Abstract Fish that are incidentally caught by shrimp trawling represent a predictable and abundant resource for feeding several bird species, especially for the gull Larus dominicanus. This fishing activity is subject to disruptions throughout the year during closed fishing seasons, when other fishing modalities are exercised, which can alter the composition, abundance and size of the fish bycatch. This study evaluated the influence of the restriction of fishing period of shrimp (closed season) on the diet of L. dominicanus, on the Paraná State coast. From December 2013 to August 2014, 10 pellets were collected per month in two distinct areas that have shrimp trawl fishery as the main economic activity: one continental and another in an estuarine island. In total, 920 fish were identified, divided into four families and 15 species, especially the family Sciaenidae with 11 species. There were differences in abundance and biomass of species between areas and between seasons of pre-closure, closure and post-closure. Differences for the mean total length of the species were only detected between the pre-closed and closed seasons in one area. This study evidenced the strong relationship between L. dominicanus and the shrimp trawl fishery, the species composition identified in the pellets and their respective morphometric measurements follow the same pattern of the literature for fish discarded in trawling activities.
How is artificial lighting affecting the catches in deep water rose shrimp trawl fishery of the Central Mediterranean sea? [Ocean Coast Manag., 215, 1 December 2021, 105970]
