Threatened fish and fishers along the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Coast

Author(s)

Begossi, Alpina ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Salivonchyk, Svetlana ^[4] ; Hallwass, Gustavo ^{[2, 5]} ; Hanazaki, Natalia ^{[2, 6]} ; Lopes, Priscila F. M. ^{[2, 3, 7]} ; Silvano, Renato A. M. ^{[2, 8, 9]}

Affiliation

^[1] ECOMAR UNISANTA, Santos, SP - Brazil

^[2] Fisheries & Food Inst, Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[3] UNICAMP SP, CAPESCA, NEPA, Rua Albert Einstein 291, BR-13083852 Campinas, SP - Brazil

^[4] Natl Acad Sci Belarus, Inst Nat Management, Minsk - Byelarus

^[5] Fed Univ West Para, Aquat Ecol & Fisheries Dept, Campus Oriximina, Oriximina, PA - Brazil

^[6] Univ Fed Santa Catarina, Dept Ecol & Zool, Florianopolis, SC - Brazil

^[7] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Norte, Fishing Ecol Management & Econ Grp, Dept Ecol, Natal, RN - Brazil

^[8] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, Dep Ecol, Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

^[9] Univ Fed Rio Grande do Sul, PPG Ecol, Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: AMBIO; v. 46, n. 8, p. 907-914, DEC 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 5

Abstract

Small-scale fisheries of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Coast (BAFC) depend on fish resources for food and income. Thus, if the catch diminishes or if fish species that are a target for fishers are overexploited or impacted, this could affect fishers' livelihoods. The exclusion of threatened fish species from the catch is believed to be a threat to small-scale fisheries, which is likely to be the case along the BAFC. Many fish species are currently listed as threatened or vulnerable, whereas there is not enough biological information available to determine the status of the majority of the other species. Failure to protect the BAFC biodiversity might negatively impact fishers' income and the regional economy of local small-scale fisheries. We collected data from 1986 to 2009 through 347 interviews and 24-h food recall surveys at seven southeastern coastal sites of the Atlantic Forest. We show that important species of consumed fish are currently threatened: of the 65 species mentioned by fishers as the most consumed fishes, 33% are decreasing and 54% have an unknown status. Thus, biological and ecological data for BAFC marine species are urgently needed, along with co-management, to promote fish conservation. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/24994-8 - Small-scale fishery at the coast of Brazil: biology and ethnobiology of target species
• Grantee: Alpina Begossi
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Visiting Researcher Grant - International