Abstract
The ecological and ethnological aspects of the harvesting of the cockle, Leukoma pectorina (Bivalvia: Veneridae), were investigated on Algodoal-Maiandeua Island, on the Amazon coast of Brazil. Ethnobiological data were collected through informal conversations, semi-structured interviews, and observations of the harvesting and processing of bivalves on the island. Following the ethnobiology study, the cockle beds were surveyed to evaluate the density of L. pectorina, body size and the meat yield of the cockles in the months of dry and rainy seasons. In the study area, cockling is a manual and artisanal activity, and L. pectorina is typically harvested by mothers with little formal education. The cocklers make their own tools, cockles are prepared in the family environment, and the majority of the catch is sold to commercial establishments on the island. Cockling is a sporadic activity used to complement the family income, and is more common during the dry season, when tourism increases on Algodoal-Maiandeua Island. The cockles are also larger and population density is higher during this season, and the cocklers themselves recognize this period as providing the most productive harvest. These findings reinforce the value of traditional knowledge for both scientific research and the planning of the management of coastal fishery resources.
Highlights
The harvesting of the benthonic organisms that inhabit the coastal and estuarine environments along the 8000 km of the Brazilian coast provides local populations with both income and dietary resources
An estimated 8000 t.year-1 (CEPNOR 2011) of crustaceans are produced by the Brazilian state of Pará, both wild-caught and cultivated, there are no official statistics on the harvesting of mollusks
The exploitation of L. pectorina is typical of artisanal fishery activities, with the cocklers developing their own tools and techniques
Summary
The harvesting of the benthonic organisms that inhabit the coastal and estuarine environments along the 8000 km of the Brazilian coast provides local populations with both income and dietary resources. The official Brazilian fishery statistics show that crustaceans (≈57,344 t.year-1) contribute approximately 10% of the country’s annual marine catch, and mollusks (≈13,989 t.year-1) around 3% (MPA 2011). The culture of mollusks and crustaceans produces approximately 84,000 t.year-1, which represents around 20% of the total Brazilian aquaculture production An estimated 8000 t.year-1 (CEPNOR 2011) of crustaceans (crab and shrimp) are produced by the Brazilian state of Pará, both wild-caught and cultivated, there are no official statistics on the harvesting of mollusks. Despite the lack of official statistics, the majority of the invertebrate catch of Brazilian fisheries is known to be produced by artisanal operations, which support various riverside communities with subsistence resources and a monetary income (Silva 2014a). The Brazilian Ministry of Fisheries and Agriculture, through its General Registry of Fishery Activities, has estimated that almost one million artisanal
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