Small-scale fisheries in the Amazon basin: general patterns and diversity of fish landings in five sub-basins

Abstract

The commercial fisheries existent in the sub-basins of the Madeira, Purus, Juruá, high Solimões and low Amazonas rivers was studied, aiming to build an integrated scenario of fishing at the Amazon Basin. The data were collected in 2012 at the main docks in the cities of Humaitá, Boca do Acre, Juruá, Tabatinga and Parintins. The common name of the fish species was registered, along with other information such as catch (kg), fishing gear, origin and fishing effort. In general, migratory Characiformes were the most abundant. Boca do Acre on the Purus River showed a dominance of Siluriformes, mainly surubim (Pseudoplatystoma spp.). In general, fishlandings were higher during the  falling water season. Gillnets and a kind of purse seine (locally called "redinhaâ€Â) concentrated the captures and River and lakes were the most explored fishing grounds. The CPUE (catch per unit effort) varied between 12 and 216.5 kg/fisher/day, with high averages in the Parintins and Juruá Rivers.