Diversidad y conservación de los peces de la bahía de La Paz, Baja California Sur, México

We present the study of the fish fauna from La Paz Bay (LPB), based on an updated checklist with notes on zoogeography, conservation and commercial value. The checklist includes 533 species, 314 genera, 123 families, 34 orders and 2 classes: Actinopterygii (467 species) and Chondrichthyes (66 species). The order Perciformes represents 56% of the total ichthyofauna, with 10 families comprising 34% of the species richness. The Cortés (82.4%) and Mexican (68.3%) provinces showed the highest fish affinity as result of the existence of a transitional zone for fishes from temperate and tropical derivation. The ichthyofauna of LPB inhabits mostly over sand-mud (38%), rocky bottoms (30%) and mangrove biotopes (29%). Based on the IUCN Red List, 84% are fish species of least concern and not evaluated, 16% corresponds to another category of risk. The NOM-059-Semarnat-2010 includes 6 teleosts under special protection and 2 threatened chondrichthians. In accordance to the IUCN, 188 species are of commercial value, but at least the artisanal fisheries in LPB catch other 82 species. This study could provide a basis for the formulation of management programs, catch rates or aquaculture projects, excluding those species no distributed in LPB, as well as along the Tropical Eastern Pacific (TEP).