Análise da pesca de pequena escala dos elasmobrânquios desembarcados em Paracuru, Ceará

Abstract

In Ceará state, Brazil, there are different small-scale fishing activities all along the coast. In these fisheries, elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) are treated as by-catch. In the municipality of Paracuru, Ceará, little quantitative information on elasmobranch species landed by small-scale fishing is available. This study aimed to analyze the small-scale fishing of landed elasmobranchs in Paracuru, Ceará. Data were collected from January to December 2016 and 2017, and from August 2018 to July 2019, totaling 113 days of sampling. Landings were sampled weekly and carried out at the Ronco do Mar fishermen's warehouse in Paracuru, fishing with a hand line and net-standby, using in the fisheries vessels such as sailing or rowing “paquete” and sailing canoe. 11 elasmobranchs species were identified distributed in 5 families. In total, 4 shark species (36.4% of total elasmobranchs) and 7 species of rays (63.6%) were recorded. A total of 278 elasmobranchs were sampled during the study period, with a total weight of 1,099.345 kg. Most of the dominant species of landings in abundance and weight were the shark Rhizoprionodon porosus and the ray Hypanus americanus, with 51.80% and 35.93% of catches, respectively. A high incidence of juvenile sharks was observed throughout the year, mainly at the beginning of the rainy season in February and March, and at the end of the dry season in November and December. Rays, on the other hand, had a higher incidence of adults captured throughout the year. The coastal area of Paracuru showed characteristics of multi-use nursery area for some species of rays in certain stages of life development, while some sharks would probably use the area for growth of young individuals.