Nuevo registro y extensión de la distribución del octocoral primnoideo Verticillata castellviae en el Océano Atlántico Sudoccidental

In this study we report the presence of the soft coral Verticillata castellviae (Zapata-Guardiola, López-González & Gili, 2013), off Buenos Aires, Argentina, at 947m, which constitutes the northernmost record for this species. It was collected as a bycaught species with a troncopyramidal trap during an experimental cruise devoted to the study of the red crab Chaceon notialis and the Patagonian lobsterette Thymops birsteini.En este estudio se reporta la presencia del coral blando Verticillata castellviae en la plataforma continental externa de la Provincia de Buenos Aires, Argentina, a 947 m de profundidad, lo que constituye el registro más septentrional para esta especie. El ejemplar de estudio fue colectado con una trampa troncopiramidal, como parte de la captura incidental, durante una campaña depesca experimental dedicada al estudio del cangrejo rojo Chaceon notialisy de la langosta patagónica Thymops birsteini.Fil: Schejter, Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Mauna, Andrea Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Perez, Carlos Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Federal Rural Pernambuco; Brasi

Reproductive potential of southern king crab (Lithodes santolla) in South Patagonian Sector (south 48°S), a new fishery area

In December 2016, a new area for Lithodes santolla fishery was authorized in the South Patagonian Sector (SPS), Argentina. This is the first study of the southern king crab reproductive potential in this area. Reproductivepotential was assessed by determining female size at sexual maturity and describing population size distribution and sex ratio. Moreover, size-fecundity relationships and egg quality were analyzed including potential spatialdifferences with the Central Patagonian Sector (CPS). The size distribution of L. santolla showed differences between the sexes, females were significantly smaller than males. Female average size was 80mm CL and 114mm CL for males. The sex ratio showed a clear predominance of males and was 9.6: 1 with respect tofemales. The female size at maturity was 65mm CL. Fecundity ranged between 2,963 and 15,730 eggs for 63-96mm CL females. This parameter presented a positive relationship with female size and was significantly higher than values obtained for CPS. Eggs average diameter ranged from 1,516 to 1,764 μm. This variable didnot show a significant relationship with female size and was lower than that recorded for the CPS. Egg dry weight showed a positive relationship with female size and was significantly higher than those sampled in the CPS. These results provide critical data that may be used in stock assessment models to establish a base line to evaluate the effects of fishing and environmental changes on reproductive potential.Fil: Militelli, Maria Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; ArgentinaFil: Firpo, Carla. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Mauna, Andrea Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Rodrigues, Karina Andrea. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Macchi, Gustavo Javier. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Subsede Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Desarrollo Pesquero; Argentin

Clutch fullness index as an early indicator of overexploitation of the Southern King Crab: Implications for fisheries management

Southern king crab is a high-value fishing resource commercially exploited in the Argentine Patagonia (south 44° S) since 2004. The ovigerous mass size of females, estimated as the clutch fullness index (CFI), has been used as a proxy for qualitative fecundity and an indicator of population health. In 2015, the use of CFI allowed the early detection of signs of overexploitation of the Southern king crab. This study aimed to assess temporal variations in the CFI in relation to fishing effort and management measures. Data were collected from commercial vessels between January and May from 2012 to 2020 in the Central Patagonian Sector (comprising the San Jorge gulf and adjacent shelf waters, 43°30′- 48°S). The Correspondence Analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis showed that the CFI varied among years. The variation of the CFI was opposite to the fishing effort. The CFI decreased between 2015 and 2017 (from 80% of females with 100% CFI in 2014 to 43% in 2017), and increased since 2018 (from 57% in 2018 to 78% in 2020). This is probably due to the implementation of two new management measures (extended closed season and the regulation of an annual catch quota). Two indicators of L. santolla reproductive status are proposed based on empirical data. The first one is the proportion of non-ovigerous mature females during the incubation period, which could reflect a male shortage during the mating period must not exceed 10% and the second one is the proportion of females with a complete clutch must be greater than 40%. The CFI variations and the proposed indicators can constitute an alternative to the crabs traditional management.Fil: Firpo, Carla Alejandrina. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Militelli, Maria Ines. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mar del Plata. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Chaparro, Mauro Alejandro Eduardo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Cs.exactas y Naturales. Centro Marplatense de Investigaciones Matematicas.; ArgentinaFil: Mauna, Andrea Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Lértora, Hugo Pablo. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; Argentin

Cross-front variations in adult abundance and recruitment of Patagonian scallop (Zygochlamys patagonica) at the SW Atlantic Shelf Break Front

We studied cross-front variations in adult abundance and recruitment of Patagonian scallop ( Zygochlamys patagonica ) and their relationship with the Shelf Break Front and satellite-derived chlorophyll a in the Southwest Atlantic between 38 8 S and 39 8 30 0 S. Integrated data from commercial fleets (CF, 1996–2005), research cruises (RC, 1998–2005), sea surface temperature (SST; 1985– 1997), and satellite-derived chlorophyll a (CSAT; 1998–2004) were included in the analysis. One-way ANOVA was used to assess differ- ences in recruitment and scallop abundance in a cross-front direction. The abundance of scallops was greatest (RC . 200 kg h 2 1 ) closer to the onshore side of the front or beneath it, and the East–West extension of scallop beds ( 40 km) matched the seasonal zonal displacement of the front ( 37 km). The highest CSAT gradients were west of or matched the position of the front. The annual mean position of the front correlated with the spatial variability in recruitment within areas where the species recruited successfully (RC . 2000 h 2 1 ). The spatial variability in adult abundance and recruitment of scallops is strongly related to the spatial variability in the position of the front and with the high CSAT concentrations associated with it.Fil: Mauna, Andrea Cecilia. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Franco, Barbara Cristie. Ministerio de Defensa. Armada Argentina. Servicio de Hidrografía Naval. Centro Argentino de Oceanografía; ArgentinaFil: Baldoni, Ana. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Acha, Eduardo Marcelo. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; ArgentinaFil: Lasta, Mario L.. Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones y Desarrollo Pesquero; ArgentinaFil: Iribarne, Oscar Osvaldo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales; Argentin