Length-weight relationships of six fish species of tropical lake,Mexico

The length–weight relationships (LWRs) for six native fish species from the Chapala Lake, Mexico, are described in this paper. The fish were caught monthly with the support of local fishermen from different landing sites. The daily catch is obtained using the nasa charalera (pot) and the gill net. Each fisherman can operate 20 pots daily at each fishing site for approximately six or seven months; this pot is a 2 m long cylinder, 0.5 m in diameter, with a mesh opening of 0.5 to 1 cm. Also, each fisherman can set between 10 and 20 gill nets each day at sunset and recover them in the morning, again for six or seven months. The length of the gill net is 30 m or more with a 2 m drop, with a 1 cm mesh size. The study provides basic data, morphometric data on length and weight of native species belonging to the genus Chirostoma. These species are of great importance for the local fishery with the Mesa Central of Mexico.