The aim of the present study was to describe, record and compare community management
strategies for aquatic turtles in three communities of the Santarém floodplains, in the north
of Brazil. Turtle consumption was also assessed in terms of preferences, rejections, food
taboos and their use in popular medicine as a therapeutic resource. The turtle fishing
techniques used were described, including seasonal and spatial variations, as were the
species captured and the technique selection process, based on local knowledge. The
income from fishing and the association between investment and return were assessed. The
data were collected between June 2007 and July 2008. Informal conversations, monitoring
of fishing activity and participant observation were carried out in the communities. Semistructured
interviews, based on the dietary recall method (recall history), were also
performed. These interviews recorded annual turtle consumption as well as memories of
turtle fishing in the past. The first reports of turtle management in the Amazon region were
made at the time of the first contact between Amerindians and Europeans. During the
1970’s, the Brazilian government implemented reforms based on centralized management
controlled by the State. Currently, co-management exists in various locations of the
Amazon region, such as the communities of Ilha de São Miguel, Costa do Aritapera and
Água Preta. Although guided by community demand, the management of these three
communities differs due to different levels of experience with management systems. On
Ilha de São Miguel, turtle management has been present for almost 40 years, with a certain
degree of success and vigor. Management techniques were established in Água Preta 22
years ago in a less rigorous manner. The recent implementation in Costa do Aritapera was
not successful. In general, the inclusion of the main users of a natural resource in its
management is difficult to execute. The great challenge for turtle management, as well as
other wildlife resources in the Amazon region, is legal recognition of their use. Turtle
consumption is a tradition rooted in Amazonian culture. However, it has been criminalized
and as such, the majority of the population is constrained from doing so. As it is considered
an illegal activity, there are no estimates of the quantity of animals exploited. This causes
problems to those who want to implement sustainable methods of community management.
Studies have shown that fish constitutes the main source of animal protein for the people of
the Amazon region, whereas records of turtle consumption are relatively low. Differences
were found in terms of the species of turtle consumed. In general, tracajá (Podocnemis
unifilis) (meat and eggs) was the most commonly consumed species in the three
communities, followed by pitiu (Podocnemis sextuberculata) (meat and eggs), which was
mainly consumed in Costa do Aritapera. Turtles (Podocnemis expansa) are rarely
consumed and there were no records of their eggs being collected. This meat is mainly
consumed on Ilha de São Miguel. These differences could be associated with a combination
of ecological factors and the management history of each community. No cultural
differences were found between the communities in terms of the use of turtles. Podocnemis
expansa, which is principally used in popular medicine, is the most rejected species
whereas tracajá and pitiu are generally preferred. All three are considered to be “reimoso”.
The most captured species was tracajá, followed by pitiu and tartaruga in lesser
proportions. Tracajá can be found in different environments and collected at any time of the
year in the three communities. Pitiu are mainly captured around Costa do Aritapera in periods of low water season. At this time, they are migrating from flooded forests areas in
the direction of rivers and nesting beaches. Tartaruga are caught in the protected lakes of
Ilha de São Miguel in times of flood. The fishing techniques employed vary depending on
the level of the river. The fishermen recognize seasonal variations and, combined with local
knowledge, use this information when selecting the technique to be used to catch turtles.
Turtle fishing is usually carried out in a timely manner, during fishing expeditions.
The yield of turtle fishing is greater when fish are not included and fishing by hand. Fishing
by hand was more fruitful. Selective fishing aimed at capturing larger animals produced
greater returns in terms of biomass. The yield based on CPUEN differed between the
communities and the fishing periods in the present study, although there were no significant
differences when biomass was calculated (CPUEB). The fishermen, in general, are not
concerned with maximizing their income, because most fisheries are not for marketing. The
yield reflects more the wisdom of a good fishing spot than the effort of displacement.When
the patch was good fishermen spent little time while in less productive patches they spent
more time. The present study suggests a number of ideas that could be adopted in order to
facilitate the success of fauna community management. In the specific case of turtles, it is
recommended that protected areas extend beyond the nesting areas and a quota system is
introduced to take advantage of eggs that will be lost. There is a possibility of breeding
commercialization.
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