Ecobiology and exploitation of the shrimp Parapenaeus longirostris

This study, based on data and observations gathered from commercial fishing in the Algiers region and from surveys carried out by the oceanographic vessel "Visconde de Eza" during the Algerian-Spanish cooperation campaign, provides information on the distribution, ecology, diet, reproduction, growth and exploitation of the white shrimp Parapenaeus longirostris (Lucas, 1846) on the trawlable bottoms of the Algerian coast.In Algeria, this species can be found in all sectors on muddy and sandy bottoms, at depths of between 200 and 600 meters. On average, 430 individuals are trawled per hour. Growth parameters (von Bertalanffy model) for each sex are determined by size structure analysis (Powell-Wetherall). Other parameters, notably total (Z), natural (M) and fishing (F) mortality coefficients, as well as selection sizes, obtained by statistical methods, were used to apply analytical models: relative yield per recruit model (Beverton and Holt, 1966) and virtual population analysis (VPA).