Análise integrada e de sustentabilidade da pesca artesanal no município de Piúma, litoral sul do Espírito Santo

Abstract

This work presents the ecological, economic, technological, and social relations and management associated with fishing activities in the municipality of Piúma, located on the southern coast of Espírito Santo. The work was undertaken from January 2012 to April 2015 by means of differing methodologies. The identification of geoecological units and the monitoring of fisheries were necessary. It was also necessary to record the oral history of professionals in the fishing sector of the region, in addition to the collection of specimens, laboratory work, loosely structured questionnaires, environmental education activities, and participatory workshops with fishers and mollusk gatherers for the collection of information related to the traditional ecological knowledge of those involved in the activities. This study was developed with the objective of presenting an integrated analysis of the geoecological units related to fishing activity as developed in the municipality of Piúma, as well as to promote an analysis of the sustainability of fishing activities by means of a description of the systems of fishing, utilizing the RAPFISH model — a method of evaluation of the sustainability of fisheries through a multivaried ordered analysis of 54 atributes distributed across five dimensions: social, ecological, economic, technological, and handling. A series of variables categorized in numerical scale from 1 to 5 were determined for all of the attributes and the given arithmetic mean of each system was calculated. The identification of units was undertaken with the utilization of cartographic georeferenced images, with descriptive information regarding fishing activities undertaken, the forms of use and occupation, the impacts and the management proposals for each environment. After an integrated analysis was performed, it was revealed that the fishers and mollusk gatherers concentrated in age between 50 and 60 and on average engage in the activity for 27 years. They hold ecological knowledge passed down through generations, both practical and theoretical activities from old, since the indigenous fishing activities, passing through colonization and socioenvirionmental changes, up to current days. Nine geoecological units were identified (fluvial channel, estuarine channel, mangrove, beach strip, rocky shore, coastal reefs, ocean shoreline, coastal islands, and open sea), and 13 fishing systems developed in the municipality according to the type of fleet, fishing gear, target resource, exploited ecosystem, income of fishermen and labor relations. A sustainability analysis showed longline and line are the forms of fishing with the greatest level of sustainability. The other forms of fishing had, on average, lower levels. Currently there are six protected areas in Piúma, and the proposal to create a federal marine conservation area in the municipality, together with ICMBio, is still in the works, although management and conservation activities are not observed in these areas. In 2015 the Fishing Colony of Piúma celebrates 50 years since its founding and the fisheries production of the municipality stands out in the state of Espírito Santo. However, pollution, aggradation on the beaches and in the river mouth, real estate speculation; dredging, mineral, and petroleum projects in the region are among the changes and problems most perceived by the fishing community. These factors can negatively affect the quality of life, the production of fishing resources, and the sustainability of fisheries in the southern region of Espírito Santo. Research activities, teaching, and expansion aimed at undertaking a systematic collection of data, the monitoring and inspection of fishing activities and of environmental degradation practices, as well as an appreciation of the culture and traditions of those directly and indirectly involved in this important profession are suggested as solutions to the above mentioned problems. The data show the importance of government, institutional, business, and civic support for the maintenance and guarantee of sustainability of the exploited environments, of resources, and fisheries. Thus, integrated studies on fishing are necessary to subsidize the formulation of concrete proposals, as well as for the comanagement of fishing activities developed in the region.