Entre redes e tempestades: os desafios para os pescadores artesanais na Reserva Extrativista Baía de Tubarão

Abstract

Artisanal fishing in Brazil has been practiced by humans since ancient times. Initially, this activity had a subsistence character, but over the centuries, it became a means of income for those who engage in it. Over time, the Brazilian state has failed to effectively invest in this sector, resulting in the marginalization of its workers. This study analyzed the main challenges faced by artisanal fishers in the Baía do Tubarão Extractive Reserve, located in the municipalities of Humberto de Campos and Icatu. We identified the primary difficulties encountered by these workers, their relationship with representative entities, and the role of the local public authorities. We also examined the way of life of this population and observed their perception of this conservation unit. To achieve this, we conducted semi-structured interviews with questions concerning the daily lives of the fishers, as well as specific questions directed to the president of the fishers' colony. The findings revealed the trivialization of labor rights and tensions between artisanal fishers and ICMBio (Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation). These factors contribute to the increasing difficulty of the fishers’ work, as they witness the disintegration of their traditional way of life