Science Journal of Agricultural Research and Management
May 2012, Volume 2012, ISSN: 2276-8572
© Author(s) 2012. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research Article
Small-scale Fisheries and Conservation of Dusky Grouper (Garoupa), Epinephelus marginatus (Lowe, 1834) in the Southeastern Brazilian Coast
Alpina Begossi1,2,3*, Svetlana V. Salivonchyk4, Tainá Barreto3, Vinicius Nora2,3Renato A. M. Silvano3,5
1UNICAMP: CAPESCA/LEPAC/PREAC (Paraty) and CMU (CP 6023, Campinas), Brazil
2ECOMAR/UNISANTA, Rua Oswaldo Cruz, 277 Santos, SP, Brazil
3FIFO (Fisheries and Food Institute) (www.fisheriesandfood.org )
4Institute for Nature Management, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus,
10 Fr. Skaryna Street, Minsk, 220114, Minsk, Belarus
5Departamento de Ecologia, UFRGS, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
*correspondence to:
alpinab@uol.com.br
Accepted May 24, 2012; Available Online March 31, 2012.
doi: 10.7237/sjarm/174
Abstract:
The dusky grouper (garoupa), Epinephelus marginatus, is highly valued in Brazil as a commercial fish species harvested by small-scale fishermen. This protogynous and slow-growing species is caught at immature stages by fishermen. We propose urgent conservation measures, including compensatory arrangements, to encourage fishermen to conserve this species. Closed fishing seasons associated with compensatory arrangements could help towards the conservation of this highly threatened fish, which has been ignored in current management measures in Brazil.
Keyword: Brazil, dusky-grouper, E. marginatus, small-scale fisheries.