Integrated assessment of sustainability indicators for recreational fishing of the Middle Negro River, Brazilian Amazon.

Abstract

The sustainability of recreational fishing in the Middle Negro River, in the Brazilian Amazon, was evaluated using 26 indicators representing five evaluation fields (ecological sustainability, economic sustainability, fishing experience, management performance and social sustainability). The method employs a restricted multidimensional scale ordering technique and uncertainty is expressed through a Monte Carlo simulation and sensitivity using leverage analysis. The results of this study indicate that the overall performance of recreational fishing in the Middle Negro River, according to the perspectives of the five actors studied, was considered "less than satisfactory", indicating the need for measures to improve all the dimensions evaluated, especially management performance and ecological sustainability. The creation of an integrated management plan, which involves all the actors involved in recreational fishing, is essential, and should focus on ecological sustainability and management performance. This instrument should have frequent data collection, aiming at monitoring the activity as a condition for the sustainability of fishery resources in the medium and long term. The evaluation approach used also proved suitable for contexts with limited data availability, as is often the case in developing countries.