A PESCA EXTRATIVA MARINHA NO PORTO DE ATAFONA, SÃO JOÃO DA BARRA - RJ: PASSADO E PRESENTE

- RJ: e presente. J. Aquat. Sci. 21(1). v21n1. This study aims to compare the current information on artisanal fishery practised in Atafona harbour, São João da Barra, RJ, with the artisanal fishery practised in this region 15 years ago. Currently, there are 133 boats operating with the following fishing gears: a) fishing nets – trawl net, purse seine net and gill net and b) fishing lines - handline and longline. According to the fishermen, the local fishery is affected by the increase in fishing effort, reduction in captures, changes in the preferred fishing grounds, fishing costs increase and competition with boats from other sites. The main changes in the local fishery were increase in fishing technology and fishing capacity of boats, changes in fishing gears, in mesh size of the gill nets and in the preferred fishing grounds. Fishery management measures should be undertaken to ensure the maintenance of local stocks in viable levels for exploitation, minimizing the fishery impacts.