DENSIDADES DE PIRARUCU (Arapaima gigas, TELEOSTEI, OSTEOGLOSSIDAE) EM LAGOS DAS RESERVAS DE DESENVOLVIMENTO SUSTENTÁVEL MAMIRAUÁ E AMANÃ, AMAZONAS, BRASIL

Abstract

At the Sustainable Development Reserves of Mamirauá and Amanã, the pirarucu fishery is co-managed. Local fishermen assess pirarucu populations and, with the help of the Mamirauá Institute and state government, use this information to establish fishing quotas. Surveys are possible by counts of individual coming to the surface to breath air. This study reports preliminary findings of pirarucu population densities in the areas within the reserves based on the time series built in the last years and on satellite im agery of the managed area. The populations of the pirarucu increased in most managed areas. The increase rates for each managed area relative to the last year for which data are available are: Jarauá (562.881 km 2) 525%, Tijuaca (248.293 km 2) 169%, M araã/Lago Preto (18.53 km ²) 1039%, and Coraci (410.340 km 2) 20%. The data suggests that the management for conservation of pirarucus within the reserve is effective. In part, that is so due to the fact that the management is participatory and carried out in an adaptive strategy.