Ethnoecology of Lutjanidae (snappers) in communities of artisanal fisheries in northeast Brazil

Abstract

Fishermen's knowledge of fish assists in the sustainable harvesting and maintenance of fish stocks. This ethnoecological study aimed to describe and analyze the knowledge of artisanal fishermen regarding the biology and ecology of snappers and to compare their knowledge with information in the scientific literature. We interviewed 38 fishermen in two fishing communities in Sergipe, Brazil. The interview had four stages: social aspects, fishing and fish, the use of natural resources and the relationship with conservation, and conflicts and others. We collected data from the fishermen regarding their demographics and labor characteristics, marketing, and the biology of snappers in terms of their food sources, habitats, reproduction and seasonality. After Bardin content analysis, dendrograms were generated according to the responses by the UPGMA method. The seven species of snappers recorded in Sergipe were recognized by all fishermen interviewed: Lutjanus synagris, L. analis, L. jocu, L. vivanus, L. alexandrei, Ocyurus chrysurus and Rhomboplites aurorubens. The fishermen's empirical knowledge about snappers was significant in terms of feeding and habitat; however, most did not know about breeding. This lack of knowledge about the reproduction of snappers needs attention because this information is fundamental for the conservation of the species and to prevent overfishing during times of stock replenishment.