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A B S T R A C T 
The flooding of the Sete Quedas fall for the formation of the Itaipu 
hydroelectric power plant, on the Paraná River, had impacts on 
fishing. The objective of this study was to analyze the environmental 
perception of fishermen in the region of Ilha Grande National Park, 
the environmental changes that occurred after the formation of the 
Itaipu reservoir and their relationship with fishing in the region. Data 
collection was carried out through interviews, with a semi-structured 
script approved by the Ethics Committee of Western Paraná State 
University. This script consisted of 26 questions aimed at identifying 
the socioeconomic characteristics of the activity and the changes that 
occurred from 1980 to 2020. Qualitative variables were analyzed. The 
results showed that fishermen have knowledge and perception of 
the environmental changes that have occurred in the last 40 years, 
and of the consequences of these changes in the fishing and housing 
spaces where they are inserted. Moreover, they demonstrated 
knowledge about changes in the river bed, in the course and on 
the banks of the Paraná River, about silting up and the decrease 
and/or extinction of fish species, in line with what has been found 
in the scientific literature. Thus, for these artisanal fishermen, the 
flooding caused social, cultural and economic losses. It is necessary 
for public authorities to act, supported by scientific information, 
guiding environmental education actions and measures to mitigate 
the environmental impacts generated and to support the fishermen.

Keywords: fishing; riverside population; environmental conflicts; 
traditional ecological knowledge.

R E S U M O
O alagamento das Sete Quedas para a formação da usina hidrelétrica 
de Itaipu, no rio Paraná, gerou impactos sobre a pesca. O objetivo 
deste estudo foi analisar a percepção ambiental dos pescadores 
da região do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande sobre as mudanças 
ambientais ocorridas após a formação do reservatório de Itaipu e sua 
relação com a pesca da região. A coleta de dados foi realizada por meio 
de entrevistas, com roteiro semiestruturado, devidamente aprovado 
pelo conselho de ética da Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná. 
Esse roteiro contém 26 perguntas direcionadas ao levantamento 
das características socioeconômicas da atividade e das alterações 
ocorridas desde 1980 até 2020. As variáveis qualitativas foram 
analisadas. Os resultados mostraram que os pescadores possuem 
conhecimento e percepção sobre as mudanças ambientais ocorridas 
nos últimos 40 anos e sobre as consequências destas nos espaços de 
pesca e moradia onde estão inseridos. Demonstraram discernimento 
sobre as alterações no leito, no curso e nas margens do rio Paraná, 
sobre assoreamento, bem como ciência da diminuição e/ou extinção 
de espécies de peixes, alinhados com o encontrado na literatura 
científica. Assim, para os pescadores artesanais, o alagamento 
acarretou perdas sociais, culturais e econômicas. Torna-se necessária a 
atuação dos poderes públicos, amparados por informações científicas, 
orientando ações de educação ambiental e medidas mitigadoras dos 
impactos ambientais gerados e de apoio aos pescadores. 

Palavras-chave: pesca; população ribeirinha; conflitos ambientais; 
conhecimento ecológico tradicional.

Environmental perception of artisanal fishermen in the region of Ilha 
Grande National Park, PR/MS, after the formation of the Itaipu reservoir: 
traditional knowledge and human-nature interaction
Percepção ambiental dos pescadores artesanais da região do Parque Nacional de Ilha Grande, PR/MS, após a 
formação do reservatório de Itaipu: conhecimentos tradicionais e interação pessoa-natureza
Bárbara Machado Duarte1 , Elaine Antoniassi Luiz Kashiwaqui2 , Rosinara Virgínia Ferreira Yunes1 , 
Paulo Vanderlei Sanches1 

1Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná – Toledo (PR), Brazil.
2Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul – Mundo Novo (MS), Brazil.
Correspondence address: Bárbara Machado Duarte – Rua Dr. Oliveira Castro, s/n., casa 7, Vila Naval – Centro – CEP: 85980-000 – Guaíra (PR), Brazil. 
E-mail: babimduarte@hotmail.com
Conflicts of interest: the authors declare no conflicts of interest.
Funding: Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES).
Received on: 01/25/2023. Accepted on: 04/29/2023.
https://doi.org/10.5327/Z2176-94781544 

Revista Brasileira de Ciências Ambientais
Brazilian Journal of Environmental Sciences

This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons license.

