Avaliação econômica e ambiental dos sistemas de pesca utilizados nos Municípios de Aracati e Icapuí -CE: subsídios para gestão

Abstract

Given the current global crisis in the fishing sector new approaches and strategies for fisheries management have arised, such as ecosystem management, co-management and marine protected areas. Artisanal fisheries, mostly in the Northeast Brazil, have an undeniable importance for fish production and rent. Within this framework of new management possibilities, this study aimed primarily to evaluate the fishing systems carried out in Aracati and Icapuí counties, Ceará State, by defining those at the highest efficiency in catching their foremost fishing resources from the economic and environmental viewpoints. The secondary objective of greater importance was the development of a management proposal for the regional fisheries, based on the above-mentioned recent concepts. To this end, in the period from 2005 through 2009, 312 fish landings by the sail and motorized fleets were statistically controlled, 25 open interviews were made and 238 questionnaires applied. The results showed that: sailboat fisheries display a better economic and environmental performance than the motorboat fisheries; the fishing performed by sail boats correspond to the artisanal fisheries characteristics, as concerns income distribution, generating many jobs, food safety and multiple uses of the ecosystem. This way resources can be exploited but not burdened by an excessive fishing effort; the future of motorized fishing is threatened by the high fixed and variable operational costs and by the current low productivity in the continental shelf of Aracati and Icapuí counties