Landing of Atlantic Goliath Grouper Epinephelus itajara (Serranidae, Epinephelus) (Epinephelinae) in Amazon Northeast

Abstract

The goliath grouper has a biological characteristics that make a specie with highly vulnerable to fishing mortality. In Brazil, the specie has a moratorium validated since 2002, where its catch or any form of comercializarion prohibited. However, landings are still registered in the brazilian North coast, that way, was quantified the real registers of goliath landings of Pará coast, a important amazonian fishery pole. The data was obtained daily in the ports, on period of January/2008 to December/2010, by interviews applied in 13 cities of Pará, Brazil. The vessels was classified in five categories. The catch per unit effort (CPUE) was calculated and all effort datas and quantity landings was tested among fishing gears, type of vessels and months with tests with means using the error of 5%. Were accounted for 49,5 tons of goliath landed, with Belém the major representation. The main vessels on goliath catch was the rowing canoes or sail and the fishing gear, type line/hook. The landings occured demonstrate that the fishermen has not respected the moratorium, being necessary larger efforts of fiscalization agencies linked to awareness action, sensibilization and environmental education by fishery communities.

Keywords: endanger species, illegal fishing, moratorium, Amazon.