Introduction:

The crab fishery in Cienaga Grande from Santa Marta is subject to strong pressure on immature individuals, which has led to overfishing.

Objective:

The dimension and location of escape gaps was determined so that the unwanted sizes could exit.

Material and methods:

From video recordings, the behavior and sites of preference of the crab were studied. The size of the gap was estimated using the following morphometric relationships: carapace width at base of lateral spines (ABEL) vs carapace length and ABEL vs body height. To establish statistical differences between the captured sizes and the catch per unit effort (CPUE) of traps with or without gaps, the Mann-Whitney W test was used.

Results:

The relationships were explained by a linear relationship according to the equations: Lc=0.5938*ABEL+0.3102 and Alt=0.3094*ABEL+0.2934. The ABEL corresponding to the maturity size was estimated at 106 mm. Four rectangular windows were installed (35 x 67 mm), which were located in the lower corners. The size structure captured showed differences (P<0.05) showing a reduction in the capture of immature individuals. However, in terms of capture efficiency there were no differences between the evaluated CPUE.

Conclusion:

The incorporation of escape windows in the fishing of crabs could favor the reduction of the catch rates of immature individuals and consequently contribute to the sustainability of this fishery.