A pesca em duas comunidades ribeirinhas na região do Médio Rio Madeira, Porto Velho - RO

Abstract

Communities located along the river Madeira are "traditional" in terms of their lifestyles and culture, and are influenced by their close relationship to nature and their extensive empirical knowledge of its cycles. Fish is one of their main resources, important for subsistence and trade. This dissertation aims to evaluate fisheries in two riverside communities from middle reaches of the river Madeira, namely Calama and São Carlos. This was performed through structured questionnaires between October 2008 and September 2009. Information on socioeconomic profile of fishermen, vessels characteristics, fishery production and daily landings in Porto Velho from 2006 to 2009 was obtained. The results indicated that fishermen from both sites are of an average age of 39 years old, and have been active fishermen for an average of 20 years. More than 60% have not completed elementary school. They often fish together with family members. Fish is sold to intermediary buyers who then resell in Porto Velho. Calama and São Carlos contributed, between 2006 and 2009, 9.18% and 16.89%, respectively of the total production landed in Porto Velho. Five of the 53 exploited species were the most representative in the landings, mainly collected on the rivers Madeira and Jamari. Fishing vessels are small and there are a large number of motorized boats operating in the region, driven mainly by long tailed stationary engines. Gillnets are responsible for more than 70% of the catch. CPUE in Calama ranged from 12.75 to 55.88 kg.fisherman-1.day-1 and from 11.66 to 33.25 kg.fisherman-1.day-1 in São Carlos. The estimated net income per fishing trip is, on average, R$ 265.30 for motorized boats and R$ 1,268.97 for fishing boats in Calama, and R$ 74.38 for paddle canoes and R$ 159.20 for motorized boats in São Carlos. These results confirm the artisanal nature of commercial fishing practised on this section of the Madeira River, and that despite this fishing is fundamentally important for riverside families, generating employment and infecting money into the regional economy, as well as supplying local fish markets. This is an important factor in the dynamics of these fishing communities, which could be used in monitoring and supporting management of fisheries resources by ensuring their sustainability