ABSTRACT

The Great Amazon Reef System is one of the least known mesophotic environments on the Atlantic coast of northern South America, threatened by oil and gas exploration projects and explored by different industrial fisheries. Here, we provide the first inventory of the cartilaginous and bony fishes captured by industrial fisheries of the red snapper and lobster in the Great Amazonian Reef System, including a list of species with ecological and conservation information, in addition to biogeographic considerations. A total of 143 species were recorded, with 17 elasmobranchs and 126 teleosts. A specimen likely representing a hybrid between Cephalopholis fulva and Cephalopholis furcifer (Serranidae) was also recorded. Community ecology descriptors were employed to explore the diversity patterns of the species captured by different fishing gears. Our results highlight the relevance of monitoring fishery activities to enhance knowledge of the biodiversity in poorly sampled areas and understanding the local impacts of human activities.

KEYWORDS:
mesophotic corals; fisheries monitoring; fishing gears; Amazon River plume