Artisanal Fishery And Sustainable Management Of Stock Of Blue Marlins Makaira Nigricans In Marine Waters Of Cote dIvoire.

This study focuses on the small-scale artisanal fishery that captures blue marlins Makaira nigricans in Cote dIvoire. The sizes weights and quantities landed of this species were approached according to the marine seasons and fishing areas. These fishermen mostly Ghanaians use canoes 12 to 17 m as craft and drifting gillnets 4800 to 5400 m to catch fish. The choice of fishing area depends on the direction of the current. When the current flows westward fishing takes place in the east and vice versa. These choices have the advantage that at the return the driving force is developed in the direction of the current. In either case the net is arranged perpendicularly to the direction of the current to act as a filtering barrier. In the absence of marine current the net is arranged perpendicularly to the north-south axis. The Man-Whitney test applied to maturity states following seasons and fishing areas showed a significant difference P 0.05. Sector A2 offshore waters in front of Abidjan Grand Bassam and Jacqueville would be conducive to the capture of mature individuals during warm seas. On the other hand during upwelling fishing should be favorable to sector B offshore waters in front of Grand-Lahou and Fresco where adult marlins are accessible. Capturing M. nigricans on the continental shelf should be discouraged as recruits abound in this area to feed and shelter from large offshore predators.