MUSSEL Perna perna EXTRACTION AND COMMERCIALIZATION IN GUANABARA BAY, BRAZIL

Abstract

Guanabara bay in the state of Rio de Janeiro receives industrial effluents and a high load of domestic sewage from a watershed of more than 4,000 km2. Water evaluations for Echerichia coli showed that various regions of the bay are not suitable for mussel farming or extraction. Notwithstanding, around 50 and 100 fishermen are involved in mussel extraction yielding 20 to 65 t monthly, in live weight. The Mariculture Association of Jurujuba, in Niterói, with 30 to 40 fishermen is alone responsible for 50 to 70% of the total catch. Although the mussel collection in the inner part of the bay was discontinued, the activity has not been interrupted for the last 20 years in the region comprised by Boa Viagem, in Niterói, and Santos Dumont airport, in Rio de Janeiro, until the entrance of the bay. More recently the extraction area was extended to the oceanic islands adjacent to the bay. While the mussel processing at the Jurujuba association is appropriate according to the sanitary standard, the mussel extracted by the independent collectors is processed and commercialized in very poor conditions.