Fishsource profile: Southern red snapper - Brazil (Country: BR; Gear: LX, FIX;)

MSC pre-assessment (in Portuguese)

Participants role 

FIP participants MOU

Updated 2024 workplan

Updated workplan

workplan 2014-2016 is available (in Portuguese)

A CPG meeting was held with the government, NGOs, researchers, and private sector member where the export quota and fleet database update were voted on.

The results of the Repensapesca study were presented and discussed at the CPG meeting; the findings concluded that the red snapper stock in Northern and Northeastern Brazil is overexploited. Topics discussed included stock evaluations of key species, updates on sustainable fishing practices, technical recommendations, and regional management strategies.

The FIP has begun producing traceability reports as part its fisheries data collection program; the report includes data on fishing license numbers, catch certificates and landing volumes. 

The FIP along with other NGOs put together a proposal for the newly elected government to adopt an export quota (using export data from the last 5 years) with a 10% reduction and a full revision to boating licenses; the proposal is awaiting review.

The FIP has undergone genetic testing of target species samples; the samples tested demonstrate that the target species could be Lutjanus campechanus instead of Lutjanus purpureus. The FIP is exploring a new stock assessment segregating the two stocks.

 5-year investigation proposing an ecosystem approach for fishery resources in the North and Northeast Brazilian coast concludes that the red snapper likely overfished, with a recommended sustainable yield of around 3500 tons per year. 

Pilot monitoring system results have been made available in a final report for the period of October 2021- March 2022. Volumes recorded in the pilot compared to actual snapper exports (ComexStat database) demonstrates that the pilot system managed to capture 88% of the volume.

Detailed mapping of the product chain based on input from  four main processing and exporting companie on  product flows, fish yields and record keeping 

Government published harvesting data for the 2019 season on their website 

Changes and updates made to the recovery plan based on impacts the FIP has faced due to covid

Field trip report uploaded to FisheryProgress 

Evaluation of actual trap losses is being conducted by UFPA (Federal University of Para) researchers to provide stakeholder a better comprehension of the requirment of the panels

FIP activities are on track

Develop studies to assess fisheries environmental impacts on species and substrates

Develop and implement a management plan for the fishery/stock

Start a continuous fisheries data collection Program (catch, effort, fishing areas, by-catch, ghost fisheries)

Increase in PI 3.2.3 to 60 - the fishery has control and surveillance mechanisms in place and sanctions for offenders (Reported in the 3 year audit)

Increase to PI score 1.2.1 to 60 -  there is evidence from analysis presented in the 3 year audit which allows for the development of harvest control rules and that currently the stock has not been overfished

Increase to MSC PI 2.5.3 - Increase in information  based on electronic monitoring efforts captured 250 hours of underwater footage distributed across 24 various fishing areas wwith professional cameras attached to traps/gear

Increase in BMT score 2.5.3; 250 hours of underwater footage was captured, attached to gear and traps, providing information on the seabed and benthic communities in major snapper fishing grounds

Increase in BMT score 1.2.4; a new management strategy evaluation method was used showing that if the stock is harvested under 4,500 T/yr level will have a 75% probability of maintaining itself sustainable and 82% probability to not promote overfishing

Increase in PI scores 2.4.2. and 2.4.2 - no damaging interaction on habitat observed fromm use of hte traps

Using FIP data and organization, Oceana Brazilian office worked together with the Environmental Agencies in Brazil (MMA and ICMBio) and published the new Management Plan and a new rule to support it (Portaria 228 14 june 2018)

Fisheries assessment to manage the stock and now a Management Plan and legal framework to propose and implement future stock and harvest control rules prepared and presented 

Increase in MSC PI scores 2.1.3 and 2.2.3 - target and non-target species are identified and quantified

After collecting 2016 season data plus adding other information collected in two previous seasons in other Project UFPA scientist calculated that the actual fishing effort is E=0,58 and using Beverton & Holt model they estimated the EMSY (Maximum Sustainable Yield) in 0,726. L. purpureus fisheries in north Brazil is highly likely to be within biologically limits.

Increase to PI 2.1.1; FIP has updated its data collection protocol

Increase in PI score increase in Dec 2019, based on habitat report concluding no habitat impact from research

Increase in PI scores 1.1.1 and 2.1.1 - evaluation of the stock