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

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.