Repensando o manejo pesqueiro: o papel do conhecimento ecológico local no estímulo à participação comunitária

Abstract

Most global fisheries, especially artisanal fisheries in tropical and subtropical regions, lack long-term scientific monitoring of their fish stocks due to the scarcity of financial and human resources. Fisheries co-management, characterized by the participation of fishers, represents an effective alternative for fisheries management in the absence of scientific data. Given the overexploitation of most global stocks, local ecological knowledge (LEK) can fill gaps in scientific knowledge about the status of fishery resources. Understanding the factors that influence fishers' participation is crucial for the success of co-management initiatives. We used fishery reconstruction to demonstrate the application of LEK in resource management. Data on past catches of three species: Coryphaena hippurus (dolphinfish), Opisthonema oglinum (Atlantic thread herring), and Mugil liza (mullet) were obtained from the memory of fishers. Two hypothetical co-management scenarios were created to investigate the degree of fishers' participation according to the type of knowledge adopted: LEK and scientific knowledge. The degree of participation was compared between these two scenarios, using three variables grouped into an index that summarizes the level of engagement in each scenario. The established hypothesis was that the use of LEK would be associated with greater fishers' participation in fisheries management. The study was conducted in two locations: the Ponta do Tubarão State Sustainable Development Reserve (RDSEPT/RN) and the Araruama Lagoon (RJ). A total of 205 interviews were conducted with fishers residing in these locations, with 131 at RDSEPT and 74 at Araruama Lagoon. Mixed Linear Models were used to investigate temporal changes in fishery catches, while the influence of the type of knowledge on the degree of fishers' participation was evaluated using a Mixed Cumulative Link Model. The results indicated a population decline in the three species evaluated and suggested that the use of LEK in management could increase fishers' participation. Our study highlights the importance of LEK as an essential source of information for fisheries management and its relevance to fishers' participation. Active participation of fishers is essential for the success of fisheries comanagement.