The behavior of the estuarine dolphin (Sotalia guianensis, van Bénéden, 1864) according to fishermen from different fishing environments

Abstract

Research on cetacean behavior is challenging because it happens mostly underwater. Fishermen, however, spend a good deal of their time in the water, and can bring new information about the behavior of aquatic species, especially if their knowledge can be extracted from sociocultural biases. We investigated how the habitat, distribution, seasonality, group size, and resting, reproductive and feeding behavior of the estuarine dolphin (Sotalia guianensis) perceived by small-scale fishermen is affected by their education, experience, fishing habitat, and the extent of dolphin watching tourism. We interviewed 116 fishermen in routine contact with populations of S. guianensis in NE Brazil regarding dolphin behavior and compared their responses to available literature. Most fishermen correctly reported the habitat, distribution, seasonality, and feeding behavior. Notably, education and experience, but not tourism, were related to a more detailed perception of behavior. Fishermen who used predominantly coastal waters or mixed environments had a more detailed knowledge of S. guianensis behavior than the ones fishing in estuarine lagoons. Moreover, the results provide new insights into the dolphin’s reproductive behavior and possible migration patterns. The results highlight the need to consider the effects of cultural biases on fishermen’s knowledge and that fishermen may provide information on cetaceans that could be used in management and conservation when scientific sources are missing or need to be complemented.