Length–weight relationships of six elasmobranch species captured at the artisanal fishery of Margarita Island, Venezuela

Abstract

This study reports the length–weight relationship (LWR) for five batoid and one shark species, all frequently captured by the artisanal commercial fishery on Margarita Island (10º44’–11º10’N and 63º46’–64º13’W), Venezuela. In 2013, elasmobranchs captured by the artisanal fleet (using bottom gillnets 200–400 m in length with 5–8 inch mesh size) were identified, sized, weighed and sexed. The value of a ranged from 0.0006 to 0.0351, meanwhile the b value ranged from 2.84 (for pooled Myliobatis freminvillei) to 3.39 (male Mustelus higmani), with r2 ranging from 0.920 to 0.991. Differences in LWR due to sex were observed for three elasmobranch species. This study offers LWRs separate for males and females, also for species for which LWRs already exist and thus new knowledge is gained through the estimate presented here.