Danger beyond the catches: A review of conservation threats posed by commercial and non-commercial fisheries in Guaratuba Bay, southern Brazil

Abstract

Comparisons between the implications of commercial and recreational fisheries for estuarine conservation have been a topic of debate. A review on the available data from Guaratuba Bay, Southern Brazil, identifies six threats for conservation, other than those concerning the fishing effort on target resources. Differing from the popular view that fishing for pleasure could be innocuous for the environment, the identified threats concern both commercial and non-commercial fisheries: (1) catching of reproductive individuals; (2) catch of big old fat fecund females; (3) loss and abandonment of fishing gears; (4) use of natural baits; (5) bycatch of rays, turtles and non-target finfish; and (6) bad practices associated with catch-and-release or discarding. Environmental disturbances and fauna depletion are detected as potential impacts. Recommended actions for estuary conservation include fishing closures in mangrove and shallow waters areas, release of fish larger than the critical size, and measures against abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gears.