Fishers' ecological knowledge points to fishing-induced changes in the Peruvian Amazon.
Ecol Appl
; 34(5): e2964, 2024 Jul.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-38842210
ABSTRACT
Scientists increasingly draw on fishers' ecological knowledge (FEK) to gain a better understanding of fish biology and ecology, and inform options for fisheries management. We report on a study of FEK among fishers along the Lower Ucayali River in Peru, a region of exceptional productivity and diversity, which is also a major supplier of fish to the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon. Given a lack of available scientific information on stock status, we sought to identify temporal changes in the composition and size of exploited species by interviewing fishers from 18 communities who vary in years of fishing experience since the mid-1950s. We develop four FEK-based indicators to assess changes in the fish assemblage and compare findings with landings data. We find an intensification of fishing gear deployed over time and spatiotemporal shifts in the fish assemblage and reported declines in species weight, which point to a fishing-down process with declines across multiple species. This finding is reflected in a shifting baseline among our participants, whereby younger generations of fishers have different expectations regarding the distribution and size of species. Our study points to the importance of spillover effects from the nearby Pacaya-Samira National Reserve and community initiatives to support the regional fishery. Reference to fishers' knowledge also suggests that species decline is likely underreported in aggregated landings data. Despite the dynamism and diversity of Amazonian floodplain fisheries, simple FEK-based indicators can provide useful information for understanding fishing-induced changes in the fish assemblage. Fishers hold valuable knowledge for fishery management and conservation initiatives in the region.
Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Explotaciones Pesqueras
/
Peces
Límite:
Animals
/
Humans
País/Región como asunto:
America do sul
/
Peru
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Ecol Appl
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Canadá