Recreational anglers and fishing guides from an estuarine protected area in southeastern Brazil: Socioeconomic characteristics and views on fisheries management

The Iguape and Cananéia Lagoon-Estuarine Complex is a biodiversity hotspot in southeastern Brazil. In recent decades, the region has become an important destination for recreational fishing. The objective of this study was to analyze the socioeconomic characteristics of visiting anglers and fishing guides working in the Cananéia-Iguape-Peruíbe Environmental Protected Area and their views on fisheries management. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted between January 2009 and January 2010. We interviewed 278 anglers, who were predominantly male (93%) with a mean age of 47 years and from the state of São Paulo. The targeted species were snooks (Centropomus undecimales and Centropomus parallelus) and weakfishes (Cynoscion leiarchus and Cynoscion acoupa). Only half the anglers had the mandatory fishing license, and many of them lacked knowledge about catch quotas and minimum size requirements for specific species. The fishing guides (n = 80) were all male, with a mean age of 39 years and extensive experience. Most of the guides believe that the study area is somewhat degraded due to the removal of riparian vegetation, siltation, pollution, and especially the depletion of fish stocks. The opinions of the stakeholders (anglers and guides) converge on the high priority needs of the fishery and possible management actions regarding recreational fishing, such as improved fisheries enforcement (first in order of importance), proper training of fishing guides, zoning of fishing areas, and the definition of a maximum size limit. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd.

Acute and chronic toxicity of sediment samples from Guanabara Bay (RJ) during the rainy period

A Baía de Guanabara é um ambiente marinho-estuarino de grande relevância ecológica e sócio-econômica, e sujeita a uma ampla gama de impactos ambientais. O sedimento é o principal destino para a maioria das substâncias introduzidas nos corpos d'água, podendo fornecer uma medida integrada da qualidade ambiental, a qual pode ser avaliada por várias abordagens. Neste projeto, a qualidade de sedimentos da Baía de Guanabara foi por uma abordagem ecotoxicológica, por meio de testes de toxicidade aguda de sedimento integral, utilizando Tiburonella viscana, e testes de toxicidade crônica de água intersticial, elutriato e interface sedimento-água, utilizando embriões de Lytechinus variegatus. Os sedimentos foram coletados em 14 estações de amostragem. Nos testes crônicos houve efeitos significativos na maioria das amostras, enquanto os sedimentos coletados nas estações 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12 e 15 apresentaram também toxicidade aguda. Houve grande concordância entre os resultados dos diferentes testes, e sua integração mostrou que os sedimentos analisados encontram-se inadequados à vida aquática, indicando degradação ambiental na baía da Guanabara. Nesse contexto, o controle das fontes poluidoras e o gerenciamento dos múltiplos usos da baía devem ser implementados, no sentido da melhora da qualidade ambiental.

Distribution related to temperature and salinity of the shrimps Acetes americanus and Peisos petrunkevitchi (Crustacea: Sergestoidea) in the south-eastern Brazilian littoral zone

The abundance and ecological distribution of Acetes americanus and Peisos petrunkevitchi were investigated from July 2006 to June 2007, in Ubatuba, Brazil. Eight transects were identified and sampled monthly: six of these transects were located in Ubatuba bay, with depths reaching 21 m, and the other two transects were in estuarine environments. A total of 33,888 A. americanus shrimp were captured, with the majority coming from the shallower transects (up to 10 m). Conversely, 6,173 of the P. petrunkevitchi shrimps were captured in deeper areas (from 9 to 21 m). No individuals from either species were found in the estuary. The highest abundances obtained for both species were sampled during the summer. Canonical correlation analysis resulted in a coefficient value of 0.68 (P = 0.00). The abundance of both species was strongly correlated with depth. Variations in temperature and salinity values were also informative in predicting the seasonal presence of P. petrunkevitchi in deeper areas and A. americanus in the shallower areas of the bay. It is conceivable that the shrimp adjust their ecological distribution according to their intrinsic physiological limitations. © 2012 Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom.

