Brazilian Journal of Animal and Environmental Research 452 ISSN: 2595-573X Identification of elasmobranchs in Caraguatatuba City, São Paulo State (2018-19) Identificação de elasmobranquios em Caraguatatuba, SP (2018-19) DOI: 10.34188/bjaerv4n1-039 Recebimento dos originais: 20/11/2020 Aceitação para publicação: 20/12/2020 Nathalia Toyonaga Rodrigues Mestre em Aquicultura e Pesca pelo Instituto de Pesca/APTA/SAAESP Av. Bartolomeu de Gusmão, 192 - Ponta da Praia, Santos-SP, Brasil [email protected] Marcelo Ricardo de Souza Doutor em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia) pela Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho Instituto de Pesca/APTA/SAAESP Av. Bartolomeu de Gusmão, 192 - Ponta da Praia, Santos-SP, Brasil [email protected] Janice Peixer Doutora em Ciências Biológicas (Zoologia) pela Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência e Tecnologia, Av. Bahia, 1739 - Indaiá, Caraguatatuba - SP [email protected] Alberto Ferreira de Amorim Doutor em Ciências Biológicas pela Universidade Estadual Paulista/Instituto de Biociências/Campus de Rio Claro Instituto de Pesca/APTA/SAAESP Av. Bartolomeu de Gusmão, 192 - Ponta da Praia, Santos-SP, Brasil [email protected] ABSTRACT The variety of common names in fish causes problems in fishing catch estimates, which can hamper the administration and management of fish stocks. The production of elasmobranchs in Caraguatatuba City, SP has increased in the last 10 years, with reports of various categories of endangered species. The lack of basic information, degradation of the environment and the under- exploitation of fisheries, are the biggest enemies to create a species conservation policy and a sustainable development of fisheries. Therefore, January 2018 to January 2019, was monitored the landings of elasmobranchs captured by artisanal fishing in the city of Caraguatatuba, SP and information was collected regarding identification from the fisherman's point of view and weighing of specimens. All specimens were identified for a study to analyze the estimation of shark and ray’s species that occur in the region. The analyzed species were categorized, according to the Instituto de Pesca (Official Database of Instituto de Pesca, SP) as: “cação-rola-rola”, known as sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon lalandii and R. porosus), “cambeva” group of hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini), “cação-galha-preta”, spinner shark (Carcharhinus brevipinna), “machote”, group of small Brazilian Journal of Animal and Environmental Research, Curitiba, v. 4, n. 1, p. 452-466 jan./mar. 2021 Brazilian Journal of Animal and Environmental Research 453 ISSN: 2595-573X sharks (Carcharhinus obscurus). In the ray’s group, “Viola”, group of guitarfish (Pseudobatos horkelii, P. percellens e Zapteryx brevirostris) and “raias-agrupadas”, are a group of ray’s species that were not or could not be categorized in any group (Aetobatus narinari, Dasyatis hypostigma, Gymnura altavela, Gymnura micrura, Hypanus americanus, Hypanus guttatus, Rioraja agassizi and Rhinoptera bonasus). The study aims to show an existence of basic flaws in the information contained in the Database of the Instituto de Pesca, in relation to the data collected in the municipality of Caraguatatuba, SP, Brazil and how misinformation can affect fisheries sustainability and conservation of elasmobranchs. Keywords: fisheries management, conservation, shark and ray, fisheries sustainability, fishery stocks RESUMO A variedade de nomes comuns nos peixes causa problemas nas estimativas de capturas, o que pode dificultar a administração e gestão dos estoques pesqueiros. A produção de elasmobrânquios na cidade de Caraguatatuba, SP aumentou nos últimos 10 anos, com relatos de várias categorias de espécies ameaçadas de extinção. A falta de informação básica, a degradação do meio ambiente e a subexploração da pesca, são os maiores inimigos da criação de uma política de conservação das espécies e de um desenvolvimento sustentável da pesca. Para tanto, de janeiro de 2018 a janeiro de 2019, foram monitorados os desembarques de elasmobrânquios capturados pela pesca artesanal na cidade de Caraguatatuba, SP e coletadas informações quanto à identificação do ponto de vista do pescador e pesagem dos espécimes. Todos os exemplares foram identificados para um estudo de análise da estimativa das espécies de tubarões e raias que ocorrem na região. As espécies analisadas foram categorizadas, de acordo com o Instituto de Pesca (Banco Oficial de Dados do Instituto de Pesca, de SP) como: “cação-rola-rola”, conhecido como tubarão-bico-fino (Rhizoprionodon lalandii e R. porosus), grupo “cambeva” de tubarão-martelo (Sphyrna lewini), “cação-galha-preta”, tubarão- galha--preta (Carcharhinus brevipinna), “machote”, grupo