Subsistence fishing in two communities of the Lacandon Forest, Mexico

Subsistence fishing was surveyed in the communities of Nueva Esperanza and Loma Bonita of the Lacandon Forest in the Usumacinta River Basin of Chiapas, Mexico from March to August 2005. Thirty fish species, four turtles and two crustaceans were harvested. The most prevalent species in terms of biomass extracted were the pantano cichlid, Herichthys pearsei (Hubbs), grass carp, Ctenopharyngodon idella (Valenciennes), northern checkmark cichlid, Vieja intermedia (Gunther), bigmouth sleeper, Gobiomorus dormitor Lacepede, machaca, Brycon guatemalensis Regan, and blue catfish, Ictalurus furcatus (Lesueur). Ten fishing gears were employed in four habitat types. Fishing patterns, fishing gears employed, species harvested, biomass extracted and catch rates differed between localities. The uniqueness of local fisheries should be considered in further studies and management policies for conservation of fish populations.