Perceptions of local people on environmental impacts and changes on fisheries in a coastal lagoon at the Brazilian South

Authors

  • Luiz Carlos Freitas PORCHER Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Ecologia
  • Gabriel POESTER Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Ecologia
  • Mariele LOPES Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Ecologia
  • Patrícia SCHONHOFEN Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Ecologia
  • Renato Azevedo Matias SILVANO Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Departamento de Ecologia

Keywords:

ethnoecology, rice farming, artisanal fishery, social conflicts, resource management, human ecology

Abstract

Anthropic exploration has been causing impacts in coastal lagoons of Brazilian South. The goal of the present study was to investigate the main environmental and social aspects related to the conflict between fishers and rice farmers, based on the local ecological knowledge of people living at the Bacopari Lagoon, Mostarda, RS. Interviews with semi-structured questionnaires were conducted with 17 residents (including 12 fishers). Interviewees mentioned 26 fish species occurring in the lagoon and 16 interviewees mentioned changes on the fisheries and the lagoon, such as overfishing (n = 9) and siltation (n = 8) due to water withdrawal for irrigation of rice fields. During a workshop, which was held to present survey’s results to the community, local people suggested demands, which were organized as scientific hypotheses. The results reinforce the importance of studies on local ecological knowledge as a complement to biological surveys and to support the dialogue involving local people and other actors, aimed at solving the environmental and social conflicts in coastal ecosystems.

 

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Published

2018-11-07

Issue

Vol. 36 No. 1 (2010): BOLETIM DO INSTITUTO DE PESCA

Section

Short Communication

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