Unregulated catches from recreational fisheries off northeastern Brazil

Abstract

Accurate global estimates of recreational catches are missing, as most countries do not have the mandate to report catches from recreational activities. Increasing awareness of the impact of recreational fisheries, which in some cases can surpass that from commercial fisheries, has led some countries to collect information on recreational catches. Such a system is still lacking in countries such as Brazil. Recreational fisheries in northeastern Brazil are mainly shore-based and structured around fishing clubs, which promote more than 100 fishing tournaments annually. These tournaments are run year-round, but are less frequent during the rainy, windy season (July to September) and the local holiday season (December to January). Catches from these tournaments amounted to a peak of three tonnes in 1998, which added to the previously estimated 1,147 tonnes caught outside tournaments, are much lower than those from commercial fisheries (131 thousand tonnes). There is no detailed information on catches per species. These estimates of tournament catches are preliminary, as they do not include all States and oceanic fisheries.