Floodplain fisheries as natural insurance for the rural poor in tropical forest environments: evidence from Amazonia

Abstract

The findings of livelihood research on the role of artisanal fishing among rain forest communities in eastern Peru are reported. In-depth household surveys conducted in three communities along the Ucayali River (n = 68 households) and four communities on the Maran˜o´n River (n = 87) provided data on resource use, income generation, asset holdings and household coping strategies in the face of two common shocks -illness and major floods. Results indicated the high economic importance of artisanal fishing, with considerable specialisation evident in fishing at the household and community levels. When faced with adversity, forest people in the Upper Amazon turn more to the floodplain (to fish) than to the rain forest (to hunt or extract forest products) to cope with major shocks. It appears that floodplain fisheries are an important safety net for forest people living along rivers in humid tropical environments.

Vulnerability and adaptive capacity of community food systems in the Peruvian Amazon: a case study from Panaillo

“…According to research in the Peruvian Amazon, intensification of fishing efforts, increased resource extraction from forests, and reliance on upland cropping are often used to cope with flood shocks Coomes et al, 2010). However, in this research, Panaillo's location in a low-lying area precluded the option of upland cropping.…”

“…Adaptive strategies are often distinguished in the literature as being 'structural' or 'non-structural' (Lopez-Marrero, 2010;Coomes et al, 2010;Few, 2003). Structural strategies aim to reduce the impact of floodwaters on structures by using physical means to prevent floodwater spread and penetration (e.g., flood defenses, water levees, dikes) (Few, 2003).…”

“…Structural strategies aim to reduce the impact of floodwaters on structures by using physical means to prevent floodwater spread and penetration (e.g., flood defenses, water levees, dikes) (Few, 2003). These strategies are often financially and environmentally costly and may increase vulnerability in the future if environmental conditions significantly change (LopezMarrero, 2010;Coomes et al, 2010). Non-structural adaptive strategies consist of social, cultural, economic, and technological strategies that reduce the short-and long-term impacts of the flood.…”

“…Food security is intimately linked with health and climate in an Amazonian context, where livelihoods are more directly dependent on fragile environmental resources and communities have experienced flooding and droughts for thousands of years (Kronik & Verner, 2010;Takasaki et al, 2010;Coomes et al, 2010). Amazonian communities have developed traditional adaptive mechanisms to negotiate this uncertainty and variability (Kronik & Verner, 2010;Tomasella et al, 2013).…”

Fishers' knowledge identifies environmental changes and fish abundance trends in impounded tropical rivers

“…Although a number of large dams have been built and more are being planned for the large rivers in the Brazilian Amazon (Fearnside 1999), few studies have addressed the potential ecological consequences of such dams for fish and local fishers (Silvano et al 2009). Small-scale fisheries are one of the main sources of income and animal protein for poor populations in developing tropical countries, especially in the Brazilian Amazon (Cetra and Petrere 2001, MacCord et al 2007, Coomes et al 2010, Hallwass et al 2011. The lack of long-term ecological data available to inform management and policy, together with the scarcity of both financial and expert resources with which to gather such data, makes the application of fishers' LEK a potentially useful approach to addressing the ecological impacts of dams in large rivers.…”