Pilot study about fish self-consumption among artisanal fishermen in Patos Lagoon estuary, RS, Brazil

Abstract

The artisanal fishery in Patos Lagoon estuary is a traditional activity. The main target species are mullet Mugil liza, white-croaker Micropogonias furnieri and pink-shrimp Farfantepenaeus paulensis. It is common for fishermen to consume the fish caught by them (self-consumption), what is believed to be important in certain communities. This study aims to estimate quantitatively and qualitatively the self-consumption of fish in three fishing communities of Rio Grande city. From September 2010 to December 2011, ten fishermen from each community were periodically interviewed for collecting information about fisheries and fish self-consumption. The mean per capita consumption of fish found was 109 g day^-1, and 38.57 kg year^-1. The higher mean daily self-consumption was found for spring (161 g/person) and summer (162 g/person), being the white croaker and the pink shrimp, respectively, the main consumed species. The fish is an important source of food to the artisanal fisherman of the studied communities.