Fish and fishing. Concepts from students from Porto Alegre village, Bahia, Brazil

Abstract

This article discusses the knowledge about fish and fishing from students from the Porto Alegre village located along the banks of the Pedra reservoir in the Contas middle-river, Bahia. The study was conducted at the Luís Braga School between March and August 2004, and 93 students participated in the investigation. A questionnaire was used for data collection in order to determine the understanding of the students regarding fish biology and ecology (trophic ecology, reproduction and classification), perception of environmental questions, and aspects of local fishing and its relationship to the students. Semi-structured interviews were also held with the teachers of the school, and the content of the textbook chapter on the subject ‘fish’ was analyzed to determine its contribution to the ichthyological knowledge of the students. The results showed that the knowledge of the students about fish and fish ecology in the region and their ecology was acquired through their involvement with family fishing activities. A fragmented vision of concepts was detected, especially in terms of fish reproduction, even though this topic integrates zoology contents and is mentioned in the textbook analyzed. The learning process is extremely relevant and awareness is important in maintaining fishing stocks as well as in conserving the diversity of fish in water bodies of the region. Thus, this study indicates the need for the valorization of previous concepts of students within the school environment in order to construct a more encompassing knowledge about fish that is based on scientific knowledge.