Análise da pesca e da influência ambiental sobre a abundância relativa (CPUE) da pirapema Megalops atlanticus valenciennes, 1847, na costa norte do Brasil.

Abstract

Megalops atlanticus (Valenciennes, 1847), known as the Pirapema, is a species of the Megalopidae family and is currently categorized as vulnerable. Until now, little is known about the fishery dynamics and variability of pirapema abundance in the Amazon region. Most studies were conducted in the United States, the Gulf of Mexico, and the Bahamas. In this context, this research aimed to analyze the fishing activity focused on the capture of M. atlanticus and to relate the temporal variability of relative abundance (CPUE) with meteo- oceanographic variables between 1997 and 2007 on the northern coast of Brazil. For this, fishing data from the ESTATIPESCA program, remote sensing and reanalysis data were used. We analyzed 4,908 landings from 15 cities in the Pará state and found that small and medium- sized vessels are the main ones operating in the capture, using the gillnet as the predominant fishing gear. The results indicated two regimes of variability in the CPUE of pirapema, suggesting a relationship to El Niño and La Niña events. The highest values of M. atlânticus CPUE occur during the flood season (January to June). Strong positive correlations were identified between CPUE and SST for lags of 6 to 8 months in the regions : (1) near the mouth of the Amazon; (2) mangroves in Maranhão; and (3) in the retroflection area of the North Brazilian current. Significant negative correlations were also found between 4 and 6 months with Obidos discharge.