Growth and population structure of Argopecten purpuratus at La Rinconada Marine Reserve, Antofagasta, Chile

Continuing studies at our Antofagasta (Chile) laboratory provided data from March 2001 to May 2003 on population parameters of Argopecten purpuratus in the scallop bed occupying the nearby La Rinconada Marine Reserve. Population growth parameters of L-infinity = 120.38 mm and K = 0.9668 were obtained using marking and recapture methods. The high recapture percentage (60-80%) of marked individuals indicates a low natural rate of mortality, as well as a sedentary behavior. Annual population estimates confirmed the sedentary behavior of the scallops, with most of the individuals concentrating towards the center of the bed at densities between 9-14.8 ind m(-2). Scallop abundance showed interannual variation, with total individual counts similar to 10. 1 x 10(6) in 2001, 8.2 x 10(6) in 2002, and 12.4 x 10(6) in 2003. Evaluations showed a reduction in mean size within the population from one year to the next, the mean length of 75.8 mm in 2001 decreasing to 62.1 mm in 2002 and to 51.7 mm in 2003. This decrease also occurred in the number of individuals of legal extraction size (90 mm), from 2.6 x 10(6) individuals in 2001 to 3.7 x 10(5) in 2003. Application of the growth parameters to the population structure in the bed showed recruitment of a new year-class of 6.5 x 10(6) individuals in 2002 and 11.2 x 10(6) in 2003. Subtraction of these numbers from the total numbers present in both years showed losses of about 8.4 x 10(6) individuals in 2002 and 7.0 x 10(6) in 2003. Based on the population growth parameters and supported by analysis of the catch curve using the Fisat program, these losses concerned the size range of scallops over 60 mm in length with a mortality Z = 2.15 in 2002 for individuals ranging from 67.5 to 115.5 mm in length and Z = 3.08 in 2003 for those ranging from 64.3 to 112.5 mm. The results suggest that the loss of scallops from these size ranges was due to human intervention (clandestine harvesting), also reported by wardens in the field. Illegal harvesting or this resource contravenes Chilean national legislation designed to conserve A. purpuratus and maintain its rational exploitation.