CORRELATION BETWEEN CATCH DATA FROM BOTTOM LONGLINES AND FISH CENSURES IN THE su LAGOON OF NEW CALEDONTA

On a total of 363 bottom longline sets in the SU lagoon of New Caledonia, '15 were surveyed using visual census. Abundance and biomass estimates were derived from these censuses. These estimates were highly correlated to catch per unit effort in numbers and weight. From these relationships were established contour maps of soft bottom fish abundance and biomass. The total biomass of longline catchable fish was estimated between 11800 and 25500 tons with an average of 17700 tons which represents 5.8 tonslkm2. It was also estimated that longline catchable fish represented '118 % of the total fish biomass of soft bottoms. Comparisons with other soft bottom fisheries in the region are presented.