Mulheres, manguezais e a pesca no estuário do Rio Mamanguape, Paraíba.

Abstract

Despite the important role played by women in management and use of natural resources, their activities have seldom been valued and, consequently, few policy interventions have been developed to support their productive potential. Therefore, this study addressed to investigate the ownership and usage of faunistic resources by women of Mamanguape River estuary in order to record their role in the local productive fishering. To gathering data, we used a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods. Among the qualitative methods include: free and semi-structured interviews, snowball, and direct observation. Data were analyzed by the interpretation of the interviewees discourse based on the union of the several individual competences model. Quantitative data were analyzed using simple statistics and the calculation of Use value (UV) and the corrected percentage of Agreement related to the Main Uses (cAMU) for the mentioned species. We interviewed 30 women, aged between 16 and 55. Concerning the use of resources, a total of 41 species (fish = 30, crustaceans = 08, mollusks = 03) are used mainly for local consumption and trade. The main species cited were the catfish - Genidens genidens (UV = 0, 7), chickenshit crab - Callinectes exasperatus (UV = 0.73) and shellfish - Anomalocardia brasiliana (UV = 0.46), also being the referred species with larger cAMU (100%, 70.3% and 92.8% respectively) for local consumption. About the gender and work matter most of the interviewees recognized themselves as fishers/gatherers (56.25%), holding an extensive experience in their activities, which is passed by them in a transgenerational manner. The interviewees pointed out the existence of a work division between men and women (75%), mainly related to fishing areas and working tools. The workday is intense and continuous (05 hours a day and 06 days per week). In addition to the fish gathering and harvest, these women are present at all stages of productive fishering, and also responsible for sale and improvement of the product, additionally, dividing their time between household, children's education and domestic duties. Over the fishing these women are responsible for supporting their family, acting as the main breadwinners. In general the studied families have low income and precarious health conditions, education and sanitation. Thus, an analysis focused on gender relations in fishering communities and the management of natural resource is imperative in order to guide future studies stressing the formulation of public policies and management plans that promote equitable participation of women as well as the properly appreciation of their work as a fisherwoman, and the conservation of the environment.