Selectivity of Gillnets for Lake Curvina, Cynoscion Acoupa, in Lake Maracaibo, Zulia State, Venezuela

Selectivity of gillnets for lake curvina Cynoscion acoupa using the Gulland (1971) method was determined. Mesh sizes currently in use harvest lake curvina below the length at sexual maturity. Thus, artisanal fishermen in Lake Maracaibo are affecting the spawning stock and recruitment of lake curvina. Fishermen should only use meshes greater than 8.89 cm (3.5 in) to ensure that fish have spawned at least once before being harvested. This will provide greater harvest from the resource and prevent recruitment overfishing of the lake curvina resource.