Ethnobiology of snappers (Lutjanidae): target species and suggestions for management

We collected 288 snappers and interviewed 86 fishermen. The stomach contents of each fish were examined and macroscopic gonad analysis was performed. Snappers are very important for the fisheries of NE Brazil, and our results indicated that some populations, such as mutton snapper (L. analis) and lane snapper (L. synagris), are being caught when they are too young, at early juvenile stages.Local knowledge has been shown to be a powerful tool for determining appropriate policies regarding management of target species, and artisanal fishermen can be included in management processes. Other suggestions for managing the fisheries are discussed, including proposals that could provide motivation for artisanal fishermen to participate in programs to conserve resources, such as co-management approaches that utilize local knowledge, the establishment of fishing seasons, and compensation of fishermen, through 'payment for environmental services'. These suggestions may enhance the participation of local artisanal fishermen in moving to a more realistic and less top-down management approach of the fish population.Reef fishes of the Lutjanidae family (snappers) are important targets for fisheries in several regions worldwide, including Australia [1], the South Pacific [2], Africa [3,4], North and South America [5,6], and Brazil [7]. Snappers are locally called "Vermelhos" or "Pargos" in Brazil and are commonly exploited by artisanal fishermen [7,8]. There are about twenty-three genera of snappers (Lutjanidae) and the genus Lutjanus includes more than 70 species [9]; in http://www.fishbase.org webcite[10] there are 173 scientific names listed for Lutjanus. In Brazil, there are twelve species of snappers from five genera: Etelis oculatus, Lutjanus analis, L. apodus, L. bucanella, L. cyanopterus, L. griseus, L. jocu, L. purpureus, L. synagris, L. vivanus, Ocyurus chrysurus, Pristipomoides freemani, P. aquilonaris and Rhomboplites aurorubens [11,12].Snappers have been intensively cap