Revista Brasileira de Ciências Ambientais
Brazilian Journal of Environmental Sciences

ISSN  2176-9478 
Volume 56, Number 1, March 2021

https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5569-0553
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4493-2980
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3301-5466
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2159-9115
mailto:babimduarte@hotmail.com
https://doi.org/10.5327/Z2176-94781544
http://abes-dn.org.br/
http://www.rbciamb.com.br


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Introduction
Aiming at greater economic development between the 1970s and 

1980s, the electricity sector took up space in environmental discus-
sions, when the promotion of large hydroelectric projects (Oliveira, 
2018) promised to solve the problems of energy demand (Pimentel, 
2012). These, despite their importance for the country’s economy, 
brought several environmental, social and political impacts (Suassuna, 
2007; Maldaner et  al., 2019). Since then, the construction of hydro-
electric plants (Pimentel, 2012) is the basis of the country’s demand 
for electricity.

In order to build these plants, it is necessary to modify the course 
of the rivers, such as by transforming the lotic environment into a 
semi-lentic one, and this is facilitated by the occurrence of flooding 
(Agostinho, 1994; Benedito-Cecílio et al., 1997). With flooding, water 
reservoirs are created for energy production of different proportions 
(Agostinho and Júlio Jr., 1999; Agostinho et  al., 2008), from run-of-
river and small reservoirs (Luiz et al., 2003) to large ones, which flood 
wide areas of the terrestrial environment (Terrin and Blanchet, 2019). 
Through these floods, changes occur in the water regime and the for-
mation of microclimates which impair the biological diversity present 
there, and may even extinguish certain species of the fauna and flora 
(Terrin and Blanchet, 2019).

An example of these large hydroelectric projects is the Itaipu Hy-
droelectric Plant, which began operating in 1982. It is located on the 
Paraná River, between Brazil and Paraguay, producing energy that 
corresponds to 10.8% of the energy produced in Brazil (Itaipu, 2010). 
However, it replaced the natural obstacle previously represented by the 
Sete Quedas, and the authorization for this flood was based on studies 
carried out between 1977 and 1981 (Ribeiro et al., 2012). With its con-
struction, the hydrology of the Paraná River was altered, influencing 
the entire biota of the river channel and its surroundings, causing ma-
jor changes in fishing yield and the replacement of fish species that had 
been caught until then (Agostinho et al., 2008; Hoeinghaus et al., 2009). 
In addition, traditional riverside populations were displaced from their 
properties due to the flooding, which reflected in a restructuring of the 
regional space in terms of population, especially in tourism (Giacomin, 
2005) and fishing (Hoeinghaus et al., 2009).

It is noteworthy that the resettlement of riverside communities 
for the purpose of construction works is an outcome of hydroelec-
tric plant implementation (Guerra and Carvalho, 1995). However, 
socio-environmental conflicts arise as a result of these endeavors. 
Due to the flooding of the surrounding areas (especially the Sete Que-
das), social, cultural, economic (Giacomin, 2005) and environmental 
changes took place. Together with the Iguaçu River Falls in Foz do 
Iguaçu, Paraná, the old Sete Quedas National Park on the border of 
the states of Paraná and Mato Grosso do Sul, between the cities of 
Guaíra and Mundo Novo, provided a spectacle of beauty, with some of 
the most popular venues for tourists from all over Brazil (Schneider, 
2009) and the world.

