Assessment of the present capacity for Management of the Loco Concholepas concholepas (BRUGUIERE, 1789) (GASTROPODA, MURICIDAE) in Chile.

Abstract

In recent years the fishery for loco (Concholepas concholepas) has undergone a number of changes in management strategy. The first was a change in the mínimum size limit from 95 mm in the north of Chile and 105 min in the south to a uniform 100 mm in 1981. An annual 3 month closed season was initiated in 1982, and. starting in September of 1985. There was a closure of nearly two years in all regions except the southernmost three. This two-year closure has been followed by two short open seasons, one of 45 days in 1987. and one with a national 5,000 ton quota in 1988. The response by fishermen to increasingly restrictive regtdation has been some clandestine fishing and the stockpiling of locos prior to the open season. These actions have resulted in i he partial loss of landings data and a nearly total loss of meaningful effort data. This loss of data will have serious impact on the ability of fishery managers to effectively evaluate the State of the fishery and determine future regulatory actions. There is considerable published background information on the basic biology of the species. and some Information on aspects of the population dynamics such as growth and mortality. There are. however, large discrepancies between authors which mav be due lo sub-populalion or regional differences.