REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON RESEARCH ... - Iccat

SCRS PLENARY SESSIONS 1 TO 8
catches are from the artisanal, semi-industrial and local industrial fleet. The gear types normally used for the
target species are seine, trawl, baitboat, hand line, mainly trap, and also longline by the foreign vessels. The
Institut National de Recherches de Pêches-INIP (National Institute on Fishing) through its Research Center at
Lobito reinforces the sampling program through the collection of biological data, in particular, size frequency
data on the major species of small tunas from the traps. In 2009, 22 samplings of small tunas were carried out
with a total of 2,419 fish measures. The statistical data are obtained from the Direction Nationale de Pêche et
Aquaculture-DNPA (National Directorate of Fishing and Aquaculture), the Cabinet d'Études de Plans et
Statistiques-GEPE (Cabinet of Studies of Plans and Statistics), the Institut National de Recherches de Pêches-
INIP (National Institute on Fishing), the Centres de Recherches de Pêches-CIPs (Fisheries Research Centers),
and the Institut de Pêches Artisanale-IPA (Institute of Artisanal Fishing).
Brazil
In 2009, the Brazilian tuna longline fleet consisted of 86 vessels registered in 6 different ports. Of these, 80 were
national and 6 were foreign chartered vessels. The number of vessels decreased by about 9.5% from 2008, when
95 vessels operated. The number of chartered vessels, however, decreased by about 33%. The number of baitboats
operating in 2009 was 43, increasing slightly (5%) from 2008. These 43 vessels (100% national) were
based in the same ports (Rio de Janeiro-RJ, Itajaí- SC, and Rio Grande-RS). In 2009, the number of purse seiner
boats was 8, remaining the same as in the previous year.
The Brazilian catch of tunas and tuna-like fish, including billfish, sharks, and other species, was about 40,000 t
(live weight), in 2009, representing an increase of about 12%, from 2008. The majority of the catch again was
taken by bait-boats, which accounted for about 60% of the catches, with skipjack tuna being the most abundant
species, representing close to 95% of the bait-boat catches. Total catch of the tuna longline fishery was equal to
7,800t, in 2009, being thus about 15% smaller than in 2008, with swordfish being again the most abundant
species, with a total catch close to 3.100 t. Blue shark, yellowfin tuna and bigeye tunas were the three most
caught species, after the swordfish, accounting for about 16% (1,268 t), 13.5% (1,038 t) and 13% (1,008 t) of the
total longline catches. The total catch of white marlin and blue marlin was 52 t and 149 t, respectively, which is
similar to the 2008 levels (47 t and 161 t, respectively).
Part of the Brazilian catches continued to result from a small-scale fishing fleet based mainly in Itaipava, on the
southeast coast. Although comprised of relatively small boats of about 15 m in total length, this fleet is highly
mobile, operating throughout most of the Brazilian coast and targeting a variety of species with different gears,
including longline, handline, trolling and other surface gears. The total catch of this fleet, which mainly targets
dolphin fish, in 2009, was about 8,000 t, of which 4,372.2 t (53%) was dolphinfish.
Several institutions directly assisted the Ministry of Fisheries and Aquaculture (MPA) in processing and
analyzing data from the Brazilian tuna fishery in 2009. Besides the catch and effort data regularly collected in
2009, about 16,000 fish were measured at sea while landings included skipjack= 9,724; swordfish= 2,109;
bigeye= 1,843; yellowfin= 782; blue shark= 596; albacore= 179; sailfish= 111; blue marlin= 102; and white
marlin= 42, among others.
In 2009, an important shark and billfish research effort, in cooperation with U.S., Venezuelan and Uruguayan
scientists, continued to be developed, including the collection of vertebrae, spines, stomachs and gonads, for age
and growth, feeding habits and reproduction studies, as well as habitat utilization, through PSAT tags, and gear
selectivity, by the use of circle hooks, hook timers, and TDRs.
Research on the incidental catches of seabirds continued and was aimed mainly at monitoring by-catch and
testing mitigation measures, particularly the use of different kinds of torilines. The monitoring of sea turtle bycatches
in longline fisheries also continued by the “Projeto Tamar”, including tests with the use of circle hooks
and other mitigation measures to reduce the catch rates of sea turtles.
In order to adequately comply with ICCAT recommendations, the Brazilian government has implemented
several rules regulating the Brazilian tuna fishery, although no new regulation was introduced in 2009. It is
important to note, however, that in 2009 Brazil adopted a new law on fisheries and aquaculture and raised the
Secretariat of Fisheries and Aquaculture to the level of Ministry.
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