Using shell middens to assess effects of fishing on queen conch ( Strombus gigas ) populations in Los Roques Archipelago National Park, Venezuela |
| |
Authors: | Diego Schapira Irene A Monta?o Andrzej Antczak and Juan M Posada |
| |
Institution: | (1) Departamento de Biología de Organismos, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Sartenejas, 89000, Venezuela;(2) Departamento de Dise?o, Arquitectura y Artes Plásticas, Universidad Simón Bolívar, Sartenejas, 89000, Venezuela;(3) Unidad de Estudios Arqueológicos (IERU), Universidad Simón Bolívar, Sartenejas, 89000, Venezuela;(4) 2e King Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE1 3UQ, UK |
| |
Abstract: | Queen conch, Strombus gigas, is a commercially important gastropod that has been exploited throughout the Caribbean islands for thousands of years. Shell
middens in the region are the physical record of a long-term fishery and their study can provide valuable information on selectivity
patterns followed by fishermen and on resulting morphological shifts reflected by shells. In this study, we surveyed 27 middens
located at Los Roques, Venezuela, to assess pre-Columbian and modern fisheries and measure their impact on local populations
of queen conch. Pre-Columbian middens, covering a period of approximately 350 years of exploitation (1160–1540 A.D.), were
mostly composed of adult shells (89%) and mean length of catch was estimated at 22.4 ± 0.2 cm (mean ± SE). A decrease in mean
length of catch was observed throughout the modern fishery regime, estimated at 22.2 ± 0.3 cm in 1950–1971 and 20.0 ± 0.3 cm
in 1990–1995. Higher proportions of immature individuals ranging from 48 to 67% were found in modern middens. Additionally,
a decrease in mean length of mature individuals was detected throughout the modern fishery regime. The appearance of younger
and smaller specimens is considered as a sign of heavy exploitation of local populations of queen conch during modern fisheries.
Pre-Columbian middens in contrast, permitted to establish a relative baseline from which to compare values registered throughout
modern times. |
| |
Keywords: | |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|