Abstract

The knowledge about the distribution of the species and the environmental factors that determine it, are fundamental information for its conservation and sustainable management. The objective of the present study was to determine the spatial-temporal distribution of Octopus maya by age group and its relationship with environmental variables. Two-year georeferenced data (2012 - 2014) were obtained from the catch per unit effort and the size structure of O. maya catches of the small-scale coastal fleet of the Yucatan peninsula, Mexico. Through a modal progression analysis and a multimodel evaluation method, the best growth model for O. maya was determined and a length - age key in terms of probability was constructed. The Boosted Regresion Trees model was used to determine the relationship between the abundance of O. maya and the sea surface temperature, depth, turbidity and season of the year. The results show an important concentration zone of young organisms (2 - 4 months old) off the coast of Sisal and Celestún. Octopus maya showed higher affinity at tempera-tures above 24°C but lower at 30°C in areas with low turbidity and at low depths (< 15 m). These preferences changed according to their age, so it’s suggested that population movements may occur in search of conditions suitable for their age. These spatio-temporal variations in the age structure of O. maya can affect the catches of commercial fleets, so the present study provides relevant knowledge for the sustainable management of this resource.

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