Live bait or artificial bait? Efficiency in recreational fishing for sea bass (Centropomus parallelus)

Abstract

This study analyzed the efficiency of lambari Deuterodon iguape as a live bait compared to the artificial bait traditionally used in sea bass fishing (Centropomus parallelus) to demonstrate the viability of its use in recreational fishing. Two boats, with one fisherman each, operated on the Itanhaém river, on the southeastern coast of Brazil, in monthly samples, between October 2019 and September 2020. For statistical analysis, 2x2 and nx2 contingency tables were built and subsequent analysis was performed of the proportions between factors by applying Pearson's chi-squared independence test. It was found that the type of bait used was not associated with catches. In relation to the specimens of sea bass captured, their lengths varied between 20 and 50 cm and the weighed between 400 and 1500 g. The lambari D. iguape is as efficient as artificial bait for bass fishing in inland waters as one economic alternative for sports fisheries. In the context of coastal management, this study shows that the use of live bait of native species produced in a closed recirculation system is a desirable activity from a social and economic point of view, as artisanal fishermen and small rural producers can become suppliers of live baits, contributing to the generation of employment and income.