Traditional knowledge of fishermen of the reproductive behavior of fish in a flood lake in western Pará, Brazil

Abstract

In this study we analyzed traditional knowledge of fishermen on the reproductive behavior of the 10 most important fish species captured in the region of Maicá, Santarém-Pará - Brazil. Between March-December 2017 we interviewed 88 fisherman who have ten or more years of fishing experience in the region, using standardized and semi-structured forms. The knowledge possessed by fisherman in the region of Maicá was consistent among them and was also detailed and in agreement with concepts established in the scientific literature. Information related by the fishermen for which there were no theoretical references or that differed from the scientific literature can serve as a base for hypotheses for future studies in the region. We suggest that managers of fishing resources in the region take into consideration traditional local knowledge of these fishermen in the elaboration of management plans and future studies, and also apply it to the shared management plan of the future APA-Maicá once it is officially established and regulated.

Keywords:
Maicá Lake; Artisanal fishermen; Ethnoichthyology; Fish reproduction