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Population structure of nurse sharks, Ginglymostoma cirratum (Orectolobiformes), caught off Ceará State, Brazil, south-western Equatorial Atlantic

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 October 2010

Jones Santander-Neto ,
Renata A. Shinozaki-Mendes ,
Leonardo M. Silveira ,
Bruno Jucá-Queiroz ,
Manuel A.A. Furtado-Neto  and
Vicente V. Faria
Jones Santander-Neto
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Departamento de Pesca e Aqüicultura, Avenida Dom Manuel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, CEP 52171-900, Recife, PE, Brazil
Renata A. Shinozaki-Mendes
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco, Departamento de Pesca e Aqüicultura, Avenida Dom Manuel de Medeiros s/n, Dois Irmãos, CEP 52171-900, Recife, PE, Brazil
Leonardo M. Silveira
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca, Avenida Mister Hull, s/n, CEP 60021-970, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
Bruno Jucá-Queiroz
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca, Avenida Mister Hull, s/n, CEP 60021-970, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
Manuel A.A. Furtado-Neto
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Ceará, Departamento de Engenharia de Pesca, Avenida Mister Hull, s/n, CEP 60021-970, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil Universidade Federal do Ceará, Instituto de Ciências do Mar (LABOMAR), Avenida da Abolição, 3207, Meireles, CEP 60165-081, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
Vicente V. Faria*
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Ceará, Instituto de Ciências do Mar (LABOMAR), Avenida da Abolição, 3207, Meireles, CEP 60165-081, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: V.V. Faria, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Instituto de Ciências do Mar (LABOMAR), Avenida da Abolição, 3207, Meireles, CEP 60165-081, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum, is considered an endangered species in Brazil and its capture by fisheries forbidden. Despite such legislation, nurse sharks continue to be caught as these laws are unenforced and fisheries are not monitored. The goal of the present study was to describe the population structure of nurse sharks caught off Ceará State, north-eastern Brazil, based on the following aspects: abundance and size, sex-ratio, fisheries incidence and seasonality of captures. Landings were monitored weekly during a two-year period. A total of 189 specimens were recorded. Total length (TL) varied between 73 and 274 cm. The male–female ratio did not differ significantly (1.19♀:1♂). TL of individuals landed as carcasses was estimated based on interdorsal length. The following equation was obtained for males and females: TL = 12.606ID + 14.24 (R2 = 0.9505). Most of the landed sharks were juveniles (86.2%). No seasonal pattern of abundance and TL variation was observed. Management of this fishery is required in order to prevent localized over-fishing of nurse sharks.

Keywords

conservationelasmobranchsfisheries landingsmanagement
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 91 , Special Issue 6: Fish Ecology , September 2011 , pp. 1193 - 1196
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2010

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