The study of estuarine fish communities has called researchers’ attention due to the fact that these ecosystems present a great variety and abundance of fish, many of which have commercial importance. Such studies have become fundamental in the evaluation of fish stocks, and also contributed to the conservation of coastal and estuarine environments. Rio Curuçá’s estuary is located at the coastline in the northern part of the state of Para, although fishing is the main economic activity in towns of the region, there are a few studies on local ictiofauna. The main objective of this study was to characterize the demersal
ictiofauna of the main channels in the Curuçá River estuary, identifying annual and spatial variations in the composition, density and biomass of ictiofauna, as well as non-biotic factors that influence these variations. In order to this, data collection
trips were carried out once every two months, using trawl net, in two of the main estuary channels. At the end of the study, 18.989 individuals of 73 species were captured. Ophichthus cylindroideus, Hippocampus reidi, Sygnathus pelagicus and
Butis koilomatodon had not yet been registered in the state’s north coastline. Sciaenidae, Engraulidae and Ariidae families were the most representative in number of species, density and biomass. 20 species, classified as estuarine, were majority, and presented leading densities and biomass in all months and capture
stations. Average density (0,12 ind/m²) was significantly greater during the rainy season, but biomass (1,11 g/m²) did not present significant changes during the months of capture. The Curuçá area has presented greater richness of species, density and biomass. This difference is related mainly to a greater heterogeneity of
substrat in the area, and thus a greater availability of microhabitats. Physical and chemical composition of water was homogeneous in capture stations, and had little influence on the spatial distribution of ictiofauna. The registration of new species for the region enforces the importance of other studies for a greater comprehension of local ictiofauna, which is an important economic resource to the local human population.
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