Abstract

ROCHA, Keuwy Sousa; SILVA, Rayane Vieira da  and  FREITAS, Rodrigo Randow de. An analysis of environmental perception and socio-economic transformation of a community of fishermen in estuarine region in southeastern Brazil. RGCI [online]. 2012, vol.12, n.4, pp.535-543. ISSN 1646-8872.

Although notorious for polluting, the effects of farming activities are usually ignored. The total amount of waste from aquatic farms and their impact on the environment are rarely recognized, especially from the point of view of sustainability. The focus of management in aquaculture is to increase productivity through increased production, with a view only recognizing short-term economic viability. Thus, the present work was aimed at analyzing if the farming activity was really a socioeconomic transformer to the reality of APESAM (also considering socioeconomic and environmental perception of the fish farmers on cultivation). The selection was based on the fact that the community has economic, social, and technological requirements as well as the existence of a partnership with the University, whose headquarters are located in the same town. From a preliminary identification of the productive process, through observation, interviews and literature research, a questionnaire was designed relating to tilapia culture and local data was collected between May and July of 2012. Interviewed members of the association were in place and available. The results show that there are problems. Despite the negative characteristics, aquaculture proved to supplement the income of the fish farmers association, bringing considerable improvements in local quality of life and transforming the socioeconomic reality of producers (taking into account income). However, one cannot say the same for changes in relation to literacy, installed infrastructure, water quality of the river, and trainings courses. This shows that although changes occur in relation to income, other problems are still present even with the introduction of the activity.

Keywords : Aquaculture; social welfare; tilapia; fish farming; water quality.

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