SISTEMAS DE CO-MANEJO PESQUEIRO COM ENFOQUE NO PIRARUCU (Arapaima spp.) EM COMUNIDADES DE VÁRZEA DO BAIXO AMAZONAS: estrutura institucional e custos de transação
Co-management, Insitutions, Artisanal Fishing.
Co-management, social participation in the regulation, monitoring, and enforcement of the natural resources use and access has been defended as a way for fisheries resources sustainability and conservation. However, fisheries' co-management systems may suffer by uncertainties due to the migratory and ‘invisible’ characteristics of fishes. The focus on easy monitoring species and of high economic value increase incentives and certainty about the advantages of co-management. Pirarucu (Arapaima spp.) has biological and ecological characteristics that allow easy monitoring, population short-term recover, and its high commercial value generates incentives for the species management. This study aimed to identify the main drivers of pirarucu co-management performance, taking into consideration the benefits and transaction costs evaluation in systems of pirarucu co-management of the Lower Amazon floodplain, located in the municipalities of Santarém and Alenquer, Pará State. It was developed by fieldwork in six floodplain communities: Água Preta, Pixuna, Santa Maria and Tapará Miri, from Santarém, and Salvação and Urucurituba from Alenquer. The data collection was developed by interviews, observation, fishing participative monitoring of general species and pirarucu, forms application and secondary data survey. The results indicate the are high transaction costs faced by communities, mainly because of enforcement effort. High level of social capital and consolidated institutions are needed for communities to overcome overfishing collective dilemma since fishing management scenario is marked by weak government presence, generating a high degree of free-riding of external fishermen. To include the transaction costs analyze against co-management advantages helps to better clarify the main drivers of collective action of fisheries in the Amazon.