TARGET SPECIES OF ARTISANAL FISHERIES AND THEIR CONSERVATION STATUS IN TWO FISHING VILLAGES IN THE ATLANTIC: PENICHE (PORTUGAL) AND ARRAIAL DO CABO (BRAZIL)

Abstract

This study shared the fishers’ local ecological knowledge (LEK) from the two fishing villages (Peniche, Portugal, and Arraial do Cabo, Brazil), based on answers to the following key question: What are the main target species for fishing in Peniche/Arraial do Cabo? A total of 221 semi-structured interviews were conducted in the Atlantic fishing villages during 2016. Fisher´s interviews reported 42 species of marine animals from Peniche fishing community, and 40 species in Arraial do Cabo. The fisheries resources cited by fishers were assessed for vulnerability, according to the issue’s conservation based in IUCN and Brazilian Red List. We have identified the main target species for artisanal fishing in both fishing villages. The species with some degree of vulnerability included in the list of fishers in Peniche were: T. trachurus and P. glauca . In Arraial do Cabo fishing village this list is formed by nine species: P. saltatrix , E. marginatus , M. bonaci , P. glauca , M. canis , H. flavolimbatus , H. niveatus , G. galeus and P. americanus - Brazilian Subpopulation. These data acquired through the artisanal fishers of these communities can be an essential starting point for the design of future additional research on the conservation of local biological resources. Monitoring the artisanal fisheries through the informal data shared in this study can contribute to more appropriate and integrated management of the marine resources.