Morales-Trejo, J.M., J., Rodríguez-Romero, M.R., Ochoa-Díaz, L.A., Abitia-Cárdenas & J., López-Martínez (2025). Community structure of rocky reef associated fish in industrial and fishery areas in Bahía de La Paz, Mexico. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Research. 53(2): 255-269. DOI: 10.3856/vol53-issue2-fulltext-3282.
Jose Maria Morales-Trejo 1, Jesús Rodríguez-Romero 2, Maria Ruth Ochoa-Díaz 1, Leonardo Andres Abitia-Cárdenas 3 y Juana López-Martínez 1
Rocky reefs show structures with great fissures that give place to site or habitat formation, benefiting organisms and serving as refuge and possible predator protection. La Paz Bay, located within the southern Gulf of California, has recently grown in population, increasing natural resource use. Creating an industrial area stands out with Grupo Acuícola Mexicano (GAM) shrimp farm and Roca Fosfórica Mexicana II (ROFOMEX II) mine reactivation. Thus, the present research aims to compare the fish community structure on rocky reefs close to these commercial and industrial fishing areas. It accounts for 27,561 organisms belonging to 110 species, 74 genera, and 36 families by visual census. The relative abundance showed that the most representative species were Abudefduf troschelii, Haemulon maculicauda, Sardinops sagax, Thalassoma lucasanum, Haemulon steindachneri, and Stegastes rectifraenum. The fishery areas (Paredones Verdes and El Portugues) had higher richness and abundance than the industrial zone (El Cobre) of Block I. In contrast, the fishery areas (Tarabillas and Las Pacas) in Block II showed greater diversity and equity concerning the industrial zone (El Muelle). In conclusion, industrial activity negatively affects fish species close to these areas with respect to fisheries.
Palabras clave: rocky reef; ichthyological diversity; fishery-industrial zone; Gulf of California
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