Traditional ecological knowledge supports ecosystem-based management in disturbed coastal marine social-ecological systems

A growing number of studies suggest a participatory ecosystem approach to support decision-making toward resilience and sustainability in social-ecological systems. Social-ecological resilience (SER) principles and practices are recommended to manage natural crises. However, it is necessary to broaden our understanding of SER on human-induced disturbances driven by economic development projects. In this paper we present the social-ecological system of Araçá Bay (Brazil), a small-scale fishery community that has experienced successive disturbances due to development projects since the 1930s. There was a lack of studies about the impacts of development projects in this bay. As part of a major project that aimed to build an ecosystem-based management plan for Araçá Bay through a participatory planning process, we focused on investigating fishers’ traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) to understand Araçá Bay’s small-scale fisheries social-ecological system. The objectives were to: (1) investigate fishers’ TEK regarding management practices and linked social mechanisms, human-induced disturbances and their consequences for the social-ecological system, ecosystem goods and services, and future threats; and (2) provide information based on TEK to the participatory planning process and analyze its contribution to Araçá Bay’s ecosystem-based management plan. Combined methods were used during 3 years of intense research-action (2014–2017): in-depth ethno-oceanographic interviews with expert fishers; monitoring Araçá Bay participatory meetings; and participant observation. Genuine local practices and social mechanisms from traditional culture were recorded, as well as TEK about 57 target fish species and methods to protect habitats and natural resources. Fishers also reported ecosystem disturbances and recovery processes. TEK was codified through SWOT analysis to assist the participatory planning process. Ecosystem services and threats based on TEK were brought to the participatory process, acknowledged by the participants, and incorporated into the management plan. TEK analysis proved to be an important methodology to provide historical environmental data regarding the impacts of development projects and support planning in disturbed ecosystems. In order to support coastal marine ecosystem-based management strategies toward SER and sustainability, researchers and practitioners should consider traditional territories in planning, recognize local practices and social mechanisms, and consider TEK on ecosystem goods and services and on historical human-induced disturbances

Integrated Coastal Management under an ethno-oceanographic perspective: the traditional knowledge in Araçá Bay

O conhecimento tradicional (CT) das populações costeiras pode ser fundamental para a Gestão Costeira Integrada (GCI), pois é de base empírica e combina informações sobre o comportamento dos organismos marinhos e sua taxonomia, processos físicos-oceanográficos, métodos tradicionais de manejo dos recursos naturais, etc. O principal objetivo desse trabalho foi compreender o CT de pescadores artesanais da Baía do Araçá e aplica-lo à gestão costeira através de entrevistas semi-estruturadas conjuntamente com a composição de mapas etnográficos e da sistematização das informações adquiridas. As informações etno-oceanográficas levantadas também foram aplicadas a dois modelos conceituais de orientação para o desenvolvimento de estratégias de gestão local, amplamente utilizados na gestão, a análise SWOT e o DPSIR. A Baía do Araçá é palco de conflitos e impactos que comumente influenciam a qualidade das regiões costeiras e suas relações socioambientais, havendo uma forte necessidade de planejamento do uso do território e, assim, servindo como exemplo para outras localidades. Ao todo, 18 pescadores foram identificados como informantes e entrevistados. Todos demonstraram ter afinidade com a Baía do Araçá e atribuíram ao local uma grande importância para a manutenção de seu modo de vida. Na pesca, foi verificado que a utilização de diferentes estratégias e equipamentos varia conforme as condições do mar e do tempo, espécies-alvo, locais de pesca e de acordo com os saberes e habilidades que cada um possui. De modo geral, os pescadores demonstraram ser \"local experts\", possuindo elevado conhecimento do ambiente que utilizam tanto para sobrevivência como para reprodução sociocultural de seu modo de vida caiçara. As análises SWOT e do DPSIR contribuíram para a sistematização do CT levantado, possibilitando sua utilização por gestores e sua aplicação para o planejamento local. Recomenda-se que esse saber e a participação dos pescadores na tomada de decisão sejam considerados na planificação de políticas de gestão dos espaços e recursos naturais costeiro-marinhos.The traditional knowledge (TK) of coastal populations may be fundamental to Integrated Coastal Management (ICG), as it is based on empirical practices and combines information about the behavior of marine organisms and their taxonomy, physical-oceanographic processes, traditional methods of natural resource management, etc. The major aim of this work was to understand the TK of artisanal fishermen from Araçá Bay and apply it to coastal management through semi-structured interviews along with the composition of ethnographic maps and the systematization of the acquired information. The ethno-oceanographic information obtained was also applied in two conceptual models, widely used in management, that can guideline the development of local management strategies: the SWOT analysis and DPSIR. Araçá Bay has a scene of multiple conflicts and impacts that commonly influence the quality of coastal regions and their socio-environmental relations, outstanding the important need to plan the use of this territory. Thus the study area serve as an example for other localities. In total, 18 fishermen were identified as informants and were interviewed. All of them demonstrated affinity with Araçá Bay and attribute to this place a great importance for the maintenance of their way of life. For fishing, it was verified that the use of different strategies and equipment varies according to the conditions of the sea and of the weather, to the target species, fishing places and according to the knowledge and abilities that each one possesses. In general, fishermen demonstrated to be \"local experts\", possessing an abundant knowledge of the environment that they use for both survival and sociocultural reproduction of their way of life. SWOT and DPSIR analyzes contributed to the systematization of the registered TK, allowing its use by managers and its application for local planning. It is recommended that both the TK and the participation of fishermen in decision-making practices should be considered in policies of management planning for coastal areas and natural resources