Abstract
This paper discusses the misuses of estuaries in Northeast of Brazil and the social contrasts there found. The several kinds of impacts promoted by capitalist enterprises in one side and by traditional population, who uses estuary areas at another side, are in complete disagreement with the ethic of sustainable development. Our intention is to demonstrate how these aspects occur in the River Paraíba do Norte estuary, in the State of Paraíba. Observing the conditions of infrastructure besides the multiple ways to handle along with the extension of the estuary, we could recognize 59 focus of conflict between the incorrect use and sustainable mode. Most of the uses concern to traditional artisan fishing, slums and recreational marinas, reflecting the great social contrast between rich and poor people settled in area studied. Ecological and social implications of these conflicting uses are discussed and measures to improve the situation are suggested.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bally, R. (1987). Conservation problems and management options in estuaries: The Bot River estuary, South Africa, as a case-history for management of closed estuaries. Environmental Conservation, 14(1), 45–51.
Barros, H.M., Eskinazi-Leça, E., Paranaguá, M.N. (2000). The disappearing fish: An understanding of sustainability among estuarine fishermen communities of Bragança, PA. Aquatic Ecosystem Health and Management, 3, 553–560.
Beanlands, G.E. (1983). Land use pressures on coastal estuaries in Atlantic Canada. Coastal Zone Management Journal, 11(1–2), 117–132.
Blanchard, J., Prado, G. (1995). Natural regeneration of Rhizophora mangle in strip clearcuts in North West Ecuador. Biotropica, 27(2), 160–167.
Braga, R.A.: 1991, Alternativas de uso e produção dos manguezais do Nordeste. CPRH – Companhia Pernambucana de Controle da Poluição Ambiental dos Recursos Hídricos’, Recife. Technical Report 112.
Brasil: 1941, Congresso Nacional. Decreto Federal 3438 de 17 de julho de 1941.
Brasil: 1965, Congresso Nacional. Lei No. 4771 (Código Florestal) de 15 de setembro de 1965.
Brasil: 1967, Congresso Nacional. Lei Federal 5197 de proteção à fauna de 3 de janeiro de 1967.
Cicin-Sain, B., Knecht, R.W. (1998) Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management: Concepts and Practices. Washington: Island Press, p. 517.
Diegues, A.C. (1995). Ecologia Humana e Planejamento em Áreas Costeiras. São Paulo: NUPAUB-USP, p. 190.
EJF (2003). Smash & Grab: Conflict, Corruption and Human Rights Abuses in the Shrimp Farming Industry. London, UK: Environmental Justice Foundation.
French, P.W. (1997). Coastal and Estuarine Management. London and New York: Routledge environmental management series, p. 243.
Grotta, M., Lunetta, J.E.L. (1980). Ciclo sexual de Anomalocardia brasiliana (Gmelin, 1791) do litoral do Estado da Paraíba. Paraíba Revista Nordestina de Biologia, 3(1): 5–55.
Huitric, M., Folke, C., Kautsky, N. (2002). Development and government policies of the shrimp farming industry in Thailand in relation to mangrove ecosystems. Ecological Economics, 40, 441–455.
IBGE: 2004, Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística. Available at <http://www1.ibge.gov.br/home>.
ISA: Industrial Shrimp Action. Prawn to trade prawn to consume. Industrial Shrimp Action Network. Available at <http://www.shrimpaction.com/Reports.html>.
MAP: Mangrove Action Project. Available at < http://www.earthisland.org/map/>.
Melo-Peixoto, J.Á.: 1986, Distribuição e Abundância Sazonal de Siris do Gênero Callinectes (Decapoda, Portunidae) no Estuário do Rio Paraíba do Norte, Paraíba, Brasil. MSc Dissertation, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa.
Moura, G.F.: 1992, Comportamento diurno e sazonal de parâmetros fitoplanctônicos e hidrológicos no Estuário do Rio Paraíba do Norte, Estado da Paraíba, Brasil. MSc Dissertation, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Departamento de Oceanografia, Recife.
