Abstract

Alacranes Reef is the most important coraline formation on the Yucatan continental shelf, in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Due to its high scientific and economic potential, the mexican govemement declared it a Nacional Marine Park in June 1994. Every year from July to February, four fishing cooperatives are aIlowed to exploit spiny lobsters and serranid fishes in the area. The present study includes the analysis of the catches provided by the cooperative SCPP "Pescadores de Sisal", between January 1997 and February 2000. The target species of this fishery are to groupers: Epinephelus guttatus, E. itajara, E. morio, E. striatus, Mycteroperca bonaci, M. interstitialis, M. microlepis, M. phenax, M. tigris y M. venenosa, M. bonaci was the most important (by weight) in the catches, followed by E. morio and E. guttatus. The analysis of gonads ftom specimens caught between November 1999 and February 2000 showed that male and female individual s of M bonaci, E. guttatus, M venenosa y M tigris were sexuaUyactive during this period. The results of this study suggest that Alacranes Reef may represent a reproductive area for various grouper species which are of considerable commercial interest in the Gulf of Mexico.

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