Biological and Fishery Aspects of Hake (Merluccius gayi, Guichenot, 1848) Caught with Trawl Nets in the Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador.

Abstract

Fishery resources face challenges such as overexploitation, data scarcity, and climate change, highlighting the need to implement research strategies for effective management. Hake is crucial among Ecuador's fishery resources, thus periodic assessments of its status are essential. The size composition of Merluccius gayi caught with trawl nets in the industrial fishery was analyzed, as well as the capture size and its relationship with the size at sexual maturity, to provide a baseline for future studies and applications in the management of this fishery. Samples were obtained from landings in Puerto Bolívar, Province of El Oro, Ecuador, during November 2014 to March 2015. A total of 574 individuals were analyzed, with average capture size of 34.93 and 38.92 cm LT for males and females, respectively. The size-weight relationship showed a negative allometric growth for males and females, with exponent (b) of 2.30 and 2.55, respectively. It was observed that, with an 8.9 cm mesh size in the codend, the males’ Lr50 was 34.35 cm LT, which was less than the ASM of 34.75 cm LT. For females, the Lr50 (37.97 cm) was greater than the ASM of 37.28 cm. This shows the importance of analyzing gender information separately during the evaluation of fishing gear.