659
purse seine nets (Fig. 20.15c). The fishing of mullets and anchovies occur mainly in
the dry season, between July and November.
The main fishing gear used along the Delta coastline is the gillnet, which operates drifting or fixed, from the surface to bottom according to the target species,
pelagic or demersal (Fig. 20.19a). Fishers start activities with gillnets at dawn and
finish at dusk. Activities include 4 to 16 fishing sets per day (depending on production), with drifts of 25 min to 1 h in each set. At Pedra do Sal beach, there is an
iconic and important traditional fishing community of Piauí State. They usually
catch common snook, acoupa weakfish and king weakfish with gillnets. Reef fishes,
such as lane snapper and the tarpon Megalops atlanticus are also captured, using
hand line.
Vessels are usually small with power engine (12 HP), sailing or rowing. Crew
accommodates up to three men, and trips take one to two days at sea (Fig. 20.20a).
Boats (90%) are made of wood and measure between 3 and 9 m in length. Larger
boats (n = 12) have power engines of up to 60 HP, operate gillnets, store up to
2000 kg per trip of 3–4 days (Fig. 20.20d). Most boats are based at the Canaries, and
fish for common snook and acoupa weakfish. These species are usually caught in
the rainy season, between December and May.
Currently, there are about 450 fishing boats distributed among villages of the
main islands and fishing colonies at coastal beaches. It includes the industrial fleet
and ~200 boats form a small artisanal fleet. Approximately 4800 families are
involved in this activity. Despite the well described and recognized ecological
importance of the Delta, uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources, especially
of fisheries, is widespread. Close surveillance and planning need to begin as soon as
possible (Fig. 20.1).
20.4.2 Goiana River Estuary
The coastal zone of Pernambuco State has 187 km, with a short continental platform
characterized by the presence of beachrocks parallel to the coast (Lana et al. 1996).
Along this coast, there are 14 estuaries simply lined to harbouring extensive mangroves, including the Goiana Estuary at its north border with Paraíba State (Braga
2000; Barletta and Costa 2009). Pernambuco is the fifth fish producer in the Brazilian
Northeast, with landings estimated at 14,000 tons in 2006. It represented 9.2% of the
total landings in the region (IBAMA 2007). Approximately 97.7% of the Pernambuco
fisheries production is artisanal, with more than 25,000 fishers involved and forming
34 fisheries colonies (GAP 1998; IBAMA 2001; Lucena et al. 2013).
The Goiana Estuary and its adjacent coastal areas are acknowledged as an important environmental asset not only for the fishery productivity of the state, but also
for the presence of traditional fishers communities (Barletta and Costa 2009;
IBAMA 2004, 2007). The municipality of Goiana was responsible for ~25%
(1500 tons) of fish production in Pernambuco (IBAMA 2004). The main types of
fishing boats are canoe, raft, lobster boats and fishing weirs (Figs. 20.19c and
20.20a–e) (Isaac et al. 2006). Inside the estuary, they use small wooden canoes and
20 How Can Accurate Landing Stats Help in Designing Better Fisheries…
purse seine nets (Fig. 20.15c). The fishing of mullets and anchovies occur mainly in
the dry season, between July and November.
The main fishing gear used along the Delta coastline is the gillnet, which operates drifting or fixed, from the surface to bottom according to the target species,
pelagic or demersal (Fig. 20.19a). Fishers start activities with gillnets at dawn and
finish at dusk. Activities include 4 to 16 fishing sets per day (depending on production), with drifts of 25 min to 1 h in each set. At Pedra do Sal beach, there is an
iconic and important traditional fishing community of Piauí State. They usually
catch common snook, acoupa weakfish and king weakfish with gillnets. Reef fishes,
such as lane snapper and the tarpon Megalops atlanticus are also captured, using
hand line.
Vessels are usually small with power engine (12 HP), sailing or rowing. Crew
accommodates up to three men, and trips take one to two days at sea (Fig. 20.20a).
Boats (90%) are made of wood and measure between 3 and 9 m in length. Larger
boats (n = 12) have power engines of up to 60 HP, operate gillnets, store up to
2000 kg per trip of 3–4 days (Fig. 20.20d). Most boats are based at the Canaries, and
fish for common snook and acoupa weakfish. These species are usually caught in
the rainy season, between December and May.
Currently, there are about 450 fishing boats distributed among villages of the
main islands and fishing colonies at coastal beaches. It includes the industrial fleet
and ~200 boats form a small artisanal fleet. Approximately 4800 families are
involved in this activity. Despite the well described and recognized ecological
importance of the Delta, uncontrolled exploitation of natural resources, especially
of fisheries, is widespread. Close surveillance and planning need to begin as soon as
possible (Fig. 20.1).
20.4.2 Goiana River Estuary
The coastal zone of Pernambuco State has 187 km, with a short continental platform
characterized by the presence of beachrocks parallel to the coast (Lana et al. 1996).
Along this coast, there are 14 estuaries simply lined to harbouring extensive mangroves, including the Goiana Estuary at its north border with Paraíba State (Braga
2000; Barletta and Costa 2009). Pernambuco is the fifth fish producer in the Brazilian
Northeast, with landings estimated at 14,000 tons in 2006. It represented 9.2% of the
total landings in the region (IBAMA 2007). Approximately 97.7% of the Pernambuco
fisheries production is artisanal, with more than 25,000 fishers involved and forming
34 fisheries colonies (GAP 1998; IBAMA 2001; Lucena et al. 2013).
The Goiana Estuary and its adjacent coastal areas are acknowledged as an important environmental asset not only for the fishery productivity of the state, but also
for the presence of traditional fishers communities (Barletta and Costa 2009;
IBAMA 2004, 2007). The municipality of Goiana was responsible for ~25%
(1500 tons) of fish production in Pernambuco (IBAMA 2004). The main types of
fishing boats are canoe, raft, lobster boats and fishing weirs (Figs. 20.19c and
20.20a–e) (Isaac et al. 2006). Inside the estuary, they use small wooden canoes and
20 How Can Accurate Landing Stats Help in Designing Better Fisheries…