Artisanal fisheries of the Xingu River basin in Brazilian Amazon

Abstract

The present study characterises the commercial fisheries of the basin of the Xingu River, a major tributary of the Amazon River, between the towns of Gurupá (at the mouth of the Amazon) and São Félix do Xingu. Between April, 2012, and March, 2014, a total of 23,939 fishing trips were recorded, yielding a total production of 1,484 tons of fish, harvested by almost three thousand fishers. The analysis of the catches emphasizes the small-scale and artisanal nature of the region's fisheries, with emphasis on the contribution of the motorised canoes powered by "long-tail" outboard motors. Larger motorboats operate only at the mouth of the Xingu and on the Amazon. Peacock bass (Cichla spp.), croakers (Plagioscion spp.), pacu (a group containing numerous serrasalmid species), aracu (various anostomids), and curimatã (Prochilodus nigricans) together contributed more than 60% of the total catch. Mean catch per unit effort was 18 kg/fisher, which varied among fishing methods (type of vessel and fishing equipment used), river sections, and time of the year. In most cases, yields varied little between years (2012 and 2013). The technical database provided by this study constitutes an important resource for the regulation of the region's fisheries, as well as for the evaluation of future changes resulting from the construction of the Belo Monte dam on the Xingu River.Keywords: fish production, fishers, fishing effort, fishery yield. Pescarias artesanais da bacia do Rio Xingu na Amazônia Brasileira ResumoEste trabalho teve como objetivo caracterizar a pesca comercial de consumo na bacia do rio Xingu, afluente do rio Amazonas, no trecho entre a cidade de Gurupá (localizada na foz do Rio Amazonas) até São Félix do Xingu, no estado do Pará, Brasil. No período de abril de 2012 a março de 2014 foram registradas 23.939 viagens de pesca, totalizando uma produção de 1.484 toneladas de pescado, obtidas por quase 3.000 pescadores. A análise dos dados oriundos do monitoramento dos desembarques demonstrou que a pesca na região tem caráter artesanal de pequena escala, destacando-se a participação de canoas motorizadas que utilizam um motor de popa chamado "rabeta". Os barcos motorizados atuam somente na foz do rio Xingu e no rio Amazonas. Tucunaré (Cichla spp), pescada-branca (Plagioscion spp), pacu (várias espécies de Serrasalmidae), aracu (várias espécies de Anostomidae) e curimatã (Prochilodus nigricans) perfazem mais de 60% do total capturado. A captura média por unidade de esforço é de 18 kg.pescador -1 .dia -1 e muda dependendo da modalidade de pesca (tipo de embarcação e arte de pesca), do pesqueiro utilizado e da época do ano. Na maior parte dos casos, não encontramos diferenças nos rendimentos de 2012 e 2013. As informações técnicas geradas são importantes para subsidiar ações de ordenamento pesqueiro, bem como para avaliar futuras mudanças que possam ocorrer na atividade frente à construção da barragem de Belo Monte no Rio Xingu.Palavras-chave: produção pesqueira, pescadores, esforço de pesca, rendimentos pesqueiros.

Padrões de Distribuição e Ocorrência do Ictioplâncton no Médio Rio Xingu, Bacia Amazônica, Brasil

“…Estes espécimes são importantes para a região, pois desempenham um papel fundamental na transferência de energia, apresentando relevante papel ecológico. Além disso, são considerados uma das principais fontes de renda, alimento da população local e são mais visados pela atividade pesqueira (ISAAC et al, 2015).…”

Hydrological controls of fisheries production in a major Amazonian tributary

“…For fish, the hydrological cycle is a primary regulatory component of the ecosystem, influencing reproduction, migration, growth, and food availability (Agostinho, Gomes, Veríssimo, & Okada, 2004;Isaac, Almeida, Cruz, & Nunez, 2015;Vazzoler, 1996). For example, fish reproduction in tropical rivers is characterized by a cyclic process FIGURE 1 Geographic location of the study area, with insets showing the transnational Madeira River basin and the extent of the river fished by the Porto Velho fishermen's colony related to hydrologic variation (Agostinho, Vazzoler, Gomes, & Okada, 1993), whereby fish time their spawning with the flood pulse to utilize floodplains for feeding and rearing (Fitzhugh & Vogel, 2010).…”

Discriminating Catch Composition and Fishing Modes in an Artisanal Multispecies Fishery

“…Geographic variation in fishing modes is partly explained by variation in nearby habitats accessible to village fishers, and also by differences in fishing history, socioeconomic factors, and management contexts among locations. In other fisheries, the type of vessel available to fishers determines their fishing grounds and fishing strategies (Isaac et al, 2015). We found that the use of gleaning and SCUBA diving was location-and gender-specific.…”

“…Gear types and fishing modes can also vary significantly between genders and regions, even when the same species are being targeted (Isaac et al, 2015;Rahman et al, 2016). Moreover, these factors tend to interact.…”