ANÁLISE DOS DESEMBARQUES DA PESCA DE FERNANDO DE NORONHA (BRASIL)

Abstract

The surface fishery in Fernando de Noronha (3'50'245 I 32'24'48W) is carried out using trolling and bottom handline takes place around the archipelago, within a 5-mi limit. The great barracuda (Sphyraena barracuda), three tuna species (Thunnus albacares, Thunnus atlanticus and Thunnus alalunga) and the black-jack (Caranx lugubris) makeup 42%, 36% and 7% of landings, respectively. 5ampling conducted from 1988 to 1990 showed a decrease in catches for ali species together (44.56 to 14.86 tones per semester). This situation is explained by the decrease in fishing effort (jrom 726 to 411 trips). CPUE analysis for the three main group of species in catches showed the highest levei forSphyraena barracudafrom March to May (32.0 to 41.3 kg per trip),for tuna category, three peak values were observed (35.0 to 54.0 kg per trip), whereas for the black-jack highest CPUE occurred in April (38.9 kg per trip). The size of the great barracuda varied from 42.0 to 105.0 em FL and the mean size was 69.3 ± 8.2 em FL. Most of the samples seemed to be composed of adults with sex-ratio highly favourable to males. The size of Thunnus albacares ranged from 58.0 to 136.0 em FL with a mean length of 83.4 ± 12.5 em FL, a predominance of juveniles being observed. As concerns Caranx lugubris length ranged from 28.5 to 66.5 em FL, with mean size of 44.6 ± 11.5 em FL. Totallengthlfork length and lengthl weight relationships were established for ali three species with significant correlation coefficients. Fork lengthlgutted weight relationship established for both sexes of Sphyraena barracuda were significantly different.