NEP: 2000, National Estuary Program. Available at <http://www.epa.gov/nep/>.
Nishida, A.K.: 1987, Alguns aspectos ecológicos e determinação do índice de condição de Mytella guyanensis (Lamarck, 1819) (Mollusca – Bivalvia) da Ilha da Restinga, estuário do Rio Paraíba do Norte, Paraíba – Brasil. MSc Dissertation, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa.
Páez-Osuna, F., Guerrero-Galván, S.R., Ruiz-Fernández, A.C. (1998). The environmental impact of␣shrimp aquaculture and the coastal pollution in México. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 36(1), 65–75.
Páez-Osuna, F., Gracia, A., Flores-Verdugo, F., Lyle-Fritch, L.P., Alonso-Rodríguez, R., Roque, A., Ruiz-Fernández, A.C. (2003). Shrimp aquaculture development and the environment in the Gulf of California ecoregion. Marine Pollution Bulletin, 46(7), 806–815.
Reis, E.G., D’incao, F. (2000). The present status of artisan fisheries of extreme Southern Brazil: An effort towards community-based management. Ocean and Coastal Management, 43, 585–595.
Rosa, R.S. (1980). Lista sistemática de peixes marinhos da Paraíba (Brasil). Revista Nordestina de Biologia, 3(2): 205–226.
Sassi, R., Melo, G.N. (1982). Contribuição ao conhecimento da fauna de protozoários do estuário do Rio Paraíba do Norte: Tintinoíneos do Rio Mandacaru. Revista Nordestina de Biologia, 5(2): 141–155.
Sassi, R. (1991). Phytoplankton and environmental factors in the Paraíba do Norte river estuary, northeastern Brazil: Composition, distribution and quantitative remarks. Boletim do Instituto Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo, 39(2), 93–115.
Singarajah, K.V. (1978). Hydrographic conditions, composition and distribution of plankton in relation to potential resources of Paraíba do Norte River estuary. Revista Nordestina de Biologia, 1(1), 125–144.
Stergiou, K.I. (2002). Overfishing, tropicalization of fish stocks, uncertainty and ecosystem management: Resharpening Ockham’s razor. Fisheries Research, 55, 1–9.
Tagliani, P.R.A., Landazuri, H., Reis, E.G., Tagliani, C.R., Asmus, M.L., Sánchez-Arcilla, A. (2003). Integrated coastal zone management in the Patos Lagoon estuary: Perspectives in context of developing country. Ocean and Coastal Management, 46, 807–822.
Thomas, T. (1994). A Ecologia do Absurdo. Lisboa: Edições Dinossauro, p. 115.
Valencia, M.J. 1979, South China Sea: Present and potential coastal area resource use conflicts. Oceans and Coastal Management, 5(1), 1–38.
Valiela, I., Bowen J.L. (2002). Nitrogen sources to watersheds and estuaries: Role of land cover mosaics and losses within watersheds. Environmental Pollution, 118, 239–248.
Yarg-Shi-Lun, Chen-Jin-Yu (1995). Coastal salt marshes and mangrove swamps in China. Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology 13(4), 318–324.
Acknowledgements
We thanks the “Núcleo de Estudo e Pesquisas de Recursos do Mar (NEPREMAR/UFPB)” and the “Programa de Pós-Graduação em Desenvolvimento e Meio Ambiente (PRODEMA/UFPB)” for laboratorial assistance and funds. We are also grateful to Dr. Breno Machado Grisi and Dr. Krystyna Gerlach-Lyra, from the “Universidade Federal da Paraíba” for reviewing the final English text.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sassi, R., Marcelino, R.L. & Costa, C.F. Social contrasts and land use conflicts in the context of sustainable development and management needs: a case study from an estuarine area at northeastern Brazil. Environ Dev Sustain 10, 167–178 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-006-9057-0
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-006-9057-0