Use of ichthyofauna by artisanal fishermen at two protected areas along the coast of Northeast Brazil

Abstract

BackgroundFishing is one of the oldest human activities and constitutes a source of income and livelihood for millions of people, particularly in coastal regions. This study aimed to characterize the types of fish use and test whether there is a relationship between uses of fish in the communities studied.MethodsThis study was conducted during the months of January to October 2013, on the beaches of Tamandaré and Batoque, both located in Northeast Brazil. Information was collected through interviews with 75 artisanal marine fishermen on the fishes they knew and their forms of use.ResultsThe fishermen interviewed were male, between 22 and 84 years old, and they had been fishing for over 10 years and had a low educational level. Fishermen from Tamandaré mentioned 339 popular fish names, representing 222 taxa, while Batoque fishermen mentioned 305 popular fish names, representing 215 taxa. Six types of uses of fish were characterized: food, commercial, medicinal, handicrafts, spiritual-religious purposes and aquarium. It was found that there were multiple uses for fish and that there was a relationship between these different uses, reinforcing the importance that fish have on the culture and economic activities of fishing communities.ConclusionsArtisanal fishing should be understood as a cultural activity, because the different and multiple uses fish make up the dynamics of fishing communities. Just as in the areas of this study, some of these communities are included in protected areas and, therefore, fishermen must be involved in the development and implementation of management plans of these units.

Riverine fishers’ knowledge of extreme climatic events in the Brazilian Amazonia

“…Such knowledge is increasingly being applied to the study of climate change through ethno-climatological approaches [20–22], which can be utilized to determine the potential consequences of climate change on exploited populations across different spatial and temporal scales. Information from such studies can be used for participative management [23–25] and to guide future research [26]. Moreover, the integration of scientific and traditional knowledge facilitates and supports social negotiation during the development and implementation of resource management measures [15, 27–29].…”

Ethnoecology and socioeconomic around an artificial reef: the case of artisanal fisheries from southeastern Brazil

“…However, local fishers recognize that fishing period can change due to environmental variations that influence the life cycle (reproduction period) and ontogenetic cycle (differences in habitat between juveniles and adults) of some target species. Previous studies have also found an association between fishing period and greater precipitation or drought period in many communities along the Brazilian coast (e.g., southeastern Brazil: Begossi 1996and Silvano et al 2010, northeastern Brazil: Costa-Neto 2001and Pinto et al 2015.…”

“…The LEK of artisanal fishers provides knowledge about ecological, taxonomic, and ethological aspects of aquatic communities that are important for inventories, especially in places where scientific studies are scarce (Mourão & Montenegro 2006, Silvano & Begossi 2012, Pinto et al 2015, Pitcher & Lam 2015. Analyzing the interactions between fishers and fishery resources is important to understand distinct forms of use, capture, categorization, and commercialization of target species (Begossi 2006, Souza et al 2007, Gerhardinger et al 2009.…”

“…Several studies have contributed on this subject, through daily observations of fishing activities, regular monitoring, and interviews with fishers (Ota & Just, 2008, Silvano & Begossi 2012, Pinto et al 2015, Pitcher & Lam 2015. Studies along the coast of Rio de Janeiro (e.g., Di Beneditto et al 1998, Di Beneditto 2001, Fernandes et al 2014 have been conducted to analyze the activities of fishers and the management of fishery resources.…”

First record of Batrachoides surinamensis (Bloch & Schneider, 1801) and Canthidermis maculata (Bloch, 1786) (Pisces: Teleostei) from Rio Grande do Norte, northeastern coast of Brazil

“…Batrachoides surinamensis is reported in literature as ranging in Brazil from Amapá to Bahia states and it was recently recorded in Amapá (Maia et al 2016), Pará (Ferreira et al 2011), Maranhão (Piorski & Nunes 2010), Piauí (Mai et al 2012), Ceará (Osório et al 2011), Paraíba (Oliveira 2011), Pernambuco (Pinto et al 2015), and Alagoas (Paiva et al 2013). In the conservation status may not represent historical declines.…”