Ichthyofauna and fishery activity in the microbasin of Chajerado River, Middle Atrato (Colombia)

Abstract

With the goal of characterizing the ichthyofauna and describing certain aspects of the fishery activities in the Chajeradó river micro-basin, two lagoons, three rivers and four streams were sampled between November and December 1995. A total of twenty-eight species, belonging to five orders and fourteen families, were captured. Of these, 21.4% were found exclusively in streams, 14.3% in rivers and 10.7% in lagoons. Ninety-one indigenous people of the Chajeradó community fish with overshot and sag in the rivers and streams. The twelve people of the Tadía afro-american community fish with seines in the lagoons and mouths of large rivers. Indigenouss and afro-american people conduct their fishery activities inside of the territorial limits of each community. The most important species for commerce are Prochilodus magdalenae and Hoplias Malabaricus 68.5% of the commercial fishes captured did not have the minimum size for sexual maturity.