The community of Mata de Limón, central Pacific coast of Costa Rica and the extraction of colonchos Callichirus seilacheri (Bott, 1955) (Decapoda: Axiidea: Callianassidae)

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Abstract

We conducted monthly visits to the coastal community of Mata de Limón (December 2011 to November 2012) in central Pacific of Costa Rica for assessment the extraction of the burrowing shrimp called coloncho Callichirus seilacheri, a species intensely caught as bait for fishing along the Pacific coast of Central America. The outcomes indicate that fishery effort varied between 4 and 14 harvesters day^-1 with a high percentage of them from the same community (70-100%). Daily catch varied between 76 and 1120 shrimps and its value was strongly correlated with catches realized for the local harvesters (R²= 0.88). The shrimps density and total abundance in Mata de Limón was estimated in 1.2 ± 0.88 ind m^-2 and 49,607 ± 3,638 individuals, respectively. Ovigerous females were exclusively present between May and November, peak in September. According to our outcomes, population of C. seilacheri in Mata de Limón could be in risk of overfishing if the daily catches exceed 800 individuals. The main results of the present study allow recommend the implementation of a total fishing ban during the reproduction peak of C. seilacheri directed to protection and conservation of this local resource for its sustainable harvesting. Also, we suggest the establishment of a management program between the community of Mata de Limón and the Instituto Costarricense de Pesca y Acuicultura (INCOPESCA) in order to optimize and legalize the extraction of this important resource.

Hernáez, P., & Granda-Rodríguez, H. (2017). The community of Mata de Limón, central Pacific coast of Costa Rica and the extraction of colonchos Callichirus seilacheri (Bott, 1955) (Decapoda: Axiidea: Callianassidae). Latin American Journal of Aquatic Research, 43(3), 575-580. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.3856/vol43-issue3-fulltext-19

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