Environmental drivers of juvenile pink shrimp abundance and habitat use in a protected estuarine-lagoon complex

Estuaries and coastal lagoons serve as critical nursery habitats for economically important shrimp species. This study investigates the spatial and temporal dynamics of juvenile pink shrimp ( Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis and F. paulensis ) in the Cananéia-Iguape Estuarine-Lagoon Complex (CIELC), a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in southeastern Brazil. Between July 2012 and June 2014, we evaluated the impact of environmental variables on shrimp abundance across estuarine and marine zones. Generalized Additive Models indicated that juveniles of both species exhibited an increase in abundance at temperatures above 25°C and at lower salinity levels. Temporally, they were more abundant in spring and summer, seasons in which we registered the highest values of temperature and rainfall. The increase in rainfall leads to a decrease in salinity, which favors the development of early juvenile stages. Both species were more abundant in the estuarine zone than in the marine zone. Within the estuarine zone, the estuary mouth (S5) presented higher juvenile abundance for both species; therefore, it is an important nursery for pink shrimp in the CIELC and could potentially be designated as an exclusion zone for fishing in management strategies. • Farfantepenaeus sp. juveniles are captured as bycatch of the seabob-shrimp. • Pink shrimps’ juveniles are used as live bait in professional and amateur fisheries. • The CIELC is included in the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. • Spring and summer registered higher juvenile abundance. • The estuary mouth, as an important nursery area, could be an exclusion fishing zone.