Fishery in the artisanal fishermen community of Santa Cruz / ES í Brazil

Abstract

An artisanal fishermen community located in the Piraquê-açu estuary, Santa Cruz í  ES, was studied during two years (2001-2002). Due to the Brazilian Environmental Institute (IBAMA) has not included this fishery colony in its dataset, a specific register of the artisanal fishery in the fishermen community of Santa Cruz was taken, in order to identify the species captured, the ethnoecological knowledge of fishermen, market and the fish value in this community. Specific questionnaires were applied to all fishermen (n = 18), and some of them (n=6) were interviewed, using a tape in order to record their speech. The present work brings a list of fish species caught by the fishermen, catch frequency and market acceptance; an ecological knowledge of the fishermen about the regional fishes, fact demonstrated by the classification of Santa Cruz fishes according to their behavior and life habits; and also the marketing and value of those fishes in Santa Cruz.