GROWTH AND MORTALITY OF MONCHOLO (Hoplias malabaricus) IN THE CIENAGA GRANDE DE LORICA, COLOMBIA

Growth and mortality parameters of moncholo (Hoplias malabaricus) were estimated by using ELEFAN to the information collected between january to december 2000. The estimated values for asymptotic length (L? ), growth coefficient (K) and age at zero length (t0 ) were 48.1 (± 0.09) cm TL, 0.29 (± 0.01) year -1 and ?0.50 years, respectively, with average environmental temperature taken as 28 °C and 95% confidence intervals. The estimations for L? y K suggest that Moncholo is a fish with medium longevity and growth coefficient. Total mortality (Z) estimated was 2.31 (± 0.23) year -1 , natural mortality (M) 0.70 year -1 and mortality by fishing (F) 1.61 year -1 , and the exploitation rate (E=F/Z) was 0.70. The mean length at first capture (Lc) was 29.4 cm TL, and the mean length in the catch was 30.0 cm TL. Like the species does not make reproductive migration, it maintains in the CGL, being captured in absence of traditionally fished reophilics species, the fishing power increases over the species reaching over fishing levels. Because to the construction and operation of Urrá hydroelectric and the organic pollution in the 2000 year affected the population dynamics of the Sinú River basin´s fishes, it is necessary the ordination of his fishery in the term medium, considering that moncholo is the third species in the capture composition in the Sinú river basin.