Conhecimento Local Ribeirinho e suas Aplicações para o Manejo Participativo da Pesca na Reserva Extrativista do Baixo Juruá, Estado do Amazonas

Abstract

In this study, the collective knowledge, practices, and beliefs with regards to the use of natural resources, mainly fish, by the riverine populations of the Lower Juruá Extractive Reserve (RESEX) were investigated. As in other parts of the Amazon, the artisanal fisherman who reside within this RESEX obtain their principal source of animal protein from these fishing resources, both for consumption and for sale, and the success of their activities directly depends on the local variations in the level of the Juruá River and on the knowledge that they possess of the biology and ecology of the target species. Resident fisherman in the communities have been organizing during the past three years for the undertaking of local management practices aimed mainly at fishing for arapaima (Arapaima gigas), obeying the rules contained in the RESEX Management Plan, which are not always respected by fisherman from outside the Reserve, creating situations of conflict, which are discussed later. The data were collected through free- and semi-structured interviews through the so-called ―snowball‖ method with the fisherman considered specialists and who were indicated by their own peers. In 2008, 48 semi-structured interviews were conducted on the main species captured for consumption and sale, fishing environments, commercialization, costs, and other activities. In 2009, 27 specialist fishermen were interviewed who are people possessing profound knowledge of the particular aspects of the local culture. Nine of these had their interviews recorded and transcribed, as they were considered ―authorities on the subject‖ by the other specialists, with elevated levels of traditional knowledge with regards to the aquatic fauna. Participative methodologies were also adopted for the collection of data on daily food consumption. This activity was undertaken daily by residents who visited their neighbors to inquire of them on the food being consumed that day, which was then annotated in a field notebook. In this manner, one year of monitoring was done in four communities chosen by the residents association. At the urban center, two ix 10 collectors were trained to do the daily collection of statistics on the fish landings during one year. In the first chapter, the knowledge that the fishermen of the RESEX possess on the biology, ecology, and behavior of the main ethno-species captured is described, identifying them taxonomically, in addition to describing the systems of classification traditionally employed. In the second chapter we determine the forms of use and interaction that exist among the communities of the RESEX and the natural resources, in addition to being provided a description of the ethno-ecological calendar of fishing in the reserve. In the third chapter the main fishing techniques are described, as are the seasonal variations on the availability of the resources and the main connections that the communities maintain with the ecosystems used in fishing. We verify that the fisherman demonstrated detailed knowledge on the main species of fish captured and utilized in daily food intake. It was also possible to verify that the local communities in the RESEX make three important uses of fishing resources: consumption, commerce, and medicinal use. Despite being extensively commented at the urban center that the creation of the RESEX would leave the municipality undersupplied, what we verified is that, during one year of accompanying the fisheries landings, of the 55,630 kg unloaded at the urban center, nearly 20,000 kg came from environments within the RESEX. All of this knowledge which the fishermen of the Lower Juruá demonstrated need to be better used and incorporated in following research and evaluations of the management plan in vigor, and for the conservation of the fishing resources in the region.