
Length Category: Large (>100 cm)
Trophic Level: Predator-fish
Migratory Pattern: Long Distance (1,000 km +)
Spawning Period: All periods
Export Market: International (outside South America)
Market Status: First class
Catch Distribution:
Dourada potential yield was estimated to be 10,500 tons. Three important fishery regions account for 81% of potential yield: Estuary (38%), Brazilian-Colombian-Peruvian Border (30%) and Lower Amazon (13%). The potential yield of dourada is moderate in the Central Amazon (9%), Peruvian Amazon (7%) and Madeira (2%) regions.
Natural History Notes:
The dourada is a large piscivorous catfish confined mostly to river channels and the estuary. It migrates from the estuary to the Andean foothills where it spawns and it is heavily exploited along this entire route. It is probable that overexploitation will soon be a problem if fishing limits are not imposed, though destruction of headwater spawning habitats could also become a problem with colonization of the lower slopes of the Andes.

Distribution of dourada catch. Source: Barthem, R., Goulding, M. 2007. An unexpected ecosystem: the Amazon as revealed by fisheries. Missouri Botanical Garden Press.
Dourada gallery
Brazil | |
Dourada | Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii |
Dourado | Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii |
Colombia | |
Plateado | Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii |
Dorado | Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii |
Peru | |
Dorado | Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii |
Zúngaro-dorado | Brachyplatystoma rousseauxii |
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