Reuso de redes de pesca descartadas: análise de um modelo de valorização das comunidades locais e mitigação da pesca fantasma em Ilha Grande

Abstract

Fishing nets represent an expressive amount of the macroplastic in our ocean, and asides being another form of plastic pollution, they also cause ghost fishing - fishing gear that has been lost, dumped or abandoned and continues to capture animals with no fishing outcome, in a way both the environment as well as local fisherman communities are harmed by the depletion of fish stocks. This work presents a local solution and a new social-environmental business model, based on reusing fishing nets. The first chapter presents a case study in traditional coastal communities of Ilha Grande, Angra dos Reis, Brazil, where local fisherman and former fisherman collect those fishing nets and manually sew new items. This work analyzed the results of this initiative, as well as its perception by community members and consumers. It was observed that the initiative is important in preserving traditional knowledge, generating revenue for locals, and facilitating waste management. During the twelve months analyzed, 500kg of discarded fishing nets were collected, more than 10000 products were made and over R$70.000,00 reais were generated for the 10 families involved. In the second chapter, the main results were compiled, and a guide is proposed in order to drive the replication of this alternative in other regions. In summary, this social model presents a possible local solution to a global challenged, and it's possible to be adapted to the realities of different coastal communities.