Incidental capture of Myliobatis goodei and Myliobatis ridens in artisanal fishing in southern Brazil

This study described the myliobatids caught in artisanal beach seine fisheries in southern Brazil. Fieldwork was carried out from spring 2012 to winter 2014 in Cassino Beach (Rio Grande, Brazil). Both retained and discarded specimens were identified to species level, and sex, maturity and disc width (DW in cm) were recorded. A total 359 specimens of Myliobatis spp. were recorded, of which 43.4% were from fishery discards, 31.5% from beach seine and 25.1% from drifting gill-net (‘lance de praia’, a fishery that has developed recently in the study area). Catches of myliobatids were higher in the spring and autumn. A total of 94 Myliobatis goodei (24 males, 69 females (eight pregnant) and one unsexed), and 179 Myliobatis ridens were recorded (24 males, 148 females (17 pregnant) and seven unsexed). Myliobatis goodei ranged in size from 45.0–65.0 cm DW (males) and 43.3–115.0 cm DW (females). Myliobatis ridens were 45.0–59.0 cm DW (males) and 41.2–98.0 cm DW (females). Both beach seine and gill-net fisheries operated in potential nursery areas for these myliobatid rays, as indicated by the proportionally high number of mature females (including pregnant females) and juveniles found in this study. The rays probably feed and give birth during the warmer seasons of the year (spring and summer) in these areas.