ESTIMATIVA DO TEMPO DE RECUPERAÇÃO DE UM BANCO NATURAL DO MEXILHÃO PERNA PERNA (LINNAEUS, 1758) NA BAÍA DE SANTOS, ESTADO DE SÃO PAULO

Abstract

Mussel population Perna perna proceeding from Urubuqueçaba Island, a natural bed of Santos Bay, São Paulo State, Brazil, have been studied in order to determine: the growth curve and the condition index of the mussel population fixed in the exploitation areas and to estimate the restoration time of the mussel beds exploited by shellfish gatherers. The results showed that: According to the growth curve obtained, P. perna fixes itself on the coast at 1.96 months of life and reaches the length of 50mm in 14.05 months; 60mm in 18.43 months; 70mm in 23.48 months and 80mm in 29.44 months. The L¥ , i.e., the maximum average theoretical length that the animals may reach is 131.12mm. Maximum values of the condition index of mussels have been registered in October and November (0.32) and the minimum values in March and April (0.17). The recovery time estimated in the natural bed was 14.05 months, when the mussels reach 50mm and are ready to be extracted. These results permit to conclude that the economical exploitation of the species P. perna in the region of Santos Bay must be optimized with the development of the mussel culture in commercial scale.