Over the years and with the environmental changes in the region, 
several species that were commonly captured in abundance by fisher-
men gave way to introduced species with less economic value (Agost-
inho and Júlio Jr., 1996; Agostinho et al., 2008; Hoeinghaus et al., 2009; 
De Paula, 2017). In addition to this economic loss, the fishermen had 
their customs and knowledge affected by the sudden change in the en-
vironment (Paula, 2011). This fact may represent an abrupt change in 
social and behavioral paradigms, in the face of changes in the natural 
environment (Guerra and Carvalho, 1995; Giacomin, 2005). In this 
sense, the knowledge withheld by artisanal fishermen (subsistence fish-
ing), who depend directly on natural resources (Carvalho, 2002; Assis 
et al., 2020), helps to understand the anthropic impacts and may pro-
vide a basis for environmental education actions (Cecchin and Lim-
berger, 2011). Such knowledge is the result of environmental percep-
tion and, according to Tuan (1980, p. 284-285), “all men share common 
attitudes and perspectives, but the vision that each person has of the 
world is unique and in no way is futile”. This means that each individual 
has their own interpretation of space, according to their reality.

Similarly, environmental perception is portrayed by Silva-Meneses 
(2018) as knowledge that allows individuals to feel the environment 
around them, strengthening the community’s relationship with nature. 
For the fishermen, this empirical knowledge of their surroundings is 
a consequence of the daily use of natural resources. It allows them to 
formulate their vision of the environment (Carvalho, 2002), which is 
in turn translated into traditional ecological knowledge that relates the 
wisdom of riverside dwellers in relation to activities practices exercised 
with the use and dependence on natural resources (Doria et al., 2014).

The utilization of the term “environmental perception” in studies 
depicting the relationship between society and the environment, as 
stated by Randow (2015, p. 18), “contributes to a more rational utili-
zation and management of environmental resources and landscapes, 
enabling the interplay of local knowledge from the perspective of indi-
viduals, communities, or the population as a whole”.

From this perspective, “artisanal fishermen are one of the pro-
tagonists of this person-environment relationship, and their actions 
directly influence this environment, therefore their perceptions de-
termine their actions” (Moraes et  al., 2018, p. 3). Thus, grasping the 
environmental perception of this population is important for public 
management that aims at preservation and environmental education, 
helping to detect existing problems and, from there, to carry out ed-
ucational practices (Zeineddine et al., 2022). It is important to always 
remain attentive to changes that occur in the environment, especially 
in areas that have been modified by human action. In this sense, the 
artisanal fishermen who work in the region of Guaíra/PR and Mundo 
Novo/MS, and who are still active, were and are spectators of these 
environmental changes.

Given the above, we analyzed the environmental perception of 
fishermen in the area of the Ilha Grande National Park (IGNP), on 
the Paraná River, about the changes in fishing in the region after 



Environmental perception of artisanal fishermen in the region of Ilha Grande National Park, 
PR/MS, after the formation of the Itaipu reservoir: traditional knowledge and human-nature interaction

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the formation of the Itaipu reservoir, having as a research problem 
two basic questions:
•  What is the environmental perception of the artisanal fishermen in 

the IGNP region of the upper Paraná River, in view of the environ-
mental changes of the last 40 years?;

•  What is the relationship between the artisanal fishermen and the 
conservation units on the upper Paraná River?

Methodology

Study area
The study was conducted in the municipalities of Guaíra and Mun-

do Novo, both located on the banks of the Paraná River, in the tran-
sition between the Paraná River and the Itaipu reservoir and the Ilha 
Grande archipelago, comprising both lotic and semi-lentic stretches of 
the upper Paraná River.

The municipality of Mundo Novo (“23º 56’03.72” S; “54º 17’19.94” 
W) has an area of 443 km2 (Apolo11, 2019a) and approximately 18 
thousand inhabitants (IBGE, 2020b). It is located in the extreme south 
of the state of Mato Grasso do Sul (MS), bordering the state of Paraná 
and Paraguay.

The municipality of Guaíra (24° 04’ 48’’ S; “54° 15’ 21’’ W) has an 
area of 504.7 km2 (Apolo11, 2019b) and approximately 33 thousand 
inhabitants (IBGE, 2020a). It is located to the west of the state of Paraná 
(PR), bordering the state of Mato Grosso do Sul and Paraguay. Similar 
to Mundo Novo, Guaíra also has a privileged fishing area (professional, 
sports and artisanal). Most of the fishermen in Guaíra are affiliated to 
the region’s fishermen colony, the Z13.

