The Serra Spanish mackerel fishery (Scomberomorus brasiliensis – Teleostei) in Southern Brazil: the growing landings of a high trophic level resource

Abstract In fisheries, the phenomenon known as fishing down food webs is supposed to be a consequence of overfishing, which would be reflected in a reduction in the trophic level of landings. In such scenarios, the resilience of carnivorous, top predator species is particularly affected, making these resources the first to be depleted. The Serra Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus brasiliensis, exemplifies a predator resource historically targeted by artisanal fisheries on the Brazilian coast. The present work analyzes landings in three periods within a 50-year timescale on the Parana coast, Southern Brazil, aiming to evaluate whether historical production has supposedly declined. Simultaneously, the diet was analyzed to confirm carnivorous habits and evaluate the trophic level in this region. Surprisingly, the results show that from the 1970’s to 2019 Serra Spanish mackerel production grew relatively to other resources, as well as in individual values. The trophic level was calculated as 4.238, similar to other Scomberomorus species, consisting of a case where landings increase over time, despite the high trophic level and large body size of the resource. The results agree with a recent global assessment that has demystified a necessary correlation between high trophic level and overexploitation, but possible factors acting on the present findings are discussed.

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Main Authors: Chaves,P. T. C., Birnfeld,P. O.
Format: Digital revista
Language:English
Published: Instituto Internacional de Ecologia 2023
Online Access:http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842023000100123
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spelling oai:scielo:S1519-698420230001001232021-06-24The Serra Spanish mackerel fishery (Scomberomorus brasiliensis – Teleostei) in Southern Brazil: the growing landings of a high trophic level resourceChaves,P. T. C.Birnfeld,P. O. fishing overfishing diet Scombridae Brazil Abstract In fisheries, the phenomenon known as fishing down food webs is supposed to be a consequence of overfishing, which would be reflected in a reduction in the trophic level of landings. In such scenarios, the resilience of carnivorous, top predator species is particularly affected, making these resources the first to be depleted. The Serra Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus brasiliensis, exemplifies a predator resource historically targeted by artisanal fisheries on the Brazilian coast. The present work analyzes landings in three periods within a 50-year timescale on the Parana coast, Southern Brazil, aiming to evaluate whether historical production has supposedly declined. Simultaneously, the diet was analyzed to confirm carnivorous habits and evaluate the trophic level in this region. Surprisingly, the results show that from the 1970’s to 2019 Serra Spanish mackerel production grew relatively to other resources, as well as in individual values. The trophic level was calculated as 4.238, similar to other Scomberomorus species, consisting of a case where landings increase over time, despite the high trophic level and large body size of the resource. The results agree with a recent global assessment that has demystified a necessary correlation between high trophic level and overexploitation, but possible factors acting on the present findings are discussed.info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessInstituto Internacional de EcologiaBrazilian Journal of Biology v.83 20232023-01-01info:eu-repo/semantics/articletext/htmlhttp://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842023000100123en10.1590/1519-6984.246180
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country Brasil
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region America del Sur
libraryname SciELO
language English
format Digital
author Chaves,P. T. C.
Birnfeld,P. O.
spellingShingle Chaves,P. T. C.
Birnfeld,P. O.
The Serra Spanish mackerel fishery (Scomberomorus brasiliensis – Teleostei) in Southern Brazil: the growing landings of a high trophic level resource
author_facet Chaves,P. T. C.
Birnfeld,P. O.
author_sort Chaves,P. T. C.
title The Serra Spanish mackerel fishery (Scomberomorus brasiliensis – Teleostei) in Southern Brazil: the growing landings of a high trophic level resource
title_short The Serra Spanish mackerel fishery (Scomberomorus brasiliensis – Teleostei) in Southern Brazil: the growing landings of a high trophic level resource
title_full The Serra Spanish mackerel fishery (Scomberomorus brasiliensis – Teleostei) in Southern Brazil: the growing landings of a high trophic level resource
title_fullStr The Serra Spanish mackerel fishery (Scomberomorus brasiliensis – Teleostei) in Southern Brazil: the growing landings of a high trophic level resource
title_full_unstemmed The Serra Spanish mackerel fishery (Scomberomorus brasiliensis – Teleostei) in Southern Brazil: the growing landings of a high trophic level resource
title_sort serra spanish mackerel fishery (scomberomorus brasiliensis – teleostei) in southern brazil: the growing landings of a high trophic level resource
description Abstract In fisheries, the phenomenon known as fishing down food webs is supposed to be a consequence of overfishing, which would be reflected in a reduction in the trophic level of landings. In such scenarios, the resilience of carnivorous, top predator species is particularly affected, making these resources the first to be depleted. The Serra Spanish mackerel, Scomberomorus brasiliensis, exemplifies a predator resource historically targeted by artisanal fisheries on the Brazilian coast. The present work analyzes landings in three periods within a 50-year timescale on the Parana coast, Southern Brazil, aiming to evaluate whether historical production has supposedly declined. Simultaneously, the diet was analyzed to confirm carnivorous habits and evaluate the trophic level in this region. Surprisingly, the results show that from the 1970’s to 2019 Serra Spanish mackerel production grew relatively to other resources, as well as in individual values. The trophic level was calculated as 4.238, similar to other Scomberomorus species, consisting of a case where landings increase over time, despite the high trophic level and large body size of the resource. The results agree with a recent global assessment that has demystified a necessary correlation between high trophic level and overexploitation, but possible factors acting on the present findings are discussed.
publisher Instituto Internacional de Ecologia
publishDate 2023
url http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1519-69842023000100123
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