Spatial distribution of spawning of pink shrimp Penaeus notialis (Pérez-Farfante, 1967) from 2010 to 2013 in the fishing areas of the Gulf of Guacanayabo, Cuba

Abstract

Commercial catches of Penaeus notialis in the Gulf of Guacanayabo, Cuba, are reduced, so the aim is to know if the spatial distribution of spawning of this species has undergone variations. The percentage of mature females in 18 grids of the three fishing areas of the Industrial Fishing Company of Granma (Epigran, for its acronym in spanish) from 2010 to 2013 was determined. For each trawl, a random sample of 3 kg of shrimp was taken, obtaining length, sex and stage of maturation of the females. In the three fishing zones of the Gulf spawning was observed with a maximum maturation of 26%, well below the considered spawning peak of 50% of mature females. In this Gulf, an affectation in the reproductive capacity of the species in relation to the proportion of mature females, which is temporarily decreasing, is detected ; however, the spatial spawning distribution is maintained.