Temporal changes of a coastal small-scale fishery system within a tropical metropolitan city

Abstract Small-Scale Fishery Systems have changed in the last decades under the influence of multiple human activities. The Itaipu Small-Scale Fishery System is under the influence of gentrification of an almost exclusive fishing village, allied to economic demands and technological advances. The present study aimed to understand the adaptive strategies of this system based on the analysis of changes that have occurred in the last four decades regarding the following parameters: catch composition and fish production, characteristic fishing methods and the gear and vessels used in the activity. The spatial distributions of gillnet and hook-and-line catches and their relationship with the defined area of the Itaipu Marine Extractive Reserve was also evaluated. The results indicate the capability of the Itaipu Small-Scale Fishery System to adapt over time concerning disturbances. These results may contribute to the management of the fishing system at the Marine Extractive Reserve.