Can La Redonda lagoon (Cuba) be a suitable habitat for largemouth bass (Micopterus salmoides, Lacepède) recovery?

Abstract

For decades, La Redonda lagoon was an excellent location for fishing the largemouth bass (Micopterus salmoides, Lacepède) in Cuba. There are indications that the species disappeared from the lagoon in 2009. Three water surveys were carried out in 2013 and 2014. Physicochemical parameters, including nutrients, were measured in all surveys. Chlorophyll a and water transparency were only measured in November 2013. Results showed that this lagoon is a fresh to brackish water system, with common salinization episodes. There were some hypoxic conditions, but mean dissolved oxygen value was above 5.0 ± 2.8 mg L−1 for the entire survey period. The trophic state was evaluated as oligotrophic and Nitrogen and Phosphorus were limiting in most of the survey sites. The Habitat Suitability Index model (HSI) for largemouth bass had a mean value of 0.63 ± 0.02 (moderate degree of suitability). All results showed that bass recovery could be possible in La Redonda lagoon, but management criteria are necessary. The largemouth bass recovery could help to increase visitations of American anglers to this place and a portion of the revenue could be used to conduct environmental monitoring and studies of the largemouth bass ecology in Cuba.