@article{article_1800697, title={Coastal fish community structure at a proposed site for a new maritime port: Punta Colonet, Baja California, México (Eastern Pacific)}, journal={Aquatic Research}, volume={9}, pages={90–106}, year={2026}, DOI={10.3153/AR26009}, url={https://izlik.org/JA85TU42ZL}, author={Rosales-Casian, Jorge A.}, keywords={Baseline, Fish species, Abundance, Seasonality, Occurrence, Importance, Bahía Colonet}, abstract={<p>Punta Colonet, Baja California, México, is 240 kilometres south of California (USA), an upwelling and fishing site considered for a seaport construction. Coastal fish structure was determined through monitoring and available information, resulting in 7,010 individuals (106 species). Black perch (Embiotoca jacksoni) was most abundant by diving, and with hook-and-line, the Starry rockfish (Sebastes constellatus). Otter trawls and gillnets caught abundant Dwarf perch (Micrometrus minimus) and E. jacksoni. Artisanal fishing caught the Ocean whitefish (Caulolatilus princeps) abundantly in winter, summer, fall, and Vermilion rockfish (Sebastes miniatus) in spring; the overall mean was 67.6 ±17.3 SE fish/boat, highest in summer (81 ±4.6 fish/boat), and lowest during winter (49.5 ±4.2 fish/boat). Sportfishers caught Yellowtail (Seriola lalandi, 32.2%), S. miniatus, and Lingcod (Ophiodon elongatus). Ensenada Seafood Market sold California sheephead (Bodianus pulcher, formerly Semicossyphus pulcher 66.4%), C. princeps, and Paralabrax nebulifer. Colonet fish in the preserved collection recorded higher numbers of Northern anchovy (Engraulis mordax, n = 286) and White croaker (Genyonemus lineatus). The most abundant in all series was B. pulcher (16%) and ordered by Index of Community Importance: E. jacksoni (occurrence 41.1%), C. princeps, S. miniatus, B. pulcher, and M. minimus. With different methods, a greater number of fish and species were collected, and this shows the guidelines to follow after the port’s construction. Colonet highlights fish habitat, also for commercial and sportfishing, and the information will help decision-makers before port construction. </p>}, number={2}, organization={The Oceanology Division of Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada, Baja California (CICESE) funded this study through different projects headed by Jorge A. Rosales-Casián in the Marine Ecology Department.}