First study on the morphometry, growth and reproduction for an Atlantic population of the razor clam Ensis macha (Molina, 1782)

LUCIANO REAL; NESTOR CIOCCO; M. E. RE

Congreso; XXII Congreso de Ciencias del Mar; 2002

  ·Ensis macha inhabits subtidal sandy-muddy bottoms from coastal waters of the Atlantic (40°-55°S) and    Pacific (27º-55°S) of South America (Osorio et al., 1979; Lasta et al. 1998) (Fig. 1). · Growth (Urban, 1996) and reproduction (Avellanal et al., 2002) were studied only for Chilean populations · In Chile, high landings are leading to the overexploitation of some beds (Bustos et al., 1999). · Beds from the northern-Patagonian Gulfs (Argentina, 42°-43°S) have potential for exploitation (average   density = 51.6 clams/m2, average biomass = 1-1.5 kg/m2; data from San Matías Gulf) (Ciocco, 2000). · Is neccesary to establish a management plan to sustain the Argentinian fishery for this resource · The objective of this study is to obtain relevant information for such a plan, including data on growth,   morphometry and reproduction of the clam in beds from the northern-Patagonian Gulfs