686
important juvenile fishes per each kg of shrimp (Sunye et al. 2014). Since 2005, the
federal government proposed a closed season for pink shrimp during four months
(15th July to 15th November) (MMA 2004b). This management action is still in
place. Before the closed period (2004/2005), only 55 tons of pink shrimps were
being harvested, indicating a reduction of 90% in the previously declared production. It means that the recovery capacity of pink shrimp stocks might be heavily
compromised.
At the same estuary, mullet’s fishery is traditionally acknowledged as one of the
most important in the region. However, the management of mullet’s fishery has
historically been driven by ad hoc measures and limited by poor knowledge of the
exploitation potential of the stocks. The migratory character and seasonal regime of
exploitation, established over a large geographical area and for different fisheries
are the main issues for the serious limitations of any monitoring processes.
Surveillance must be intense and focused enough to detect the variability of biomass during the short fishing season. Only recently in 2008, the closed period for
mullets (M. platanus and M. liza) in estuarine-lagoon mouths along the Brazilian
coast at the southeast and south regions (including the Laguna) was issued, and
extends from 15th March to 15th August, except for casting nets (IBAMA 2008b).
In this document, estuarine mouths are defined as 1000 m from the estuary or lagoon
seawards; 200 m upstream from the mouth into the river; and 1000 m long on the
coastal banks adjacent to the mouths of the estuaries/lagoons. Fishing on the continental platform remains permitted.
20.5.4 The Goiana River Estuary: Case Study
The more encouraging scenario in terms of fisheries management and data generation, among the studied estuaries in this chapter, is the Goiana Estuary. For this
system, the fish fauna, abiotic variables and anthropogenic contamination (plastic
and mercury) were well characterized along the ecocline (environmental gradients)
and during year-round cycles (Barletta and Costa 2009; Costa et al. 2009; Dantas
et al. 2010; Lima et al. 2014, 2015; Ferreira et al. 2016; Silva-Cavalcanti et al.
2016). Thus, science-based information to support managerial plans is already
available to be communicated and used. The problem is that the conventional mechanism through which scientists generate and provide consistent data on the biology
and population dynamics of fishery resources; pass information to the management
agencies; and agencies design management rules and actions together with the community is still not in place (Castello et al. 2009). It follows the assumptions of
Europe and North America, where there are human and financial resources to make
it work the way it was designed (Castello et al. 2009), and regardless local limitations. In Brazil, as in other countries of South America that share institutional and
environmental profiles, financial resources for fisheries studies and management are
scarce, and the conventional model can no work with a minimum of effectiveness.
The situation practically excludes any hope of sustainability for estuarine systems
M. Barletta et al.
important juvenile fishes per each kg of shrimp (Sunye et al. 2014). Since 2005, the
federal government proposed a closed season for pink shrimp during four months
(15th July to 15th November) (MMA 2004b). This management action is still in
place. Before the closed period (2004/2005), only 55 tons of pink shrimps were
being harvested, indicating a reduction of 90% in the previously declared production. It means that the recovery capacity of pink shrimp stocks might be heavily
compromised.
At the same estuary, mullet’s fishery is traditionally acknowledged as one of the
most important in the region. However, the management of mullet’s fishery has
historically been driven by ad hoc measures and limited by poor knowledge of the
exploitation potential of the stocks. The migratory character and seasonal regime of
exploitation, established over a large geographical area and for different fisheries
are the main issues for the serious limitations of any monitoring processes.
Surveillance must be intense and focused enough to detect the variability of biomass during the short fishing season. Only recently in 2008, the closed period for
mullets (M. platanus and M. liza) in estuarine-lagoon mouths along the Brazilian
coast at the southeast and south regions (including the Laguna) was issued, and
extends from 15th March to 15th August, except for casting nets (IBAMA 2008b).
In this document, estuarine mouths are defined as 1000 m from the estuary or lagoon
seawards; 200 m upstream from the mouth into the river; and 1000 m long on the
coastal banks adjacent to the mouths of the estuaries/lagoons. Fishing on the continental platform remains permitted.
20.5.4 The Goiana River Estuary: Case Study
The more encouraging scenario in terms of fisheries management and data generation, among the studied estuaries in this chapter, is the Goiana Estuary. For this
system, the fish fauna, abiotic variables and anthropogenic contamination (plastic
and mercury) were well characterized along the ecocline (environmental gradients)
and during year-round cycles (Barletta and Costa 2009; Costa et al. 2009; Dantas
et al. 2010; Lima et al. 2014, 2015; Ferreira et al. 2016; Silva-Cavalcanti et al.
2016). Thus, science-based information to support managerial plans is already
available to be communicated and used. The problem is that the conventional mechanism through which scientists generate and provide consistent data on the biology
and population dynamics of fishery resources; pass information to the management
agencies; and agencies design management rules and actions together with the community is still not in place (Castello et al. 2009). It follows the assumptions of
Europe and North America, where there are human and financial resources to make
it work the way it was designed (Castello et al. 2009), and regardless local limitations. In Brazil, as in other countries of South America that share institutional and
environmental profiles, financial resources for fisheries studies and management are
scarce, and the conventional model can no work with a minimum of effectiveness.
The situation practically excludes any hope of sustainability for estuarine systems
M. Barletta et al.