Resumen:
Results of a research cruise carried out to estimate some biological parameters of anchovy (Engraulis anchoita), during the major spawning season, were analyzed in order to determine the minimum number of samples required to obtain unbiased values. Twelve samples of fishes were taken within an area of 607 nm². Size (total length)distributions, slope of the length-weight relationship, sex ratio and age population structure were considered. Results suggest that those parameters should be estimated by eight or more samples (corresponding to 76 nm² each).