Biological and fishing studies in the Cartagena Bay, Colombian Caribbean Sea

Abstract

In this research work five monthly night fishing operations were conducted in four areas within the Cartagena Bay and open  sea, for twelve tasks per station and sixty in total. The fish individuals belong to 89 species and 37 families. The catch per unit effort  (CPUE) ranged from 7.2 kg/task to 20.4 kg/task and averaged 12.3 kg/task. The fishing unit (UP) was comprised of three crew members.  The most representative species (67.3% of total catch) were : Elops saurus (13.0%), Haemulon bonariense (9.3%), Centropomus  undecimalis (6.1%), Bagre marinus (5.0%), Scomberomorus cavalla (3.5%), Sphyrna mokarran (3.2 %), Caranx hippos  (3.1%), Dasyatis guttata (3.0%), Mugil liza (2.3%), Archosargus rhomboidalis (2.3%), Tarpon atlanticus (2.1%), Tylosurus  crocodilus (1.9%) and Cathorops  spixii (1.8%). Scomberomorus brasiliensis was caught outside the bay (Station 5) in the open  sea and beachfront in la Escollera-Marbella, accounting for 13.7%. As far as number of fish caught is concerned, 46.2% of the catch  corresponded to  E. saurus species (18%),  H. bonariense (16.0%) and  S. brasiliensis (12.0%). The highest specific affinities took  place between Stations 3 and 4 during the rainy and dry seasons, underscoring the influence of the Canal del Dique waters, The major  diversities were found during the transition period. From the five stations sampled Station 5, area located in the bay-sea exchange in  the area called the breakwater, was to capture greater contribution in terms of biomass with 244.5 kg which corresponds to 33% of the  total catch, followed in order Station 3 located in the sector against  Dow Chemical of Colombia S. A., with 151.2 kg of the total catch.  Station 2 in the Varadero area Coquitos Swamp with 139.4 kg for 18% of the total catch, Station 1, sector-Bocachica Gold pipe with  124 kg for 17% of the total catch, and season 4 CORELCA-FRIGOPESCA industry with 86 kg for 12% of the total catch.