Mangrove ecozonation in artisanal fishery of crustacea of Marine Extractive Reserve of Baía de Iguape, Maragogipe, Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

Crustaceans, along with molluscs and fish, are the most important fishing resources for
subsistence and income for people in the mangrove ecosystem. In this environment, traditional cultural system recognize
and classify certain ecological areas called ecozones. The aim of this study was to understand how the fishermen
characterize the fishing areas and how this influences the traditional knowledge of the artisanal fishing of crustaceans in the
mangrove ecosystem. This study was carried out at the Baía de Iguape Marine Extractive Reserve, with the fishing
community of Angola. The sample of interviewed was defined from individuals opportunistically found using the criterion
of native experts. There were open and semi-structured interviews with 42 fishermen. Techniques of guided tours and
participatory mapping were also used. The main ecological zones identified by the fishing community of Angola were:
“costeiro” (= coastal), “riacho” (= stream or creek), “rio” (= river), “boca de rio” (= river mouth), “enseada” (= creek),
“canal” (= waterway), “coroa” (= shoal), “poço” (= well), “ilha” (= island), “ilhote” (= islet), “mangue” (= mangrove) and
“terra” (= land). The Angola fishermen have demonstrated a refined spatial knowledge about fishing sites and their
features, relating them to bioecology of fishing resources exploited.