Evaluation of the captures of crab mangroves Ucides cordatus at Iguape region, south coast of São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract

The fisheries resources are the economic base of the south coast of São Paulo State, with a diversification of the fishing arts employed by fishermen. The present study aimed to analyze the captures of crabs at Iguape region and to suggest actions for the management of its exploitation, towards the sustainable capture of crabs. This research was developed in the south coast of São Paulo State, at Iguape region, on the period of January of 1998 to December of 2006, with production data and fishery effort collected through the commerce points of lands. The CPUE annual was estimated by the total production of the year divided to the total effort in the year, and the annual average CPUE was gotten by the average of the monthly CPUE. The ANOVA, Tukey test and F test were applied to verify the significant differences in the average annual CPUE, for a degree of significance of 5%. According to the analysis of the captures of Ucides cordatus at Iguape region, the resource showed over-exploration signals in distinct moments. In the first one, between 1998 the 2002, the resource showed to increase the abundance indices, causing the increasing rise of the fishing effort. From 2002, the effort became extreme, causing the reduction of the abundance index, showing signals of over-exploration. To minimize this impacts are suggested that methods to the fishing management are taken, aiming to limit the fishery effort, through emission of special licenses for fishemen. More studies should be developed, since the abundance can vary according with the mangrove types.