A explotação de espécies ornamentais marinhas no Brasil, com ênfase no Estado do Ceará

Abstract

Brazil has an important role in marine ornamental trade worldwide and Ceará state is the most relevant exporter in the country. However, there is a paucity of data regarding the species currently traded, as well as a lack of rules specifically driven to the protection of many organisms and the efficiency of the available management tools is unknown. Additionally, export data had to be updated and the illicit transport of species via Brazilian postal services needed to be investigated. xvii Different sources of information were accessed, legislation was surveyed, Ibama's export data were analyzed and information concerning mailed ornamental species was gathered. Results revealed that a wide range of Brazilian native species are exploited by the ornamental industry, including those threatened with extinction. Flaws in the management tools adopted by Brazilian authorities to control utilization of marine aquarium ornamentals were detected. The analysis of authorizations of export corroborated the relevant participation of Ceará state in Brazilian marine ornamental fish trade, but showed a substantial decline of exports along the last decade. Pomacanthids were the most important fish group traded, lower export numbers occurred in the Northern Hemisphere summers and Asian countries are currently the main importers from Brazil. Mailed marine species were less representative than freshwater individuals, but some of the former organisms figure in the Brazilian list of threatened species. Most of the species confiscated neither are native from Brazil nor from Ceará state - raising concerns about potential risks of bioinvasions. Hence, in order to reduce environmental impacts caused by marine ornamental trade, Brazilian authorities should encourage the development of sustainable aquaculture initiatives and ecosystem-based management strategies. Additionally, specific rules oriented to marine ornamental trade have to be issued, management tools, as well as controlling the illegal mailing of species through Brazilian postal services, have to be improved and export data ought to be more often updated.