Caracterização da atividade pesqueira das comunidades do entorno do Parque Estadual de Monte Alegre, Pará, Brasil.

Abstract

In the Amazon region, fishing is one of the most traditional and important extractive activities, with a handcrafted and livelihood character. This study aims to characterize the fishing activity in the around the Park of the State Park Monte Alegre, an integral protection conservation area located entirely within the limits of the Paituna Environmental Protection Area, a sustainable use conservation unit. Data were collected from January to November 2014 in six communities located around the Park. Interviews were conducted with the aid of semi-structured questionnaires, with fishermen indicated as experts and that were in activity for over 15 years. A total of 29 fishermen were interviewed, resulting in 259 interviews. All collected information were digitalized in relational databases in Acsses® platform and then analyzed with descriptive statistics. The analysis of data obtained in the interviews was performed by categorizing the content of the answers. The data were also worked on through an emic-etic approach with the preparation of compared cognition tables, where the traditional knowledge was compared with the current scientific literature. The fishermen of the area surrounding the park make two types of use of the fisheries resources: consumption and sale. The lakes are the most commonly used environments, and the fishiest are located outside the conservation unit. The fishermen use small boats such as hull and canoe with oar, a motorized canoe and boat with an outboard motor. Gillnets were the fishing tackle most used throughout the year. The fishing income has its peak in the lowering, when occurs the migration of “fat fish”. Were identified 35 ethno species of fish, corresponding to 35 biological species. The fishing activity is associated with other activities such as agriculture and livestock, particularly in the period of flood and closed season. The economy surrounding the park is focused on fishing, an important activity both for subsistence and for trade..