Natural mortality estimates throughout the life history of the sea cucumber Isostichopus Badionotus (Holothuroidea: Aspidochirotida).

ABSTRACT: The Natural Mortality coefficient (M) is a key parameter for stock assessments. The need to establish age-specific natural mortality coefficients is widely recognized because M decreases rapidly over the early stages of the life cycle until it reaches a stable M value around the age-at-maturity. The aim of this study was to estimate M during the life cycle of the sea cucumber Isostichopus badionotus, a species under heavy fishing exploitation in the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Coefficients M at age were estimated using two models: The Gnomonic Interval Model (GIM) and the Chen & Watanabe model. Two different scenarios were simulated considering early and late age-at-maturity. Estimated M values using the GIM model for the early mat

SUBMITTER: Romero-Gallardo S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6054788 | biostudies-literature | 2018

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature