The Catfish Fishing in the Amazon Floodplain Lakes

Abstract

This study is about the spatial and temporal variability of the Hypophthalmus catfish fishery in the Amazonian floodplain lakes and the relationship among commercial CPUE, environmental and economic variables. The fishing productivity varies according to the fishing ground which varies due to the contribution of a set of variables. The most outstanding environmental variables are the Amazon River flow, the large- scale ENSO and GITA events. This catfish productivity was related to the dynamics of the hydrological cycle, ENSO events and economic factors in Óbidos, mainly with economic variables in Santarém and the dynamics of sea surface temperature, ENSO events and economic factors in Monte Alegre. Regarding this fishing profitability, the main economic factors are the distance to the nearest buyer market location and boat types – ice storage capacity and fuel required. The present study is a contribution to the development of a more sustainable small-scale fishery management policy for Amazon and other floodplain regions around the world. To monitor and deepen understanding of this resource fishing dynamics, we strongly encourage additional studies to offer long-term fishery data set, analyze the fishermen behaviour with changes in the exploitation form and intensity in the floodplain lakes, and address other essential data such as use of floodplain, local community, land and vegetation cover as well as landscape changes.