This work presents the results of a study on the fish fauna (inventory, distribution, ecological aspects) of the Rio Trombetas Basin, between Oriximiná and igarapé Caxipacoré, in the region where a future hydroelectric dam will be constructed. Collecting trips were made between 1985 and 1988, three in the dry season and three in the wet season, in six differents sites. The quantitative data were collected using a standardized set of eleven gillnets, with different mesh sizes, in 24 h fishing. The effort used with this set of nets was the same in all sites and periods (1,544.97 m2/24 h). Other fishing gear and techniques, such as castnets, long-line, piscicide, etc., were also used. 342 fish species belonging to 11 orders and 43 families were collected. In the standardized fisheries 10,806 specimens, with a total of 2,181,735 grams, corresponding lo 228 species, belonging to 9 orders and 30 families were collected. The Rio Trombetas shows two different regions in its course, Porteira waterfall being the dividing point. About one third of the species are found only in the region below this waterfall; another third are exclusively found on the region above. The waterfalls and rapids are important barriers to the dispertion of the fishes, but the environmental conditions, such as strong current, presence of rocks, etc, seems to be important as well. The majority of the species analised were feeding on autoctonous food. The piscivore species were dominant in biomass in most sites and periods.
Icthyofauna; hydroelectric dam; Amazon; environmental impact; ecology