Officials enact controversial ban on fishing practice: 'Serves to prevent ... extinction'

A seasonal shrimp-fishing ban in the Brazilian state of Paraná is underway to protect the reproductive cycles of several varieties of shrimp and preserve the local ecosystem.

Folha do Litoral reported on the prohibition of trawling by the Normative Instruction of the Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA). The restrictions on the industrial fishing method, which captures large quantities at once, began Jan. 28 and will run until April 30.

Bans on shrimping for the rosa, sete-barbas, branco, santana, and barba-ruça varieties using motorized trawling nets will be enforced through inspections by the Water and Land Institute (IAT).

"The closed season for shrimp fishing serves to prevent the extinction of the species, encouraging its reproduction," said IAT enforcement agent Sérgio Augusto da Silva, per Folha do Litoral. "This phase is essential because these animals are the base of the marine food chain."

Those involved in the shrimp industry were required to report stock and storage details to IBAMA by early February. Noncompliance with the Environmental Crimes Law and commerce in unaccounted-for shrimp could result in penalties.

Paraná's ban is in line with other global moves to regulate shrimping when it could threaten the survival of the species. A long-standing ban on commercial fishing for shrimp in the Gulf of Maine was extended recently for the same purpose.

Overfishing can cause long-term damage to the local ecosystem, harming biodiversity and the marine food chain. In Brazil, it can also threaten the long-term viability of a staple of the local diet and a key part of the economy.

Ultimately, a short-term hit to fishing for these shrimp is well worth it if the alternative is losing these species in the long run. The hope is that rigid enforcement of the closed season will protect the fishing activities during the remaining nine months of each year from jeopardizing environmental balance.

For shrimp lovers in the region, there are exceptions during the ban for specific types of capture of white shrimp and seven-bearded shrimp.

Those permitted activities aim to balance fishing activities with the necessary strict restrictions on other species and more comprehensive fishing practices.

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