Abstract

BRENES, C.L; HERNANDEZ, A  and  CAMPOS, J. Distribución espacial de capturas de tiburón en el pacífico nicaragüense y su relación con algunas variables oceanográficas. Rev. biol. trop [online]. 2000, vol.48, n.2-3, pp.399-411. ISSN 0034-7744.

Between August 1995 and August 1997 long line fishing techniques and a bathythermograph were used to correlate some physical variables with the spatial distribution of four shark species in 26 fishing cruises off the Nicaraguan Pacific Coast. They were the thresher (Alopias vulpinus), blue (Prionace glaucea), gray (Carcharhinus falciformis) and hammer (Sphyra lewini). All species concentrated in the southeastern Nicaraguan Pacific, at the seasonal upwelling area of Papagayo Gulf. The range of sea surface temperatures in which the sharks were captured was 25- 28°C. We could clearly associate this physical parameter with shark availability. The vertical distribution of the captured sharks suggests that they occupy termocline levels above the 15°C isotherm. Although these species are oceanic, the blue shark was captured in ocean waters over the 1800m isobar, while the grey and thresher sharks where close to the continental shelf. Body length in decreasing order are: thresher (210-290 cm, SN = 21), blue (60-240 cm, SN = 13) and gray (80-200 cm, SN = 17).

Keywords : fishery; sharks; thermal distribution; nicaraguan pacific waters.