| Resumo: | The freshwater bodies are very dynamic systems, and have been the first aquatic ecosystems susceptible to receive the direct impact of human activities, becoming very vulnerable ecosystems. The Lake Nicaragua has been recognised as a continental water body with an important source of fish living resources for the fishery sector. In addition, its dimension is very attractive for the development of aquaculture activities. However, the exploitation level of fishing resources in the lake has lead to an overexploitation of some species already included in UICN red list, while others are in risk of being overexploited if management measures are not taken. Studies on species diversity in the lake defined two demersal fish habitats: the “shallow benthic” habitat, which has a higher index of species diversity and the “deep benthic” habitat with lower diversity index. The landings data series do not allow ascertaining the catches composition. Hence, any evaluation of the fish exploitation pattern in the Lake Nicaragua derived from landings record is imprecise. Besides, the large gap on knowledge of many other important biological parameters of the fish species - the dynamic of reproductive behaviour of the population, the reproductive cycle, spawning ground, egg production and the maternal features affecting reproductive output and fitness- prevents the implementation of management actions directed towards the conservation of the lake stock reproductive potential, such as regulations on closing season and/or areas, and minimum landing sizes. This study, besides providing information about actual state of distribution and abundance of Amphilophus citrinellus, Hypsophrys nicaraguensis, Parachromis managuensis, and Brycon guatemalensis, provides information of the reproductive strategy of B. guatemalensis and proposes some management alternatives based on its biological features.
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