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Traditional knowledge of artisanal Fishers and Sotalia guianensis (Van Bénéden, 1864) (Cetacea, Delphinidae) in the Extractive Reserve Baía do Tubarão (Brazilian Amazon coast)

2021; Elsevier BV; Volume: 210; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2021.105700

1873-524X

Carlos H. Filgueira, Camilah Antunes Zappes, Marcelo Derzi Vidal, Jorge Luíz Silva Nunes,

Ichthyology and Marine Biology

The traditional knowledge of artisanal fishers is an important tool for the conservation of cetaceans, since these actors, due to the constant contact with these animals, are able to build a solid knowledge of natural history based on direct coexistence. This study aimed to investigate the traditional knowledge of artisanal fishers in relation to the Guiana Dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) and to identify potential conflicts between the species and fishing in the Extractive Reserve Baía do Tubarão, on the Brazilian Amazon coast. Ethnographic interviews, addressing questions on the morphological and behavioral characteristics of the Guiana Dolphin and the occurrence of conflicts between fishing and this dolphin were carried out with 113 fishers from six fishing communities. All respondents are male, with a predominant age range of 36–45 years (34.51%). Fisheries are carried out mainly on board motor vessels (84.1%; n = 95), using gillnet as the main fishing gear. Most fishers (70.8%; n = 80) identified S. guianensis as one of the cetaceans species occurring in the region. The communities presented a significant difference in their description of the Guiana Dolphin's behavior (p = 0.0007). A total of 27.4% (n = 31) of the respondents reported accidental capture by gill nets, and 6.45% (n = 2) of these reported using the carcasses as bait to capture sharks. Although few fishers have mentioned the use of carcasses as bait, this behavior can be harmful to the Guiana Dolphin population on the Brazilian Amazon coast if it becomes common. The information presented in this study can contribute to elaborate strategies to maintain the Guiana Dolphin population, and facilitate the dialogue between traditional fishing communities, research institutions, and environmental management bodies, in order to fill gaps in scientific knowledge.