This study provides the first data on the population structure of swimming crab Callinectes ornatus Ordway, 1863 bycatch from coastal shrimp fishing in northern Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil (21º 30'-21º 50' S and 41º 05'-41º 07' W). Crabs were collected monthly from April 2006 to March 2007. A total of 5,611 specimens were analyzed, of which 3,951 were males and 1,660 ovigerous and non-ovigerous females. The overall sex ratio (2:1) differ significantly from the expected 1:1 proportion, being the mature males significantly predominant as bycatch in this fishery. The specimens' carapace width and weight varied from 27 to 126 mm (mean: 77.3 ± 12.3 mm) and 1.2 to 128.2 g (mean: 31.0 ± 14.4 g) for males, and 30 to 101 mm (mean: 63.4 ± 9.3 mm) and 1.7 to 66.0 g (mean: 16.4 ± 7.4 g) for ovigerous and non-ovigerous females. Seasonal comparisons did not reveal differences between the number of specimens captured in dry and rainy periods considering both sexes and maturity stages. The size at first maturity was 79 mm for males and 65 mm for females, and the carapace width-weight relationship indicated an alometric pattern for both sexes. The bycatch swimming crabs are locally used as bait, but the capture tendency for a specific sex/age-group can affect this population structure over time.
crab; bycatch; shrimp fishing; southeastern Brazil; South Atlantic ocean
