Growth and mortality of the fish <i>Haemulon aurolineatum</i> (Teleostei: Haemulidae) from Southwest of Margarita Island, Venezuela

Abstract

We analyzed the growth and natural mortality of the fish known locally as cují (H. aurolineatum) in the southwest of Margarita Island, July 2005 to June 2006. A sample of 1 378 males and 1 143 females from artisanal fishing vessels of Boca del Río was analyzed. The common relation for both sexes was expressed by the equation P=0.038*L2.87. The asymptotic length (L∞) was estimated with Powell`s (1979) routine and Wetherall (1986), and the growth coefficient (k) with ELEFAN I - FISAT II (FAO-ICLARM). The modal progression analysis was used after decomposition of lengths frequency according to Bhattacharya, and the estimations of L∞ and k optimized according to Gulland and Holt (1959). The growth curve was fitted to von Bertalanffy (1960); it is exponential, with accelerated growth in the first two years and less growth as the fish approaches maximal length. The rate of natural mortality was high (M=1.15 year-1), and probably was caused by high depredation