VIABILIDADE ECONÔMICA DE ENGORDA DE LAGOSTA EM VIVEIROS NO MAR NA COMUNIDADE DE PONTA GROSSA, MUNICÍPIO DE ICAPUÍ, CEARÁ, 1996

Abstract

In 1996, as an alternative to local petty fishery practices, the Fishermen’s Association of the community of Ponta Grossa (Ceará State, Brazil), assisted by The Laboratory of Aquatic Resources Federal University of Ceará, built and installed a seashore nursing cage for the growout of spiny lobsters. In the period covered by this study the nursing cage was restocked with spiny lobster at the same rate as the grown-out specimens were being harvested and sold, except during the defense season (January to April) when the species is protected by law. Sixty people, including both fishermen and their families, operated the nursing cage. Thus the present study attempts to estimate the financial return of the community with which the participants were remunerated. The fixed and variable costs were found to represent 57.57% and 42.43%, respectively, of the total cost. The depreciation of the nursing cage constituted the main cost item while cost storing the harvested spiny lobsters came in second. In 1996, a total production of 5,370 kg of whole spiny lobster yielded an income of R$ 53,700.00 and provided the community with a profit of R$ 35,505.57 (calculated as proceeds minus costs, not including manpower), corresponding to approximately R$ 600.00 ...