Fisheries Assessment of Penaeid Shrimp Stock in El Salvador

Abstract

The shrimp trawl fishery is the second most important industry in El Salvador which was introduced since 1952. Since then there was no control on the effort. This research estimates the Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY) and the fMSY, as well as to estimate the relation between El Niño phenomenon and the fishery. Data from 1960 to 2007 were available and Schnute model was performed in where the effort carried out exceed the fMSY. El Niño has a negative relation on the CPUE. Therefore three periods were divided according to El Niño condition, Effort, trend of catch and CPUE. The period I has an MSY of 1,656t and an fMSY of 41, same as recommended by Ellis in 1969 which was exceeded with 60 units by 1959, even when FAO recommended 43 vi vessels in 1955. The stock was overfished for this period. The period II was biased of the first period and El Niño condition which was moderate comparing with the other periods. The period III present an MSY of 157t. Thus, the shrimp stock condition is depleted and the government decision makers have to take management measures to reduce the effort and improve the shrimp stock through management measurements.