Technological aspects of the monkfish (Lophius gastrophysus) gillnet fishery in Southeastern and Southern Brazil / Aspectos tecnológicos da pesca do peixe-sapo (Lophius gastrophysus) com rede de emalhar no sudeste e sul do Brasil

ABSTRACT

Fishing operations and technology of a chartered gillnet fleet were monitored by observers during 83 trips conducted in Southeastern and Southern Brazil between January 2001 and October 2002. All vessels were originally from Spain, built in steel and 26.7 to 39.6 meters long and had 72 to 362 GRT. The fishing gear was formed by sets of nearly 400 stringed nets, each one 45-50 m long. The net twine was polyamide monofilament and the mesh was 280 mm (stretched mesh size). Operating nets were 3.5 m deep and capture was carried out by entanglement. In general, vessels operated four to six sets of nets, which remained submersed for at least four days. Monkfish was processed in parts called cola, caras and carrilheira. These parts were fast frozen in -40°C and stored at -25°C to -30°C. Vessels operated with 16 to 19 crew members, 23% out of which were Brazilian, on average. Throughout the monkfish gillnet fishery period, several conflicts were reported involving fishing area disputes between foreign vessels and national trawlers. These conflicts developed into the termination of the chartered gillnet operations in southern Brazil, although a few national vessels adapted to gillnet fishing were sustaining the fishery.

RESUMO

Entre janeiro de 2001 e outubro de 2002, aspectos tecnológicos e operacionais de embarcações estrangeiras arrendadas operando com rede de emalhar foram monitorados por observadores de bordo durante 83 viagens realizadas na costa Sudeste e Sul do Brasil. Todas as embarcações eram de origem espanhola, construídas em aço, medindo de 26,7 a 39,6 metros de comprimento e com tonelagem de arqueação bruta variando de 72 a 362 toneladas. O petrecho de pesca era formado por conjuntos de cerca de 400 redes unidas entre si, cada uma com comprimento variando de 45 a 50 metros e panagem de poliamida monofilamento com tamanho de malha de 280 mm entre nós opostos. A altura de rede armada era de 3,5 metros e a captura, por embolamento. Em geral, as embarcações operaram simultaneamente quatro a seis conjuntos de rede, e o período mínimo de imersão foi de quatro dias. O peixe-sapo era cortado em partes denominadas cola, caras e carrilheira. Essas partes eram colocadas nos armários de congelamento rápido a -40°C e estocadas no porão a temperaturas entre -25 e -30°C. As embarcações operavam com 16 a 19 tripulantes, dentre os quais, em média, 23% eram brasileiros. Durante o período de operação, inúmeros conflitos foram observados entre a frota arrendada e a frota nacional. Esses conflitos culminaram na finalização dessas operações arrendadas no Sudeste e Sul do Brasil, embora a pescaria tenha