Aspectos populacionais do camarão sete-barbas Xiphopenaeus kroyeri (Heller, 1862) (Decapoda, Penaeidae) coletados no município de Vitória, Espírito Santo, Brasil

The fishing of the seabob shrimp (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri) is one of the most important activities for Brazil's fishing economy, being the third most traded resource in the Southeast region. This intense exploitation has led to a decline in the species' stocks, making studies on its population dynamics essential to support sustainable management measures. This study analyzed the seabob shrimp population collected in Vitória, Espírito Santo, through two sampling campaigns. The first took place between May 2007 and October 2009, with monthly collections of 1.0 kg of shrimp, totaling 2,720 specimens (1,628 females and 1,092 males). The second campaign was conducted from January to October 2012, with monthly collections of 1.5 kg, totaling 915 specimens (532 females and 383 males). The biological material collected was taken from the total volume captured by fishing vessels using trawl nets. The sex ratio was 0.7:1, with a predominance of females, except in June 2008, when males were more numerous (1.1:1). Among the females captured between 2007 and 2009, 68.7% were mature and 31.3% were immature, with peaks of mature females in March 2008 and AugustSeptember 2009. Among males, 97.8% were mature. The average length at first maturation was 79.9 mm for females and 61.8 mm for males. The shrimp fleet of Vitória, Espírito Santo, primarily targets adult shrimp, with mature and spawning females predominating in most years. The peak of immature females occurred in June 2008 and 2009, which does not coincide with the current closed season, highlighting the need for continuous and long-term studies to ensure effective fishery management.