Caracterização das feiras livres e dos peixes comercializados nos municípios de São Bento, Peri-Mirim e Palmeirândia

Abstract

Marketing of fish in the markets of the municipalities of São Bento, Peri-Mirim, and Palmeirândia is of utmost importance to the economy of Baixada, as it serves as a source of income for many families whose only means of survival is fishing. The objective of this work is to identify the forms of marketing and the origin of the fish sold in the open markets of the municipalities of São Bento, Peri-Mirim, and Palmeirândia. To achieve this, visits will be made to the open markets of the municipalities, where each fish species will be photographed alongside a scale for subsequent identification. The species will be identified whenever possible up to the genus level, and their common names will be noted. The origin of the fish will be investigated with the vendors: freshwater or marine; captive or natural; from Baixada, another region of Maranhão, or another state. The presentation forms of the fish species for marketing will also be recorded. The data will be used to compare the species composition sold in each open market of the municipalities of São Bento, Peri-Mirim, and Palmeirândia. Thirteen fish species were identified in the three studied municipalities, with the majority coming from natural fishing in the Baixada region. Hygiene and sanitation problems were observed in the fish markets, such as a lack of cleanliness, poor facilities, and absence of supervision, indicating the urgent need for investments and corrective measures in the markets to prevent health risks and epidemic outbreaks