Recruitment of White Mullet in Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela

Abstract

White mullet Mugil curema forms the basis ofan important artisanal fishery in Lake Maracaibo. I examined recruitment dynamics of juvenile white mullets in Lake Maracaibo to evaluate the potential effects of further anthropogenic habitat alterations. Recruitment was analyzed for seasonal and spatial variation at two stations from 1987 to 1989, by means of beach seines and cast nets. Seasonal fluctuation in abundance was substantial. Evidence suggests that white mullets spawn inside the lake and that salinity and associated factors, such as rainfall and transparency, may greatly influence abundance of juvenile white mullets in Lake Maracaibo. A strong association of juvenile white mullets with the surface, regardless of light phase, was demonstrated. Juvenile white mullets longer than 150 mm total length were uncommon in the coastal waters of Lake Maracaibo. The Lake Maracaibo basin is under extensive development pressure, which has led to extensive modification of coastal areas and loss of mangroves. The proposed establishment of farms for culture of shrimp Penaeus spp. could lead to serious disturbances of the coastal areas through which immature white mullets must migrate. Initiatives for the protection of the white mullet fishery should restrict shrimp farms to zones as far as possible from the coastal areas, limit their number and size, and protect areas near inlets from human-induced changes.