Exploitation of the dolphin-fish Coryphaena hippurus L. off Ecuador: analysis by length-based virtual population analysis

Abstract

Dolphin-fish Coryphaena hippurus in the east Central Pacific are principally exploited by Ecuador. A length-based virtual population analysis of this fishery was sensitive to assumed values of growth parameters in respect ofcalculated fishing mortalities, but relatively robust in the estimation of exploitation rates. Comparison of estimated actual exploitation rates with estimated rates for F sub(0.1) obtained from length-based stock projections indicatesthe fishery to be somewhat overexploited.