Meeting Abstract

P1.21  Jan. 4  A New Fishery in the Gulf of Mexico: biological data on Squilla (Crustacea: Stomatopoda) WORTHAM, J. L.; University of Tampa, Florida jwortham@ut.edu

Stomatopods (mantis shrimps) are predatory benthic crustaceans. Mantis shrimps, in the genus Squilla, are one of the most frequent by-catch animals in the Gulf of Mexico, unintentionally collected in conjunction with the prawn fishery. Their carcasses are thrown overboard instead of being harvested for human consumption, fish meal, and other protein-based food products. Little is known about the fishery biology of these mantis shrimps. The objective of this research was to gain biological information (abiotic and distribution data) of mantis shrimps in the Gulf of Mexico that can be used in developing a fishery management plan that would decrease by-catch waste and increase efficiency of catch in the already present penaeid fishery. The size, depth, salinity, and temperature distributions of these species, as well as their abundances based on sex, were compared. I collected samples of Squilla empusa and Squilla chydaea in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Specimens (N = 2854) of Squilla were collected between depths of 1�96 m, at > 55 stations. S. chydaea is collected in greater abundances and in deeper waters compared to S. empusa, even though S. empusa had larger biomasses than S. chydaea. For both species, individuals were larger in body length and biomass in the winter, while more individuals were collected in the summer. Commercially harvesting mantis shrimp in the Gulf of Mexico is discussed and compared to other mantis shrimp fisheries.