Mean size at sexual maturity of female Cynoscion reticulatus along the Pacific coast off Mexico

Abstract

Drums and croakers (Sciaenidae) are important to the species composition of coastal catches in the Gulf of California, Mexico. Among these species, the striped corvina (Cynoscion reticulatus) stands out because of its high fishery potential, high demand, and increased market value. The striped croaker has been under constant fishing pressure over the past 20 years. Still, there needs to be current biological information or reference points to allow the establishment of management measures for fisheries. The objective of the present study was to estimate the mean standard length at sexual maturity (SL50) of females using various models and to suggest a minimum catch size (MCS) for C. reticulatus off the southern coast of Sinaloa. Monthly samplings of coastal fishery landings were done from December 2020 to December 2021 on the south coast of Sinaloa. The SL50 was evaluated based on 3 candidate models (Gompertz, Lysack, and White) through a binomial approach. Confidence intervals for SL50 were estimated using likelihood profiles and contours, and Akaike’s information criterion (AIC) was used to select the best model. A total of 284 individuals were examined, of which 131 were used in calculations. White’s model was the most adequate; however, based on AIC weights, all 3 models performed similarly, and SL50 (24.48 cm; C.I. 95% 12.9–70 36.0 cm) was estimated as their average. As a management measure, we propose a precautionary MCS of 36 cm SL for C. reticulatus off southern Sinaloa.