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Shrimp products are among the most valuable fisheries export in the world. As such, the shrimp trawling fishery is a crucial source of income and livelihood worldwide that employs thousands of people. However, while shrimp trawling is very effective in capturing target species, this activity is based on gears with low selectivity which commonly has an associated catch of untargeted organisms (e.g. finfish, turtles and miscellaneous invertebrates). These unwanted catches may lead to adverse impacts on populations and ecosystems, making the activity unsustainable in economic, environmental, and social terms.

In this context, the project on the Sustainable Management of Bycatch in Bottom Trawl Fisheries of Latin America and the Caribbean (REBYC-II LAC) represent FAO's attempt at improving tropical shrimp fisheries and implementing the International Guidelines on the Management of Bycatch and Discards. The Global Environment Objective of the project is to reduce the negative ecosystem impact and achieve more sustainable shrimp/bottom trawl fisheries in the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region through implementation of an Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF), including bycatch and habitat impact management. The Development Objective is to strengthen resilience of coastal communities through promotion of responsible fishing practices, livelihoods enhancement and diversification contributing to food security and poverty eradication.

In Brazil, the project REBYC-II LAC has been implemented since 2016 and has achieved results in two main axes: (i) bycatch exclusion devices in trawl nets and (ii) improvement of the knowledge on the ecology and status stock of target and bycatch species. One of the study sites of the Project was carried out in the Community of Barra de Sirinhaém, in the State of Pernambuco- Northeast Brazil. Trawling in this community is artisanal, based on average 8m long vessels, equipped with double rig system. The trawling area is close to the coast, allowing boats returning in the same day. Most part of the bycatch (around 80%) is donated for poor people of the local community.

Many experiments on Exclusion Devices were coordinated by the laboratories of Sustainable Fisheries Laboratories (LAPESU) and Construction of Fishing Gears (LACAPE), located on the Federal Rural University of Pernambuco – UFRPE. In these experiments, many exclusion devices were tested (e.g. panel of square meshes in the body of trawl net, square mesh panel in the bag net (video 01), aluminum grid system (video 02), vertical panel with square meshes and analyzed considering its efficiency and acceptance by local fishers. So far, the panel with square meshes has been proved highly efficient in excluding undesired bycatch species and keeping low shrimp loss. Therefore, this new technology is helping the local fisheries in Sirinhaém and it is already been exported for others states in Brazil (e.g. Piauí and Sergipe) that are facing similar issues in shrimp fisheries.

Studies concerning the biology and status of the target shrimp and fish bycatch were carried out by Studies of Anthropic Impacts on the Marine and Estuarine Biodiversity lab (BIOIMPACT) and Technology in Aquaculture Laboratory (LTA). Three main target species are caught: sea-bob shrimp (Xiphopenaeus kroyeri), white shrimp (Litopenaeus schmitti) and pink shrimp (Farfantepenaeus subtilis). For these species, studies on population structure, growth, reproductive dynamics and stock assessment were undergone. The white and pink shrimp have its life cycle between estuaries (to feed) and the open sea (to reproduce), while the sea-bob shrimp has its entire life cycle in the open ocean. They reproduce during all year but mainly in the warmer months. Even though these species are close to its full exploitation limit, they are not currently overexploited. A total of 93 species of fish is caught as bycatch of this fisheries. Those species are mainly croakers (Family Sciaenidae) and herrings (Family Pristigasteridae), mainly short-lived.

The results here presented have been intensively discussed with the local fishers at several meetings carried out in Sirinhaem, taking into account the concept of a co-management. In summary, through the production of knowledge and new technologies, the project REBYC-II LAC is helping Brazilian trawl fisheries to (i) improve institutional and regulatory arrangements for shrimp/bottom trawl fisheries and bycatch co-management, (ii) improve the bycatch management and encourage applying responsible trawling practices within an EAF framework.

Written by Flávia Lucena-Frédou (Fisheries and Aquaculture Department – UFRPE), Leandro Nolé Eduardo (Doctoral's student in Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources – UFRPE), Rayssa Rayanna S. de Siqueira Lima (Master's student in Fisheries and Aquaculture Resources – UFRPE) Thierry Frédou (Fisheries and Aquaculture Department – UFRPE) and Vanildo Souza de Oliveira (DEFA Project Coordinator DEFA/ Brazil).