Abstract
The mangrove crab (Ucides cordatus) is a relevant fishery resource in Brazil, whose capture, transportation, and processing are regulated by specific laws. Information obtained from traditional crabbing communities are of significant importance, although they remain unacknowledged by the population of the Itanhaém River Estuary (São Paulo, Southeast Brazil). The present study shows the ethnozoological aspects related to the capture of U. cordatus, mapping the activity and providing subsidies for better fishery management. Crab catchers were recruited using the Snowball sampling technique and were submitted to a semi-structured questionnaire. The data were assessed quali-quantitatively through the Collective Subject Discourse (CSD) method and underwent statistical analysis when possible. The population of crab catchers was exceedingly small, comprising a remnant of “caiçara” fishermen, 78% of whom did not have a valid license, thus rendering their professional activity illegal. Most of the crab catchers (56%) use the tangle-netting technique, which is prohibited by law, including during the fishing season (60%). Around 77.4% of the traditional knowledge of these fishermen was confirmed in the literature, evidencing the great deal of wisdom that is passed on by more experienced crab catchers. Important gaps could be filled regarding the knowledge on this species, including the regularization of this artisanal form of fishery, requiring a review and new alternatives to be properly managed.
Highlights
Ucides cordatus (Linnaeus, 1763) is a brachyuran crustacean popularly known as the mangrove crab that lives in close association with mangrove tree vegetation (NASCIMENTO, 1993; MELO, 1996; PINHEIRO and FISCARELLI, 2001; SHIH et al, 2016), playing a crucial role in the flow of matter and energy along the food chain (KOCH and WOLFF, 2002)
Among all of the registered crab catchers, only two were active and had special authorization granted by SMA Resolution No 64/2015 (SMA-SP, 2015), allowing them to extract the mangrove crab
Two crab catchers mentioned teaching the trade to family and friends, many of whom accompany them during the catch
Summary
Ucides cordatus (Linnaeus, 1763) is a brachyuran crustacean popularly known as the mangrove crab that lives in close association with mangrove tree vegetation (NASCIMENTO, 1993; MELO, 1996; PINHEIRO and FISCARELLI, 2001; SHIH et al, 2016), playing a crucial role in the flow of matter and energy along the food chain (KOCH and WOLFF, 2002) Being herbivorous, this animal feeds on senescent leaves and propagules, which are preferably collected at night, during low tide, storing them in chambers in its gallery (CHRISTOFOLETTI et al, 2013). Costa-Neto and Gordiano-Lima (2000) highlighted its medicinal use by traditional communities (in Bahia and Alagoas, Northeast Brazil), which use the fat from their hepatopancreas for menstrual regulation and their shell powder as an antiasthmatic
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