Morphometric evaluations and yields of commecial cuts of pirarucu (<i>Arapaima gigas</i>) in different weight classes

Abstract

The aimed of this study was to analyze the yield, correlations, and profitability of different commercial cuts of pirarucu (Arapaima gigas) in seven weight classes. Data on 380 fish were obtained, with weight ranging 4.7 to 48.2 kg. The Kruskal-Wallis’s test (? = 0.05) was used to compare the average income. And Spearman’s correlation (? = 0.05) was used to verify the correlation between morphometric measurements and yields. To obtain profit in each weight class due to the cut produced, an economic analysis was performed considering the cost of buying the fish. The weight classes 1 (< 8 kg) and 6 (23.1 to 32 kg) had the highest yields and weight classes 1 (< 8.0 kg) and 2 (8.1 to 11.0 kg) the lowest residues production. The yield of fillet mignon and tail fillet is higher in weight classes 4 (14.1 to 18 kg), 5 (18.1 to 23.0 kg) and 6 (23.1 to 32.0 kg), while the yield of loin and residues did not differ between weight classes. The production of the commecial cuts presented a higher economic return than the production of pirarucu deboned in all weight classes, but it is not recommended to take the pirarucu production above 32 kg. The measure of average circumference has a moderately positive correlation with the deboned yield, and can be used to determine the yields of this commercial cut.