Consideracoes sobre a comercializacao de pescado em Braganca-Para

Comments on the fish marketing system in Bragança, Pará State The Bragança county ranks second as concerns fish production in Pará State, being offset only by Belém county. Its marine fisheries are carried out by groups of fishermen that show differences as to capacity and autonomy of production, and as to catching and organization strategies. The fishing fleet which operates on the Amazon estuary and northern shelf takes on both industrial and artisanal features according to fishing areas, and aims at exploiting a high species diversity meant for supplying the local and external markets. The food fish is traded under fresh and salted conditions, with the latter being the one that allows for a longer conservation time of the product and a better selling price. In the fish salt processing both the small scale (family units) and large scale (external help for fish cleaning and salting) commercial relationships are addressed. Trading of fish at Bragança county is performed at the local market place and directly with truckmen who transport low-value fish to other counties in Maranhão and Pará States. The more valuable fish, namely yellow weakfish, Brazilian mackerel and red snapper are meant for exportation to foreign markets. The final selling price changes with the quantities for supply, so that it may be lower or higher depending on the occurrence of good or bad harvesting seasons.