THE DIVERSITY AND ABUNDANCE OF ELASMOBRANCH IN THE STATE OF PARAÍBA, BRAZIL

Student: 
Wilson Oliveira Junior

Information on the diversity and abundance of elasmobranchs (sharks and rays) in the State of Paraíba is scarce and relies heavily on fishery-dependent sources. Understanding the diversity and abundance of elasmobranchs is essential to effective management actions. Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) were used to survey the elasmobranch population in the coastal areas of Paraíba and assess the spatial and temporal distribution of species. Data were collected opportunistically from August 2020 to May 2021 at six sites totaling 67 samples. Surveys recorded 50 individuals from four species and three families. The lut’z stingray, Hypanus berthalutzae¸ was the most abundant species (n = 35), followed by nurse shark, Ginglymostoma cirratum (n=8), Brazilian large-eyed stingray (n=4), and great hammerhead shark, Sphyrna mokarran (n=1). Two unidentified rays were grouped to genus level (Hypanus sp). The mean relative abundance of sharks and rays together (MaxN h-1) was 0.44 h-1 (0.08 h-1 sharks and 0.36 h-1 rays). The relative abundance of sharks exhibits one of the lowest estimates in the world. These results suggest a strong fishing pressure by unmanaged artisanal and industrial fisheries on these animals. Our findings provide relevant theoretical knowledge on the elasmobranch population in Paraíba and will serve as a baseline for future conservation strategies for elasmobranchs in the region.