Barbosa-Filho Márcio Luiz Vargas, Schiavetti Alexandre, Alarcon Daniela Trigueirinho, Costa-Neto Eraldo Medeiros
Departamento de Ciências Biológicas (DCB), Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Rodovia Jorge Amado, Km 16, Bairro Salobrinho, Ilhéus, Bahia, Brazil.
J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2014 Jul 3;10:54. doi: 10.1186/1746-4269-10-54.
Fishermen's knowledge is a source of indispensable information in decision-making processes related to efforts to stimulate the management and conservation of fishing resources, especially in developing countries. This study analyzed the knowledge of fishermen from three municipal areas of Bahia in northeast Brazil regarding the behavior repertoire of sharks and the possible influence that these perceptions may have on the inclination to preserve these animals. This is a pioneering study on the ethnobiological aspects of elasmobranchs in Brazil.
Open, semi-structured interviews with shark fishing specialists were conducted between September 2011 and October 2012. The interviews addressed the fishermen's profile, fishing techniques and knowledge about sharks, focusing on the behaviours exhibited by sharks. The data were analysed with quantitative approach and conducted with the use of descriptive statistical techniques.
Sixty-five fishermen were interviewed. They descend from the rafting subculture of Brazil's northeast, which has historically been disregarded by public policies addressing the management and conservation of fishing resources. The fishing fleet involved in shark fishing includes rafts, fishing boats and lobster boats equipped with fishing lines, gillnets, longlines and "esperas". The informers classified sharks' behaviour repertoire into 19 ethological categories, related especially to feeding, reproduction, and social and migratory behaviours. Because they identify sharks as predators, the detailed recognition of the behaviours exhibited is crucial both for an efficient catch and to avoid accidents. Therefore, this knowledge is doubly adaptive as it contributes to safer, more lucrative fishing. A feeling of respect for sharks predominates, since informers recognize the ecological role of these animals in marine ecosystems, attributing them the status of leader (or "the man") in the sea.
This work demonstrates the complexity and robustness of artisanal fishermen's ichthyological knowledge of sharks. Therefore, we suggest that such knowledge should be considered to develop public policies for the control of the fishing activity, as well as to develop and consolidate the National Action Plan for the Conservation of Shark and Ray Species (PAN - Tubarões e Raias).
渔民的知识是与促进渔业资源管理和养护相关决策过程中不可或缺的信息来源，尤其是在发展中国家。本研究分析了巴西东北部巴伊亚州三个市辖区渔民对鲨鱼行为模式的了解，以及这些认知可能对保护这些动物意愿产生的影响。这是巴西关于板鳃亚纲动物民族生物学方面的开创性研究。
2011年9月至2012年10月期间，对鲨鱼捕捞专家进行了开放式、半结构化访谈。访谈涉及渔民的个人情况、捕鱼技术以及对鲨鱼的了解，重点关注鲨鱼表现出的行为。数据采用定量方法进行分析，并运用描述性统计技术。
共访谈了65名渔民。他们来自巴西东北部的筏钓亚文化群体，该群体在以往涉及渔业资源管理和养护的公共政策中一直被忽视。参与鲨鱼捕捞的渔船队包括筏子、渔船和配备钓线、刺网、延绳钓和“esperas”的龙虾船。受访者将鲨鱼的行为模式分为19个行为学类别，尤其与摄食、繁殖、社交和洄游行为有关。由于他们将鲨鱼视为捕食者，详细了解其表现出的行为对于高效捕鱼和避免事故都至关重要。因此，这种知识具有双重适应性，因为它有助于实现更安全、利润更高的捕鱼。对鲨鱼的尊重之情占主导，因为受访者认识到这些动物在海洋生态系统中的生态作用，赋予它们海洋中“领袖”（或“老大”）的地位。
这项工作展示了个体渔民对鲨鱼的鱼类学知识的复杂性和丰富性。因此，我们建议在制定渔业活动控制的公共政策以及制定和巩固鲨鱼和鳐鱼物种保护国家行动计划（PAN - Tubarões e Raias）时应考虑此类知识。
