Biomass dynamic model for multiple data series: An improved approach for the management of the red grouper (Epinephelus morio) fishery of the Campeche Bank, Mexico

Abstract

Abstract This study analyzed the current status of the population and stock assessment of the red grouper Epinephelus morio from the Campeche Bank, Yucatan, based on the Schaefer biomass dynamic model and considering the three fleets that operate in the study area. Thus, five indices of relative abundance were used, expressed as catch per unit effort (CPUE). The carrying capacity (K) of the red grouper population was 293,851 t, with an intrinsic growth rate (r) of 0.232. The study indicated that the greatest contribution to the adjustment of the model was due to the CPUE of the industrial Mexican fleet. The catchability values showed differences between the fractions of red grouper caught using trips and hooks. Estimates of maximum sustainable yield ( M S Y = 17,031 t) and biomass at M S Y ( B M S Y = 146,929 t) indicated that the current catch and the biomass are below their reference points, denoting a marine resource that has been overharvested. Historical analysis of the biomass and harvest ratio for the red grouper estimated from the Kobe diagram showed that the red grouper fishery has transitioned from overfished-overharvested from 1984 to 2014 to overfished-underharvested in 2015. Because the E. morio stock is particularly low in abundance, catches must be drastically reduced to allow the stock to recover more quickly. Only low quotas (3,200–4,000 t) or an annual harvest rate of 6% will reach the B M S Y in the long term, recognizing that, for both management strategies, the M S Y will not be reached for at least 15 years.