Milena Ramires

Fishers' knowledge about fish trophic interactions in the southeastern Brazilian coast

BackgroundData derived from studies of fishers’ local ecological knowledge (LEK) can be invaluable to the proposal of new studies and more appropriate management strategies. This study analyzed the fisher’s LEK about trophic relationships of fishes in the southeastern Brazilian coast, comparing fishers’ LEK with scientific knowledge to provide new hypotheses.MethodsThe initial contacts with fishers were made through informal visits in their residences, to explain the research goals, meet fishers and their families, check the number of resident fishers and ask for fishers’ consent to participate in the research. After this initial contact, fishers were selected to be included in the interviews through the technique of snowball sampling. The fishers indicated by others who attended the criteria to be included in the research were interviewed by using a semi-structured standard questionnaire.ResultsThere were interviewed 26 artisanal fishers from three communities of the Ilhabela: Jabaquara, Fome and Serraria. The interviewed fishers showed a detailed knowledge about the trophic interactions of the studied coastal fishes, as fishers mentioned 17 food items for these fishes and six fish and three mammals as fish predators. The most mentioned food items were small fish, shrimps and crabs, while the most mentioned predators were large reef fishes. Fishers also mentioned some predators, such as sea otters, that have not been reported by the biological literature and are poorly known.ConclusionsThe LEK of the studied fishers showed a high degree of concordance with the scientific literature regarding fish diet. This study evidenced the value of fishers’ LEK to improve fisheries research and management, as well as the needy to increase the collaboration among managers, biologists and fishers.

Fish Folk Medicine of Caiçara (Atlantic Coastal Forest) and Caboclo (Amazon Forest) Communities

Medicines and foods are not always exclusive categories in ethnopharmacology. What is eaten, the diets of the animals being consumed, which foods are healthy, and which foods should not be eaten when one is sick are some examples of the ways in which native populations interact with foods, medicines, and natural resources. This study examined native fishing communities in the Atlantic Forest (the Caicaras) and in the Amazon region (the Caboclos) regarding their medicinal uses of fish and their food taboos. An analysis of those categories and recommendations for conservation practices are presented, taking into consideration the cultural habits of the studied communities.

Comb Grouper (Mycteroperca acutirostris) Information from Catches atCopacabana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Reef fishes are of great importance for artisanal fisheries in the coast of Brazil. For example, snappers and groupers are very important targets of small-scale fisheries; among the groupers, two are of notable importance: the dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) and the comb grouper (Mycteroperca acutirostris). The urgency of their management has been stressed in some studies. Compared to E. marginatus and to other groupers, there is a rather scarce literature and information on comb grouper. There is some information for M. bonaci. Comb grouper is an important target fish for artisanal fisheries in Brazil. Even though there are studies of comb groupers in Brazil, there is lack of information on the reproduction of comb groupers.

A pesca artesanal no Arquipélago de Fernando de Noronha (PE)

Artisanal fishing is one of the main economic activities of Brazilian fishing communities and major source of animal protein for many families. These communities living in direct contact with the natural environment and economically dependent on natural resources can provide important information for the design of conservation and management proposals aimed at sustainability. Thus, the aim of this study was to characterize artisanal fisheries and socio-economic aspects of artisanal fishermen of Fernando de Noronha / PE. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively. 62 fishermen were interviewed and the results showed that artisanal fishing is practiced for own consumption or as a source of income. epending on the priority areas for conservation, fishing area is one of the biggest conflicts recorded in the archipelago. In the search for supplementary income, parallel activities, especially related to tourism, has been developed. The ”corrico” is the most used gear and has low environmental impact, and yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares) and the black jack (Caranx lugubris) are the species more caught species. Larger and more powerful vessels allow fishing in more remote locations, and not using ice on fish conservation was evident. Data indicate the importance of developing a plan for shared management of resources, resulting in the appreciation of artisanal fishermen and the sustainability of fisheries.