Fisheries in the Lago Grande do

Curuai
General ideas
 Larger lakes systems are sites of higher productivity
(catch per trip; catch/fisherman/day);

 Predominance of boats fishing with canoes support;

 Great part of the production is exported after processing

by freezer plants;

 Larger lakes are focus of serious fishing conflicts.

Isaac & Ruffino (2007)

Vessels
 Types of boats: fishing boats (has its own crew), buyer
boats (intermediate), mixed boats (fish and buy), line
boats (passengers) and load boat.

 Canoes (motorized or not) can fish independently of the

boats.

 In the low waters, canoes fishing independently are more

frequent than large boats in the lake.

Isaac et al. (2003)

Fishery production
 Production is commercialized mostly in Santarém, Juruti and
Óbidos markets.

 Annual production between 1993 and 2001 varied from 494t

to 924t (considering only Santarém and Óbidos markets);

 Apparently, production increased along the monitored years.

 Catch per unit effort, otherwise, varied along the monitored

years (not having an increasing tendency).

Isaac et al. (2003)

 Mean monthly production of the lake: 18t ± 3,2t.

 Mean catch per trip: 280kg ± 38kg.

 Fishing boats had a catch per trip between 600 kg to 1775 kg.

 Motorized canoes presented a catch by trip between 130 kg and 367 kg.

 The production is higher at the first semester reaching its peak at march.

 Number of fishing trips are higher in the first semester. But there are
several fishing trips until October.

Isaac et al. (2003)

Catch composition
 More than 40 species categories are explored by the
fishermen.

 In the first months of the year, mapará may reach around

80% of the total catch.

 In August and September (receding waters) there are

predominance of dourada in the catches.

 In the low water period, pescada, surubim, curimatá,

aracu and pacu are more frequent in the catches.
Isaac et al. (2003)
Isaac et al. (2003)
Fishing effort and gear
 Fishing in canoes is carried out, in general, by two or three fishermen.

 Fishing boats has about five to seven fishermen, which are supported
by three canoes, in general.

 Fishing boats fish for 6 or 7 days; Motorized canoes fish for about 3 to
5 days; and canoes fish for 1 or 2 days.

 Fishing trips duration tends to increase in the high waters period.

 Gillnets are predominat in the fisheries, but it can be used combined

with other fishing equipments. The most used type of gillnet is the
miqueira.
Isaac et al. (2003)
Revenues
 The gross revenue has increased along the monitored
years (1993-2001).

Vessel Mean gross Number of Mean

income by trips by monthly
trip (R$) month gross income
(2001) (2001)
Fishing boat 2000,00 ± 3 or 4 6000,00 or
3000,00 8000,00
Motorized 580,00 ± 790 3 or 4 ~ 2000,00
canoe
No motorized 60,00 ± 10 ~ 600,00
canoe 173,00

Isaac et al. (2003)

References
 ISAAC, V. J.; OLIVEIRA, C.; AZEVEDO, C. R.;
MELLO, R. Q. Atividades pesqueiras no Lago Grande
do Curuai: região do Médio Amazonas. Manaus:
EDUA/ProVárzea/IBAMA, 2003.

 ISAAC, V. J.; RUFFINO, M. L. Evaluation of fisheries in

Middle Amazon. American Fisheries Society
Symposium, v. 49, p. 597-586, 2007.