de pequenos tubarões (Carcharhinus obscurus). No grupo da raia, “Viola”, grupo de peixe-guitarra (Pseudobatos horkelii, P. percellens e Zapteryx brevirostris) e “raias-agrupadas”, são um grupo de espécies de raias que não foram ou não puderam ser categorizadas em nenhum grupo (Aetobatus narinari, Dasyatis hypostigma, Gymnura altavela, Gymnura micrura, Hypanus americanus, Hypanus guttatus, Rioraja agassizi e Rhinoptera bonasus). O estudo visa mostrar a existência de falhas básicas nas informações contidas no Banco de Dados do Instituto de Pesca, em relação aos dados coletados no município de Caraguatatuba, SP, Brasil e como a desinformação pode afetar a sustentabilidade pesqueira e a conservação de elasmobrânquios. Palavras-chave: manejo pesqueiro, conservação, tubarão e raia, sustentabilidade pesqueira, estoques pesqueiros 1 INTRODUCTION The great diversity of common names in fish in different parts of the world can cause problems when dealing with the scientific literature or fisheries statistics. This is due to the incompatibility of identification of the fish species, may contribute to a delay in the recovery of fish stocks and contribute to an increased risk of extinction of fish populations (Freire and Pauly, 2003). The annual production of elasmobranchs of the fleet based in Caraguatatuba City, São Paulo, Brazil, increased in the last 10 years from 5,130.88 kg in 2008 to 13,338.60 kg in 2018; referring to Brazilian Journal of Animal and Environmental Research, Curitiba, v. 4, n. 1, p. 452-466 jan./mar. 2021 Brazilian Journal of Animal and Environmental Research 454 ISSN: 2595-573X 128 different production units (Instituto de Pesca, 2019), this information is collected by the Monitoring Program for Marine and Estuarine Fishing Activity - PMAP, coordinated by the Fisheries Statistics Laboratory of the Instituto de Pesca in conjunction with several research centers. In the data category of the cartilaginous fish landing statistics from the Database, sharks are included in six categories (sharpnose shark, angel shark, hammerhead shark, spinner shark, small sharks and group sharks), and rays in two categories (guitarfish and grouped rays). The data contained in the data collectors of the Database lack basic information about which species of fish are caught and how much. Classifying it only in categories, not providing more details on useful information such as, the biological taxa of the captured species. Discarding the use of more relevant information for future studies such as more effective species conservation measures and efficient fisheries sustainability. Major international marine resource management agencies such as NOAA Fisheries, see the implementation of sustainable fishing as urgent, since our resources are limited and not all fish stocks in the ocean have been assessed, this number may be underestimated. These studies are essential for determining the biological parameters of the species, which contribute to the estimates of natural mortality, longevity and recruitment, and provide rational management to any stock that is submitted to exploration (Fonteles-Filho, 1989). The lack of a conservation policy, basic information, degradation of coastal environments and exploitation are the greatest threats that contribute to the decline of biodiversity and possible extinction of some species of elasmobranchs (Gadig, 1994; Bonfil, 1994; Kotas et al ., 1995; Camhi et al., 1998). This work intends to contribute to the collection of official information on fish production of elasmobranchs, which has been carried out by the Instituto de Pesca since 1944, helping to identify species and their corresponding commercial categories, with a view to a better management of stocks, aiming at management and conservation. 2 MATERIAL AND METHODS Information was collected on the specimens of elasmobranchs landed at fish markets, known as Camaroeiro and Porto Novo in the Caraguatatuba City, São Paulo, Brazil, from January 2018 to January 2019. Data were recorded for one week each month, identifying the species and weight. Specimens were identified using systematic shark and ray keys (Figueiredo, 1977; Garrick, 1982; Compagno, 1984, 2001; Mceachran and Carvalho, 2002) and weights were obtained using a mobile scale with a precision of 1g. The interview with the fishermen took place at the time of landing. Brazilian Journal of Animal and Environmental Research, Curitiba, v. 4, n. 1, p. 452-466 jan./mar. 2021 Brazilian Journal of Animal and Environmental Research 455 ISSN: 2595-573X The species identified in the study were included in their respective fish categories according to the reference name adopted by the official program for the control of fishery production in the State of São Paulo (Instituto de Pesca, 2019). At