Conhecimento ecológico local revela informações valiosas sobre o impacto das mudanças globais nos recursos pesqueiros costeiros

Abstract

Global changes have caused many changes in coastal systems through pollution, resource over-exploitation, rising atmospheric and ocean temperatures, in addition to extreme climatic events. These changes affect many region across the planet, leading to profound impacts in socio-ecological systems, particularly in fishing communities that depend heavily on marine resources. In this research, we evaluated the impacts of environmental changes in two fishing communities in Northeastern Brazil, located in the Costa dos Corais Protected Area, the largest marine protected area in Brazil. Using semistructured and structured interviews, we investigate the perception of fishermen and women about environmental changes and about how different species are affected by different types of environmental change. Our results show that local residents perceive wide and multidirectional impacts of global change in fishing resources. Besides, they report that species with high cultural and economic importance locally are declining or nearly locally extinct, as in the case of the bivalves massunim (Tivela mactroides ) and berdigão (Anomalocardia brasiliana) and of the fish ubarana (Albula Vulpes), xaréu (Canranx hippos), garoupa (Epinephelus marginatus) and sirigado (Mycteroperca bonaci). The perception of population decline varies between species, and is associated with commercial value and trophic level. Our study demonstrates the potential of local ecological knowledge to understand detailed effects of global change in socio-ecological systems. This information can provide subsidies to the development of public policies and adaptation strategies that are efficient and more suited to local contexts.