Amateur fishery in the estuary-lagoon complex of Cananéia-Iguape, state of São Paulo, Brazil (1995-1996)

Abstract

Amateur fishing gear and methods, and fishing production in the Cananéia-Iguape lagoon-estuarine complex region, southernmost coast of the state of São Paulo (25oS; 48oW), Brazil, were analyzed during 1995 and 1996. Consisting mainly of small wooden boats, only a small part of the amateur fishing fleet, currently in operation, is motor-powered. The activity is, however, important to the region and contributes with 10 to 32% of total landing in Cananéia. The local amateur fishery is divided into two main groups: the near-shore fishery and the estuarine fishery. The former mainly exploits the Atlantic seabob (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri), the white shrimp (Litopenaeus schmitti). Fishermen fish with gillnet or long line in a typical small boat bottom trawl called as “bateira”. The fishing gear and techniques of the local estuarine fishery include the fence trap, the gillnet, and the floating and vertical long line. A typical small drift beam trawl net, locally known as “gerival”, is also used to catch juvenile shrimp Farfantepenaeus paulensis and F. brasiliensis, highly valuable bait for recreational fishing. The fence trap is the main fishing gear and more than 90 traps were set inside the estuary, where the target species is mullet (Mugil platanus), although many other species are also important catch items, e.g. Mugil curema, snook (Centropomus spp.), whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri), king weakfish (Macrodon ancylodon) and mojarras (Diapterus rhombeus). The production of Atlantic seabob, the most important species of Cananéia’s amateur fishery, fluctuated from year to year. The amateur fishery landings of Atlantic seabob were 34 t. in 1995 and 12 t. in 1996