01792naa a2200217 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001910000200006024501260008026000090020652011730021565000170138865000150140565000110142070000170143170000210144870000220146970000200149170000200151177300430153112568852009-08-19       2005    bl ---       0--  u    #d1 aLEGAT, J. F. A.  aCurrent fishery status of Ucides cordatus (Linnaeus, 1763) (Brachyura, Ocypodidae) in the Parnaíba Delta Region, Brazil.  c2005  aIn the northeastern Brazilian coast, the crab Ucides cordatus is considered as an important fishery resource, generating job and income for thousand of families. The Parnaíba Delta Region, located between states of Piauí and Maranhão (02º44'S; 41º59'W), exhibits the highest concentration of communities that depend on the crab fishery for their living. The aim of this work is to describe the current information about U. cordatus fishery, providing an improved basis for the development of effective management plants in this region. Data were collected from several research studies and from technical and regional meetings held between 2002 and 2004. Results showed that approximately 4500 fishermen capture 21 millions crabs per year, and that about 40 to 60% of total catches are discarded without utilization. The wastefulness is caused by inadequate techniques of capture, handling, storage and transportation. Overfishing evidences, such as the reduction of mean individual sizes and the increase of capture effort, are related to the absence of appropriate exploitation policies associated with the high demand from market consumption in the last years.  aAqüicultura  aCaranguejo  aManejo1 aLEGAT, A. P.1 aCASTRO, P. F. de1 aPEREIRA, A. M. L.1 aGÓES, J. M. de1 aGÓES, L. C. F.  tNaupliusgv. 13, n. 1, p. 65-70, 2005.