using a dynamic model of spatial distribution which uses the net differ-ences in the relative abundance in adjacent areas and in successive time units. Additionally, the model considers catchability variable with size, time and space. The information came from surveys of fishing trips of the small-scale fleet of Sisal, Yucatan from August to December 2011. A total of 92 fishing trips were sampling whose operating in a depth range from 4 to 22 m. Total catch was 4.097 O. maya individuals. With respect to the distribution, a pattern of increase of the mantle length with increasing depth was observed. The catchability increased with size up to ~ 13 cm of mantle length and then descends in larger sizes. Differentiated dispersion movements by population sector were detected and related to the depth. We discuss the implication of the results in the management measures such as reserve areas and programs of artificial shelters.

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