Checklist of the marine fishes collected during hydroacoustic surveys in the southeastern brazilian bight from 1995 to 2010

Abstract

The spatial distribution of small pelagic fishes off the Southeastern Brazilian coastal area (22°-29°S) was investigated over six periods, from 1995 to 2010, in the context of the Program "Prospection and Assessment of the Biomass of the Sardine, Sardinella brasiliensis " in order to provide data about their pattern of distribution and biomass. A checklist of the species collected is presented herein with data on geographic position and depth of captures. Such information is intended to be a reference about the fauna that occupied the region in the period under investigation, and allow future comparisons about the resilience of the local fauna, i.e., the detection of future changes caused by environmental factors or human activities. Sampling was conducted during hydroacoustic surveys with mid water trawling plus a few purse seine operations between 10 m and 100 m depth. A total of 86 species were collected.