Characterization of small-scale fi sheries on Fishermen’s Beach, Itanhaém county, middle-southern São Paulo State

Abstract

The small-scale fi shery at Praia dos Pescadores (Itanhaém, São Paulo, at 24º11’S - 46º47’W), was analyzed concerning fi shing boats and gears. The fi shery occurs in coastal marine environment, inside an area of about 600 km2 and between 5 to 35 m depths. The fl eet is comprised 6,50 to 11 m long and 7,5 to 27 HP wooden, motor-powered or fi berglass boats. The main fi shing gear is the gillnet (75% of the fi shing boats) and single bottom otter trawl (60%). The nets are manufactured with nylon monofi lament (mesh sizes 70, 100, 110, 120 and 140 mm in bar measure). Seasonally-used gears include driftnets, trammel nets and large-sized gillnets (mesh 300 and 400 mm). The main species landed are of the teleost family Sciaenidae, namely leatherjacket, Oligoplites saliens, Brazilian mackerel, Scomberomorus brasiliensis, catfi shes, Genidens barbus, G. genidens and Cathorops spixii, and small sharks, Rhizoprionodon lalandii, R. porosus and Sphyrna lewini, while the otter trawl-targeted species is the sea bob shrimp, Xiphopenaeus kroyeri.