Grey triggerfish Balistes capriscus caught by the industrial fleet of the Southeastern and Southern Brazil, emphasis State of São Paulo

Abstract

Grey triggerfish, Balistes capriscus, is an important economic resource from Southeastern and Southern Coast of Brazil. It has been intensively caught by the industrial fleet in the last decades. In the period from 1986 to 2005 the mean annual landed production was 4,414.6 ton, while for the quinquennia 1986-1990, 1991-1995, 1996-2000 and 2001-2005 the yearly productions were 3.951 ton, 2.473 ton, 5.928 ton and 5.307 ton, respectively. The state of Rio de Janeiro received a little more than half the total landings (52%) followed by the states of São Paulo (32,6%), Santa Catarina (10,6%), Rio Grande do Sul (4,8%) and Paraná (0,04%). However, total landings decreased 10.5%, considering the quinquennia 1996-2000 (29.637 ton) and 2001-2005 (26.537 ton). Yearly catches in São Paulo have oscillated since 1986, with strong decreasing trend starting in 2000. The same trend was observed at the average CPUE values down to 100 kg day^-1. This is alarming, once this State receives more than 30% of the total landings in the analyzed period. Thus, it is recommended to the offices of fisheries management the inclusion of Balistes capriscus in the official lists of species under risk of overexploitation as precaution measurement.