“Só viver do peixe, que nem garça”: Percepções locais e Instituições sociais acerca da pesca do pirarucu (Arapaima gigas, Schinz, 1822) e do manejo participativo em comunidades de uma Reserva de Desenvolvimento Sustentável na Amazônia Central

Abstract

Arapaima's marketing and capture were forbidden all over Amazonia due the dramatic situation of their populations. Currently, fishing is only allowed in a formal management system, although the informal fishing persists. Many gaps exist related to riverine communities’ participation and the success of community management systems in the short and long term. Thus, the aim of this study was to compare the perception, comprehension and cognitive aspects of local knowledge about the arapaima fishing and social institutions that interact in the system. We interviewed 64 residents of communities that have implemented arapaima management system (CMPP) and 18 in communities that did not have implemented it (SMPP) in Piagaçu-Purus Sustainable Development Reserve (RDS-PP), Amazonas. We observed that in CMPP communities there is a gradual evolution on local participation and understanding of co-management system. In this case, we could see a continuity of thought and collective behavior favorable to the system, ensuring compliance with local laws and regulations. In contrast, in SMPP communities, which access the benefits without sharing the system requirements (“free riders”), residents know their assignments, although in practice they do not recognize them. As consequence, we identified mismatches between residents and community leaders concern opinions and understandings. Between CMPP communities, these mismatches can also be seen, as well as the weakening of cultural concepts and informal institutions. We note that in both areas are occurring erosion of informal community management systems, rather than its continuity as a cooperative regulatory system for co-management. The greater the degree of knowledge about the formal rules, the lower the cultural competence over the informal rules. In all communities, Arapaima’s fishing economically important and guarantees local livelihoods as well as access to goods, through the dependent relationships between "patron-client". We believe that understanding and community empowerment to co-management system are extremely important for modifying the perception of the RDS-PP, as well as local participation and direct access to the benefits arising from the system. There are limitations in the process, which alerts the need to value and consider local knowledge in the different regulatory spheres. In addition another issue that may explain the phrase adopted to compose the title "Only live with fish, just like heron” affirmed by a research participant, portrays the importance of being stimulated other economic activities in order to reduce their dependence on one resource. Thus it is necessary to extend the action to other communities that are not involved in the co-management system, respecting the weight of Arapaima fishing for the Community, which as a traditional activity, presents meanings that go beyond the economic sphere. However, they are also considered and evaluated new sources of income as possible to ensure the continuity of the system and its perpetuation. Finally, the adoption of multilateral actions, integrated and collaborative involving the community and institutions are important to ensure not only the conservation of the resource, but also the knowledge and use of tradition as well as the transmission of knowledge, an assessment is needed periodic system, considering each context and local perspectives.