Rev. biol. mar. oceanogr. 51(1): 1-10

Article

http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0718-19572016000100001

Spatial distribution, density and population structure of the Cortes geoduck, Panopea globosa in the Central Gulf of California

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.¹, Luis E. Calderon-Aguilera², Edgar Alcántara-Razo¹ and Jaime E. Mendivil-Mendoza¹

¹Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, Unidad Sonora, Km 2.35 Camino al Tular, Estero Bacochibampo, Guaymas, Sonora 85454, México

2Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada. Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana 3918, Ensenada, Baja California 22860, México

²Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada. Carretera Ensenada-Tijuana 3918, Ensenada, Baja California 22860, México

 This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The geoduck clam Panopea globosa is a commercially important species because of its high market demand, particularly in Asia. The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of chlorophyll concentration, sea surface temperature, turbidity, and tidal cycle on density estimation, spatial distribution, and population structure of P. globosa in the central Gulf of California using remote sensing and field survey data. Specimen collections were conducted through semiautonomous diving from November 2009 to January 2011. A total of 10,114 clams were obtained with an average weight of  997 ± 212 g (80% ³ 800 g), and an average length of 132 ± 12.5 mm (80% of all collected clams exceeded 130 mm, the minimum legal fishing size). P. globosa distribution displayed significant differences among the 3 patches of high density in the study area, but density was poorly correlated with the environmental factors. 

Key words:  Fishery, management, Gulf of California, geoduck