Brachyplatystoma vaillantii
A migratory catfish of the Amazon estuary, the target of industrial trawl fishing in Pará and Amapá. Very prized meat.
Also called: piramutaba, piramutá, mulher-ingrata
Leather catfish of the family of the dourada and piraíba. Juveniles and subadults live in the Amazon estuary and at the mouths of the big rivers, in muddy water over mud bottoms; adults swim upriver, and the species is cited among the freshwater catfish with the longest known migrations. It eats fish and crustaceans. It is the basis of an industrial trawl fishery in the estuary, with its own closed season, and of artisanal fishing with longlines and drift nets. On the line, it is caught with natural bait on the bottom, in channels with current and tide, and it fights hard.
Elongated, scaleless body, blue-grey to silver on the back and pale on the belly. Flattened head, with long barbels (in juveniles they exceed the body length). Forked tail with pointed lobes. The dourada is golden and larger; the filhote (piraíba) has dark spots and grows much bigger.
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Each card shows the day's index (0 to 100) and, below it, a strip with the index for each hour, from 0h to 23h. from poor to excellent.
Amazon estuary and Marajó Bay, mouth and channel of the great Amazon rivers, rivers of the northern coast and Maranhão. Adults swim up to the western Amazon.
Habitat: Estuarine channels and muddy-water river channels with mud bottoms; juveniles in the mixing zone of fresh and brackish water.
native to the basins
coast
states
Pará, Amapá, Amazonas, Maranhão, Acre, Rondônia
Present all year in the estuary. Industrial trawling is prohibited from Sep 1 to Nov 30; line and longline fishing continue.
Night and twilight. More active at night and at changes of light; in the estuary, the stronger tides help.
Little effect in the region.
Little known effect.
Full and new moons bring larger tides, which stir the bottom and activate the fish.
Little effect.
In the flood the fish spreads out; in the dry season brackish water advances and the school retreats upriver.
Not very sensitive in muddy, deep water.
Strong wind on the bay raises waves and hinders boat fishing.
Fish with the tide running, on the flooding or ebbing tide; at slack tide the bite drops.
Channel bottom, 3 to 20 m.
natural baits
accessories
Sinker heavy enough to hold the bait on the bottom with the tide running; circle hook, and set the hook only by tensioning the line.
Summary of the regulations we found, with the source for each. Rules change; before keeping or transporting fish, check with the state environmental agency.
Conservation: Not on the national list (Portaria GM/MMA 1.667/2026).
Trawling for piramutaba is prohibited from the French Guiana border to the PA/MA boundary; authorized trawlers only set out from Dec 1. The rule also bans motorized trawling year-round within 10 miles of the coast in that area. The closed season applies only to trawling: line, longline and net fishing by other methods continue.
Source: IN SAP/MAPA nº 6/2020, art. 2º
Allowed: Sport and guided fishing only in reservoirs, catch and release with barbless hooks (no keeping, transporting or eating). Subsistence: up to 5 kg per day, for household consumption only.
Allowed: All fishing modalities are prohibited in rivers, including catch and release (Law 9.096/2009, art. 19-A). Exceptions: subsistence fishing from shore (3 kg or 1 fish, no transport or sale) and scientific fishing. Law 13.159/2025 now allows licensed sport fishing in UHE/PCH hydropower reservoirs, natural lakes and border rivers, subject to a scientific study and a license from the environmental agency. We have not confirmed whether these licenses are already being issued.
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with handline, rod, or spinning or baitcasting reel. Fish may only be eaten on site, not transported. Competitions prohibited. Subsistence: 3 kg + 1 fish. State rules (GO and TO) may be stricter.
Allowed: Recreational fishing only in reservoirs, with on-site consumption. Subsistence: 5 kg + 1 fish. State rules may be stricter.
Allowed: In 2025/26: catch and release with barbless hooks and recreational fishing card; subsistence fishing on foot or from a rowboat, with simple pole or handline.
Source: Portaria Naturatins nº 244/2025 (2025/26 season); INIs MPA/MMA nº 12 and 13/2011
Allowed: Recreational fishing from a boat or from shore with handline or rod, up to 5 kg or 1 fish. Transport only within the municipality. Competitions prohibited.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 85/2003
Allowed: The same recreational-angler exceptions as in Portaria 48/2007 apply (handline or rod, 5 kg + 1 fish), unless a stricter state rule applies.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Allowed: Recreational anglers with handline or rod, line and hook are outside the Annex II prohibitions, with a bag limit of 5 kg + 1 fish, unless a stricter state rule applies.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Allowed: Subsistence fishing only.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Allowed: See the exceptions in Portaria 48/2007 and the state rules for each bank.
Source: Portaria IBAMA nº 48/2007
Use a circle hook, take the fish out of the water as little as possible, and hold it from underneath, watching out for the fin spines.
White, firm and highly prized meat; sold as fillets and steaks; fried, baked or in caldeirada.
Length-weight relationship W = a·Lb (a = 0.00501, b = 3.16; FishBase). It's an average: a fat or lean fish can vary by 10% to 20%.
estimated weight
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The season weights (months), the time of day and the sensitivities (cold, pressure, moon, wind, rain, tide, strong light, murky water and noise) are the app's editorial estimates, based on the literature below and on the field experience of anglers and guides. They are not official data nor a measurement made for this species, and they may vary by region and year. Closed seasons and legal rules appear in the rules section, with the norm and a link.
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