Fisheries assessment of the catfish (Genidens barbus) in the São Paulo and Paraná States, Brazil

Abstract

The fishing for Genidens barbus is considered one of the most important fisheries in the artisanal sector in the southeast and south of Brazil. Individuals of this species are considered vulnerable due to their low fecundity, oral incubation carried out by males, restricted distribution in river or estuary waters during the reproductive period, and overfishing. As a result of these factors, there was a decrease in population size, and since 2014, G. barbus has been included in the Brazilian list of endangered species, with its capture prohibited, except for artisanal fishing in São Paulo and Paraná States, until 2022. The catches of G. barbus in the São Paulo and Paraná States were analyzed with information obtained by the Fishing Activity Monitoring Program in the period from 2015 to 2019, based on interviews with fishers at landing points and/or in fishing communities. The abundance index was estimated using the CPUE (kg/hour). In total, 63,962 landings were analyzed and the results showed that the fishing landings and abundance index of G. barbus fisheries landings remained at stable levels on the coast of Paraná, while there was a slight decrease, not significant, in the São Paulo State. As for the industrial sector, landings in São Paulo continued with an annual growth trend, even with the ban on capture. We conclude that although the Genidens barbus Recovery Plan was an important measure for the maintenance of its stocks, the results obtained in this study suggest that some aspects of the referenced plan did not work to achieve its objectives, which can compromise the recovery of the fishery resource.