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Bucknell University

Publication Date

Fall 2006

Program Name

Brazil: Amazon Resource Management and Human Ecology

Abstract

Fish and fisheries play an important role in the Amazon River Basin. Fishing provides jobs to people of both urban and rural communities, and fish are a major source of protein in people’s diets and a major part of the Amazon River ecosystem. In recent years commercial fishing has increased due to greater access to both domestic and international markets, and government incentives which have helped fishermen obtain better equipment and boats. The purpose of this study is to observe the Belém Ver-O-Peso fish market and interview fisherman about different aspects of commercial fishing (what species of fish were caught, how the fish were caught, the location where the fish was caught, and the price the fish is being sold for). This information was then compared to data from the years 1993-1996 and 2000-2004 and statistically analyzed to look at the effects of commercial fishing on the economy and the environment. The data give evidence to support the idea that commercial fishing has led to an increase in fish prices, as well as a possible decrease in jobs of small local fisherman. Environmentally speaking, commercial fishing shows evidence of causing a loss of fish species biodiversity, as well as damage to the ecosystem as a whole because of over-fishing. Overall, this study gives evidence that commercial fishing has negative environmental and economic impacts.

Disciplines

Agricultural and Resource Economics | Natural Resource Economics

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