Abstract Fishing for serra Spanish mackerel takes place along the Brazilian coast. Studies in northern and northeastern regions show that has socioeconomic importance although risk of overexploitation. This article provides an assessment of fisheries in the southeastern and southern regions, where there is a gap in knowledge. To build a regional perspective, fishing monitoring data from Santa Catarina, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Paraná were used. For more detailed analyses, data from São Paulo and Paraná were chosen. In these two states, census data were collected on the species and quantities caught, fishing gear used and sales value. This fishery, mostly artisanal, has socioeconomic importance. Santa Catarina has the largest production. However, Rio de Janeiro has the most significant industrial fishery. São Paulo and Paraná produces approximately 110 t/year, mainly using drift gillnets and encircling gillnets with a mesh size of 10 to 12 cm between knots. The harvest period is during the cooler months, between May and August for São Paulo and between June and September for Paraná. The ANOVA test did not show any significant variations in CPUE, thus indicating stability. The results reinforce the need for adequate management.

Abstract In this study we analyzed data on fishing landings of Genidens barbus in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, from 2000 to 2014. An estimation of the total production was obtained through the analysis of 781,856 landings, among which 87% were categorized as artisanal and 13% as industrial. The abundance index showed some stability in the period. However, due to the high number of production units, the fishing effort need to be maintained, given that there is a risk that increased production might affect the abundance of G. barbus. Thus, as alternatives to maintaining marine catfish exploitation in southeastern Brazil under control, the following management actions can be suggested: i) prohibition of fishing activity by the industrial sector; ii) strengthening of inspection of the fleet that is not allowed to participate in the marine catfish fisheries, with emphasis on purse seiners; and iii) maintenance of a closed season for G. barbus, performing an adaptive management of fishing prohibition according to the reproductive biology of the species and with the support of artisanal fishers. These measures have the aim of promoting sustainable exploitation of G. barbus, especially through small-scale fisheries in southeastern Brazil.

A pesca com redes de emalhe é uma das mais praticadas no litoral sudeste-sul do Brasil, e tem crescido muito nos últimos anos. O presente trabalho apresenta uma caracterização da atividade e discute sua gestão, tomando como exemplo o processo de discussão do ordenamento da atividade na APA Marinha do Litoral Sul de São Paulo. A frota de pesca com rede de emalhe é de pequeno porte com baixa autonomia de mar e menor poder de captura, quando comparada a embarcações de outros portos da região sudeste-sul. Mas o número de unidades produtivas é alto, chegando a 1709 unidades produtivas em 2010, que desembarca no litoral sul de São Paulo. Esta frota apresenta diversos tipos de redes de emalhe, podendo ser sua atividade categorizada de acordo com ambiente de trabalho (industrial, artesanal costeira e artesanal estuarina). A atividade foi discutida no Conselho, através da Câmara Temática da APA e com o setor pesqueiro, com manifestação de todos os setores e chegaram a uma proposta de ordenamento. Os resultados mostram a possibilidade de diminuição de 30% no comprimento das redes da pesca industrial. Salienta-se que sem uma fiscalização efetiva de modo que o setor pesqueiro acredite na seriedade da proposta e devido a interesses particulares de setores mais influentes politicamente o processo pode retroceder.

Gillnetting is one of the most practiced fishing methods adopted in the South of Brazil and has been increasingly expanding over the last years. This paper presents the characterization of the activity and discusses its management, in accordance to results from the discussions on the development of regulations on net fisheries in the South Coast Marine Protected Area (APAMLS) in the state of São Paulo. Gillnet fleets are formed by small-scale boats, with low autonomy, and lower fishing capacity, when compared to boats from other ports in the South and Southeast. However, the number of fishing units is high, reaching 1,709 units operating in the South coast of São Paulo in 2010. This kind of fleet uses several types of gillnets, and the activity may be classified according to the fishery type (industrial, coastal artisanal and estuarine artisanal). The activity was discussed in the APAMLS and the fishing industry, with the participation of all segments, and a proposal for gillnetting regulation was reached. The results suggested that gillnet length for industrial fisheries should be reduced by 30%. It must be emphasized that without effective inspection measures leading the fishing industry to believe in the enforcement of the proposal, private interests of the most influential political sectors may cause the process to retrocede.