Artisanal fishermen downstream of Tucuruí­­ Hydroelectric Power Plant, Amazon, Brazil

Abstract

Fishing is one of the most traditional activities downstream Tucuruí­­ dam, northeast Para State, generating occupation to many coastal families. The main fishing tackles used in the study area are the fishing nets and the main species are Plagioscion squamosissimus and Hypophthalmus marginatus. Most of the fish are sell cold. The socioeconomic characterization was conduct through semi-structured interviews using questionnaires with 109 anglers during June, August and September 2006 and April 2008. Respondents were mostly born in Para state (98%), male (89%), lived under a stable relationship (38%), 82.6% had children; family income of the majority was below the minimum wage (67%) and aged between 14 and 70 years, with incomplete secondary education (62%), about 27% of the fishermen are working on fisheries at last 5 to 9 years. The anglers interviewed associated fish stocks decline to factors such as use of fishing tackles out of specifications establishedin legislation.