A PESCA ARTESANAL NA COMUNIDADE COSTA DO TAPARÁ (PA): SUBSÍDIOS PARA GESTÃO PESQUEIRA

Artisanal or small-scale fishing is one of the oldest extractive activities in the lower Amazon region, generating income and subsistence for a good part of the riverside population. In this sense, the objective of the research was to characterize the fishing activity and socioeconomic structure of artisanal fishermen in the Costa Tapará community, Santarém, Pará State. Data collection was carried out through interviews with semistructured forms to 82 fishermen out of a total of 302 registered fishermen, during the period from March to November 2019. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics. The results showed that the average age of the fishermen was 37.6 (81.7%) years (± 11.5), 70.7% had incomplete primary education and 91.5% had fishing as their main source of income. The fishing activity is presented as artisanal and on a small scale, practiced in small wooden rowing and/or motorized boats, employing multiplicity of equipment highlighting the reed, mesh, and net. July and August stood out as the best fishing season. The biggest problems identified in the community were socioenvironmental conflicts. Understanding how this community dynamic works will directly contribute to the development of management alternatives and regional fishing sector planning.