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International Journal of Marine Science 2014, Vol.4, No.20: 183-193
http://ijms.sophiapublisher.com
183
Research Article Open Access
Hydrometeorological Parameters and Space Temporal Variation of Hydrological
Parameters in Guacanayabo´s Gulf, Cuba, Relation to Pink Shrimp
(
Farfantepenaeus notialis
) Catches Decrease
Yuliesky Garcés
1
, Manuel de J. Flores-Montes
2
, Adriana Artiles
1,
1. Fisheries Research Centre 5th Ave and 246 Barlovento, Sta. Fe, Playa, Ciudad Habana, Cuba
2. Pernambuco Federal University, Technology and Geoscience’s Centre, Oceanography Department, Recife, Brazil
Corresponding author email:
aartiles@cip.alinet.cu
International Journal of Marine Science, 2014, Vol.4, No.20 doi: 10.5376/ijms.2014.04.0020
Received: 23 Nov., 2013
Accepted: 20 Dec., 2013
Published: 08 Mar., 2014
Copyright
©
2014 Garcés et al., This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits
unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Preferred citation for this article:
Garcés et al., 2014, Hydrometeorological Parameters and Space Temporal Variation of Hydrological Parameters in Guacanayabo´s Gulf, Cuba, Relation to Pink
Shrimp (
Farfantepenaeus notialis
) Catches Decrease, International Journal of Marine Science, Vol.4, No.20: 183-193 (doi: 10.5376/ijms.2014.04.0020)
Abstract
The hydrological parameters of Guacanayabo’s gulf are described. Monitoring campaigns were made in 2008-2009 period,
with a total of 11 expeditions: three of them in spring (April/May 2008 and May 2009), five in summer (June/July/August 2008 and
June/July 2009) and three in autumn (September/November 2008 and October 2009). Samples were taken
in situ
at both surface and
bottom to monitoring water temperature (
℃
), salinity (psu), dissolved oxygen (mg/L) and chemical oxygen demand (COD).The aim
of this study is to analyze hydrological conditions variations and its possible influence in decrease of shrimp catches of
Farfantepenaeus notialis
in Guacanayabo’s Gulf
.
The results show the influence of climatic seasonality (dry and rain) in spatial
distribution and seasonality of hydrological parameters. In general, seasonal and annual means are considered of GOOD quality,
following Cuban Standardization NC-25 (1999) for fishing use. Although not statistical comparison was made, there are slight
changes in salinity and higher tendency of decrease of dissolved oxygen when compared with the literature reported values for
previous decades. The dissolved oxygen was the most variable marker, which suggests that in this system, there is an alteration,
mainly in water oxygenation and that had an impact in the abundance decrease of the pink shrimp in Guacanayabo´s Gulf. No other
considerable hydrological change seems to influence the general abundance of the fishing resource in the Gulf. However, the spatial
differences that exist between the South and the North region do influence it.
Keywords
Pink Shrimp; Spatial and temporal variability; Fishing resource; Guacanayabo´s Gulf; Cuba
Background
Guacanayabo´s Gulf is located in southeast platform in
Cuba and it’s an aquatic system in contact with the
Caribbean Sea waters. On its middle there is The Gran
Banco de Buena Esperanza (The Big Shoal of Good
Hope), a relative large region that subdivides it in two
inner basins (Figure 1). This Gulf covers an area of 9
398 km² and has an average depth of 12 m, where the
outer boundary is defined by the insular slope steep
decline. The underwater terrain is uneven, with gentle
slopes from the coast to the Gran Banco de Buena
Esperanza, has maximum depths between 20-25 m.
The background is gray sand, with seashells on the
periphery of the coral formations; coral sandy to the
south of the Gran Banco de Buena Esperanza and in the
coastal area is occupied by see grass extensions.
In Guacanayabo’s Gulf, predominant winds came
from the first (N-E) and second (E-S) grids, during
summer with mean velocities of 7-11 km per hour and
from fourth (W-N) and first grids in winter, with
velocities between 5-7 km per hour. Waters movement
in the system are determined by reverse tide currents
(intense and moderate intensity) and NW derivative
with tide influence.
The general direction of the current is to the west,
which coincides with winds direction. However this
current pattern has local variations in dependence of
zone topography, coast configuration, tide action
according to coast approach and winds when they
blow with remarkable persistence and velocity. In the
external part of the gulf, the tide is regular, of little
amplitude and semidiurnal; while in the internal part is
of highest amplitude and irregular semidiurnal. The
highest amplitude in this internal part is (0.5 – 0.8 m)
(Emilsson and Tápanes, 1971).
Cuba’s clime is classified as tropical wet. It is
remarkable the raining period from May to October