SUMMARY: Age, growth and longevity of gray triggerfish Balistes capriscus from the coast near São Paulo were estimated from first dorsal spine sections of 1,800 fish. The translucent zone was formed during winter (June, July and August) and the reproductive period (December, January, February). The von Bertalanffy growth equations were: FL = 514.9 [1 -e -0.2625 (t + 0.0391) ] for males, and FL = 504.6 [1 -e -0.2748 (t -0.0304) ] for females. The longevity estimated was 11 years old for males and females. The instantaneous mortality rates estimated were 0.26 for males and 0.27 for females. The weight-length relationships for both sexes of gray triggerfish together were Wt = 0.000004 FL 3.299 .

ABSTRACT. Reproductive aspects of lhe grey triggerfish, Balistes caprisclIs (Gmelin) (Actinopterygii, Tetraodontiformes, Balistidae) from South São Paulo state coast, Brazil. The monthly analysis of maturity stage ti'equency suggested that spawning ofthe grey triggerfish Balisles capriscus (Gmelin, 1788) is annual, total and occurs from Novemberto FebrualY in the south ofSào Paulo State, Brazil. Size at firsl .Illaturity is 169 mm for temales and 200 mm for males. Condition factor estimated cOllsidering and disconsidering gonad weight (K and K') showed maximum values relatcd to periods ofhigher frequency offemales at advanced maturity stage. óK was higher in December, JanualY and FebrualY, and was relaled to the maximulll frequency of mature females. As K estimates lhe gonad condition it could be used as a Illaturity and breeding season index for this species. (AIKEN 1975). Existem poucas informações sobre as áreas ocupadas pelos indivíduos jovens. Indivíduos de até 100 milímetros de comprimento furcal são comuns sob tufos de Sargassum e acompanhando objetos à deriva. Pós-larvas de até 10 milímetros de comprimento são capturadas por redes de plâncton entre raízes de Rhizophora mangle. Os adultos são encontrados em profundidades que variam entre 6 e 100 metros (AIKEN 1975).De acordo com os estudos sobre o comportamento durante a desová, realizados em aquário por GARNAUD (1960), a fêmea do peixe-porco prepara um ninho no substrato, enquanto o macho afasta qualquer animal indesejável. A desova ocorre no fim do dia com dezenas de milhares de ovócitos formando uma massa cin zenta. Após a fecundação, fêmeas e machos protegem os ovos e em 55 horas eclode uma larva de 1,7 mm, que logo assume condição planctônica.Estudo sobre as fases iniciais dos ciclo de vida de B. capriscus, coletadas na costa sudeste do Brasil, foram realizados por MATSUURA & KATSURAGA WA (1981, 1985, onde foram tratados osteologia, morfologia, identificação, desenvolvimento e distribuição das larvas.

ABSTRACT. The relative abundance and fishing potential of the commercially valuable fishes and cephalopods with marketable size was assessed using two seasonal bottom trawl surveys performed in 2001 and 2002 on the outer shelf and upper slope (100-600 m depth) off the coast of southern Brazil. These surveys were part of REVIZEE, a national program designed to assess the fishery potential within the Economic Exclusive Zone. Of the 228 fish and cephalopod species caught during the surveys, only 27 species and genera were considered to be of commercial interest. Commercial-sized individuals of these species made up 52.3% of the total catch. The total biomass was estimated to be 167,193 ton (± 22%) and 165,460 ton (± 25%) in the winter-spring and summer-autumn surveys, respectively. The most abundant species were the Argentine short-fin squid Illex argentinus, a species with highly variable recruitment, followed by the Argentine hake Merluccius hubbsi, the gulf-hake Urophycis mystacea, and the monkfish Lophius gastrophysus. The latter three were intensively fished prior to the surveys, as well as the beardfish Polymixia lowei and silvery John dory Zenopsis conchifera, both relatively abundant but with a very low market value. The potential yield of the demersal fish species, not considering Illex argentinus, estimated with the Gulland equation for a mean natural mortality of M = 0.31, was 20,460 ton. When considering only Merluccius hubbsi, Urophycis mystacea, and Lophius gastrophysus, the potential yield decreased to 6,625 ton. The surveys showed that the fishery potential of the outer shelf and upper slope was substantially lower than that of the inner shelf. Therefore, this environment should be carefully monitored to avoid overfishing and fast depletion.

São apresentadas novas informações sobre a distribuição geográfica de algumas espécies de peixes teleósteos que ocorrem na costa brasileira, incluindo duas espécies que nunca haviam sido registradas em nossas águas. Os serranídeos Pseudogramma gregoryi (assinalado da Flórida à Venezuela) e Plectranthias garrupellus (registrado da Carolina do Norte ao Caribe) foram encontrados, respectivamente, na costa do Ceará e na costa sudeste-sul do Brasil. São aqui mencionados e discutidos os dois primeiros registros do gênero Caristius (Caristiidae) no Brasil, bem como os primeiros registros na costa sudeste-sul do Brasil das espécies Enchelycore carychroa (Muraenidae), e Chilomycterus antillarum (Diodontidae), e da espécie Neobythites brasiliensis(Bythitidae) no nordeste do Brasil. É também assinalada a ocorrência mais setentrional do pargo Calamus mu (Sparidae), uma espécie até então circunscrita à região entre o Espírito Santo e São Paulo, e são discutidos os registros adicionais de Bascanichthys paulensis (Ophichthidae), Nezumia aequalis (Macrouridae), Antigonia combatia (Caproidae) e Notolycodes schmidti (Zoarcidae) na costa brasileira.

ABSTRACT. The relative abundance and fishing potential of the commercially valuable fishes and cephalopods with marketable size was assessed using two seasonal bottom trawl surveys performed in 2001 and 2002 on the outer shelf and upper slope (100-600 m depth) off the coast of southern Brazil. These surveys were part of REVIZEE, a national program designed to assess the fishery potential within the Economic Exclusive Zone. Of the 228 fish and cephalopod species caught during the surveys, only 27 species and genera were considered to be of commercial interest. Commercial-sized individuals of these species made up 52.3% of the total catch. The total biomass was estimated to be 167,193 ton (± 22%) and 165,460 ton (± 25%) in the winter-spring and summer-autumn surveys, respectively. The most abundant species were the Argentine short-fin squid Illex argentinus, a species with highly variable recruitment, followed by the Argentine hake Merluccius hubbsi, the gulf-hake Urophycis mystacea, and the monkfish Lophius gastrophysus. The latter three were intensively fished prior to the surveys, as well as the beardfish Polymixia lowei and silvery John dory Zenopsis conchifera, both relatively abundant but with a very low market value. The potential yield of the demersal fish species, not considering Illex argentinus, estimated with the Gulland equation for a mean natural mortality of M = 0.31, was 20,460 ton. When considering only Merluccius hubbsi, Urophycis mystacea, and Lophius gastrophysus, the potential yield decreased to 6,625 ton. The surveys showed that the fishery potential of the outer shelf and upper slope was substantially lower than that of the inner shelf. Therefore, this environment should be carefully monitored to avoid overfishing and fast depletion.