Biogeographical affinities, trophodynamics, and fisheries pressure in the fish community of the Laguna Madre Tamaulipas

Abstract

The Laguna Madre Tamaulipas (LMT) is the largest hyperhaline coastal lagoon of Mexico, is diverse and provides a wide range of services, besides its economic importance for local and national fisheries. However, due to global and local pressures, the fish community is under stress. Here we study the LMT fish community to determine its biogeographical affinities with the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, understand its trophic relationships and habitat distribution, and to analyze the fisheries pressures in specific habitats and trophic groups (TGs). Our biogeographical analyses based on Parsimony Analysis of Endemism produce three provinces Center, South, and Northern, being this last the most related to the LMT, thus activities in this and the LMT directly affect each other. Through a nested cluster analysis using trophic values and size, 15 TGs were found, being the small‐species the most diverse and the largest the less diverse and most targeted by fishermen, which put on risk its ecological role and may provoke cascading effects on many species and processes. As well, mangroves and oyster banks habitats are supporting most of the fisheries. This is the first study of the whole fish community of the LMT, we pinpoint provinces, habitats, and TGs that need special attention and constant monitoring to generate integrative management plans that fit the actual needs of the community and prepare it to buffer future changes.