Questionnaires were used to collect data from the low‐Solimões/high‐Amazon region, Brazil, between December 1992 and February 1994. Gillnets, fishing rods and castnets were the preferred gear used. Gillnets were used throughout the year whilst other gears were used only in certain periods of the year. The fish caught tended to supply family needs but a high proportion were sold in regional markets. Curimatã (Prochilodus nigricans), pacu (various Myleinae) and ruelo (young Colossoma macropomum) were the most frequent species caught. Around 50% of the fish caught in these fisheries was consumed fresh, and the remainder was stored under ice or salted. Fish is the most important source of animal protein for this region, with an annual mean consumption rate of 550 g capita−1 day−1. The fishery has changed from a subsistence to a commercial scale, which was associated with increasing cattle ranching activities. This may have serious social and economic implications.

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A possibilidade do aproveitamento integral dos recursos pesqueiros tem produzido diversas pesquisas sobre os aspectos tecnológicos e nutricionais, objetivando estimular a exploração comercial de várias espécies, bem como oferecer suporte para a implantação de indústrias na região. o presente trabalho determinou o rendimento cárneo de dez espécies com maior volume de desembarque no estado do Amazonas, visando fornecer dados mais recentes para a indústria de beneficiamento de pescado. As espécies foram selecionadas segundo dados estatísticos do IBAmA e coletadas em dois períodos sazonais (cheia e seca), no município de manacapuru-Am. no período da cheia, os percentuais médios de rendimento das espécies atingiram 69,4% de corpo limpo, 38,4% de filé com pele e 30,7% de filé sem pele, cortes preferenciais para comercialização. na seca estes valores foram de 69%; 37,6%; 29,5%, respectivamente. As dez espécies de peixes amazônicos estudadas apresentaram bom rendimento cárneo, com potencial para uso em diversos procedimentos tecnológicos. PalavRas-chave: Pescado de água doce, rendimento cárneo, variação sazonal. Meat yield analysis of the major fish species commercialized in the state of Amazonas, Brazil abstRactThe possibility of whole use of fishery resources has led institutions and researchers to establish permanent studies on technological and nutritional aspects, aiming to stimulate commercial exploitation as well as to support the setting up industries in the region, that can make products of excellent quality based on regional fishes. This study determined the meat yield of ten species with the highest fish landing volume in Amazonas, aiming to provide more recent data for the fish processing industry. The species were selected according to data of IBAmA and collected in two seasons (flood and drought), in the municipality of manacapuru-Am. In the flood period, the average yield reached 69.4% for gutted body, 38.4% for fillets with skin, and 30.7% for skinless fillets, which are the favored commercial cuts. In the drought period, data showed 69%, 37.6%, and 29.5% respectively. The analyses showed that the ten Amazon fish species have a high potential for use in several technological procedures.

Ten lots of mapará (Hypophthalmus sp.), captured from the Amazon River, Brazil, were analyzed for their lipid content and fatty acid composition. This knowledge would allow for the development of adequate processing methods and the formulation of therapeutic diets. Separation into neutral and phospholipids was accomplished by silica-gel column chromatography. Fat from the muscular tissue and from the orbital cavity of the mapará was analyzed by high-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in two different seasonal periods. There were high levels of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids in the total and neutral lipid with the principal components 16:0, 18:1omega9, 18:0, 16:1omega7, 14:0, 18:3omega3, and 18:1omega7 in both seasons. In the phospholipids there was a high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including primarily 16:0, 18:1omega9, 18:0, 16:1omega7, 22:6omega3, 20:4omega6, 18:3omega3, and 20:5omega3. The ratio omega3/omega6 was the same in the muscular tissue and in the orbital cavity, in both seasonal periods. The muscle tissue could be used in diets that need high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids, but use of the head to produce an omega3 fatty-acid-rich oil still requires greater study with respect to its economic viability.