Incorporation of Local Ecological Knowledge (LEK) into Biodiversity Management and Climate Change Variability Scenarios for Threatened Fish Species and Fishing Communities—Communication Patterns Among BioResources Users as a Prerequisite for Co-management: A Case Study of Berlenga MNR, Portugal and Resex-Mar of Arraial do Cabo, RJ, Brazil

Abstract

Under current marine environmental problems and climate change scenarios, marine reserves emerge as an alternative management tool to protect marine resources and biodiversity and local ecological knowledge (LEK) can provide a valuable base for resource management. This study approaches the current situation of artisanal fisheries in two marine protected areas (MPAs) and proposes biodiversity management scenarios, under a changing climate, using fishers’ local ecological knowledge (LEK) in two hemispheres: The Berlenga Marine Natural Reserve (Berlenga MNR), Portugal and the Marine Extractive Reserve (Resex-Mar) of Arraial do Cabo, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The most targeted species of artisanal fisheries in both protected areas were reviewed for habitat use, threats and conservation status. The use of LEK is a powerful tool for developing new conservation strategies namely dealing with climate change responses of biological bioresources and fishing communities’ adaptation. Participatory management by all users in a protected area is regarded as an effective means to improve decision making among stakeholders. LEK studies of taxonomy, population dynamics, ecology, habitat use, threats, and reproduction as well as the assessment of this information for artisanal fisheries are still very scarce in Europe and Brazil. The use of LEK provides important biological information and insight into the attitudes of fishermen towards biodiversity conservation in both MPAs. Other MPAs in mainland Portugal and the Madeira and Azores Autonomic Regions are also potential areas for the administration of LEK studies. Also the social network used for communication of knowledge and information related to natural resources among different professionals and resource extractors operating in a coastal seascape is critical under a scenario of biodiversity loss and climate change impacts.