Local and regional ecological drivers of fish assemblages in Brazilian estuaries

Spatial patterns in assemblage structures are generated by ecological processes that occur on multiple scales. Identifying these processes is important for the prediction of impact, for restoration and for conservation of biodiversity. This study used a hierarchical sampling design to quantify variations in assemblage structures of Brazilian estuarine fish across 2 spatial scales and to reveal the ecological processes underlying the patterns observed. Eight areas separated by 0.7 to 25 km (local scale) were sampled in 5 estuaries separated by 970 to 6000 km (regional scale) along the coast, encompassing both tropical and subtropical regions. The assemblage structure varied significantly in terms of relative biomass and presence/absence of species on both scales, but the regional variation was greater than the local variation for either dataset. However, the 5 estuaries sampled segregated into 2 major groups largely congruent with the Brazilian and Argentinian biogeographic provinces. Three environmental variables (mean temperature of the coldest month, mangrove area and mean annual precipitation) and distance between estuaries explained 44.8 and 16.3%, respectively, of the regional-scale variability in the species relative biomass. At the local scale, the importance of environmental predictors for the spatial structure of the assemblages differed between estuarine systems. Overall, these results support the idea that on a regional scale, the composition of fish assemblages is simultaneously determined by environmental filters and species dispersal capacity, while on a local scale, the effect of environmental factors should vary depending on estuary-specific physical and hydrological characteristics © 2013 Inter-Research.

Estudo de comunidades de foraminíferos em manguezal do Rio Itapanhaú, Bertioga-SP, aplicado à reconstrução paleoambiental

Foraminifera scientific studies became, historically, of your apply in relative dating of rocks, stratigraphic correlations and paleoenvironmental reconstruction. In the last decades, they have been applied on the studies of modern ecosystems, with or without antrhopic influence. Both aspects are interest of petroleum industry. Among other approaches, foraminífera are used as good indicators of the fluctuation of relative sea level. This study aimed to survey and taxonomic study of the community structure of foraminifera in surface samples of a core, 60 cm, collected in mangrove located in Itapanhaú river in Bertioga (SP).It also aims to contribute to the discussion about typical patterns of community structure of mangrove margins and provide elements for discussion on the relative sea level behavior in this area in almost modern times. It was been collected 6 samples along the core of 60 cm of length, each one 10 cm depth. They were made in laboratory and in each sample sought to find at least 100 foraminifera per ml. The species identification was made with reference specified material and collection available on IGCE-UNESPetro, Rio Claro. The community structure was studied in terms of richness, diversity and species composition and was made the results comparison from similar areas to interpret the depositional environment. Were found 21 species within them 13 calcareous and 8 binders, being the most abundant and frequent species Ammonia tepida, Ammonia parkinsoniana e Elphidium spp. Essentially there wasn’t change in the community structure within the period covered by the core which reflects an environment of outer margin of mangrove without noticeable change in relative sea level at the respective time of deposition of muddy sediments. The community structure here recognized its similar to estuarine environment well maintained which indicates a low human impact in the area over the time interval. The agreement of the results...

Size-related shifts in dietary composition of Centropomus parallelus (Perciformes: Centropomidae) in an estuarine ecosystem of the southeastern coast of Brazil

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Group size and composition of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) (Van Bénèden, 1864) in the Paranaguá Estuarine Complex, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Comparative sediment quality assessment in different littoral ecosystems from Spain (Gulf of Cadiz) and Brazil (Santos and Sao Vicente estuarine system)

The goal of this work was to establish comparisons among environmental degradation in different areas from Southern Spain (Gulf of Cadiz) and Brazil (Santos and Sao Vicente estuary), by using principal component analyses (PCA) to integrate sediment toxicity (amphipods mortality) and chemical-physical data (Zn, Cd, Pb; Cu, Ni, Co, V, PCBs, PAHs concentrations, OC and fines contents). The results of PCA extraction of Spanish data showed that Bay of Cadiz, CA-1 did not present contamination or degradation; CA-2 exhibited contamination by PCBs, however it was not related to the amphipods mortality. Ria of Huelva was the most impacted site, showing contamination caused principally by hydrocarbons, in HV-1 and HV-2, but heavy metals were also important contaminants at HV-1, HV-2 and HV-3. Algeciras Bay was considered as not degraded in GR-3 and -4, but in GR-3' high contamination by PAHs was found. In the Brazilian area, the most degraded sediments were found in the stations situated at the inner parts of the estuary (SSV-2, SSV-3, and SSV-4), followed by SSV-6, which is close to the Submarine Sewage Outfall of Santos - SSOS. Sediments from SSV-1 and SSV-5 did not present chemical contamination, organic contamination or significant amphipod mortality. The results, of this investigation showed that both countries present environmental degradation related to PAHs: in Spain, at Ria of Huelva and Gudarranque river's estuary areas; and in Brasil, in the internal portion of the Santos and Sao Vicente estuary. The same situation is found for heavy metals, since all of the identified metals are related to toxicity in the studied areas, with few exceptions (V for both Brazil and Spain, and Cd and Co for Brazilian areas). The contamination by PCBs is more serious for Santos and Sao Vicente estuary than for the investigated areas in Gulf of Cadiz, where such compound did not relate to the toxicity. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Heavy metals and TPH effects on microbial abundance and diversity in two estuarine areas of the southern-central coast of São Paulo State, Brazil

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)