Guaíra and Mundo Novo are among the nine municipalities that 
border the IGNP. The park was created in September 1997 with the aim 
of mitigating the social, economic and environmental impacts caused 
by the formation of the Itaipu reservoir and the extinction of the Sete 
Quedas, and as an attempt to preserve the natural ecosystems.

Procedures
Forty-four artisanal fishermen were interviewed, 18 from the mu-

nicipality of Mundo Novo and 26 from the municipality of Guaíra, be-
tween July 2019 and July 2020. The interviews were carried out at their 
homes and at the Z-13 fishermen colony in Guaíra. To carry out the 
research, a qualitative (descriptive) approach was used, in which the 
researcher uses a script to subsidize the interview and understand how 
the object of the research behaves, always paying attention to the opin-
ion of the interviewees (Lüdke and André, 1986). In the same manner, 
Minayo et al. (2001, p. 22) state that:

Qualitative research responds to very particular questions. 
It is concerned, in the social sciences, with a level of reality 
that cannot be quantified. In other words, it works with 

the universe of meanings, motives, aspirations, beliefs, 
values and attitudes, which corresponds to a deeper space 
of relationships, processes and phenomena that cannot be 
reduced to the operationalization of variables.

For the collection of information, a convenience, non-probabilistic 
sampling design was used (Vieira, 2011) given our access to the popu-
lation of fishermen. Semi-structured interviews, which “feature a script 
with open questions and are indicated to study a phenomenon with a 
specific population” (Manzini, 2012, p. 156), were carried out.

To guide the interview, our script was previously sent and approved 
by the ethics board of the Universidade do Oeste do Paraná, by Opin-
ion nº 3.544.439. This script contains 26 questions aimed at ascertain-
ing the socioeconomic characteristics of the activity and the changes 
that occurred from the 1980s until 2020. The same script was used for 
all interviewees, and these interviews were recorded and transcribed 
in their entirety.

With the timeframe approach to the effects of the formation of the 
Itaipu reservoir, some criteria were established for the selection of fish-
ermen: being an artisanal fisherman, fishing in the region surround-
ing the IGNP and having been active before and after the formation of 
the reservoir. The fishermen were chosen using the snowball sampling 
method (convenience and non-probabilistic). This technique is “used 
in social research where the initial participants of a study indicate new 
participants who in turn indicate new participants and so on, until the 
proposed objective is reached, the saturation point” (Baldin and Mun-
hoz, 2011, p. 50). In other words, when “no new names are offered or 
the names found do not bring new information to the analysis frame-
work” (Vinuto, 2014, p. 203). To start the research, the chosen fisher-
man were appointed by local people.

At the beginning of the interview, the objective of the research was 
presented and each fisherman signed an informed consent form, where 
secrecy was assured in the disclosure of information, therefore their 
answers were discussed and portrayed by numbers.

Results and Discussion

General information about the fishermen
Typically, Brazilian artisanal fishing is practiced by indepen-

dent fishermen, who carry out the activity individually or in part-
nerships (Diegues, 1988). This scenario was observed among the 
fishermen from the regions of Guaíra/PR and Mundo Novo/MS, 
for whom fishing is the main source of subsistence and family in-
come. As a result, the majority of these fishermen work in fishing 
activities six days per week. Artisanal fishing is of great importance 
to the riverside population, as it provides the sustenance of numer-
ous families, both for consumption and sales (Da Silva, 2014). In 
addition, it contributes to regional trade.



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The interviewed fishermen use relatively simple and common 
equipment for catching fish (sleeping net and longline), have an ad-
vanced average age, and fish around the IGNP, which they consider 
to be the best area to catch the best fish. The use of gear known by the 
population in general and the sale of the produce without intermediar-
ies (Diegues, 1988) are common practices in artisanal fishing.

Of the total number of fishermen, 86% were male and 14% 
female. Although women participate in fishing activities, this re-
mains a profession predominantly practiced by men (Araújo and 
Parente, 2016). Women have always been a part of fishing in some 
way, whether by helping their husbands, weaving nets or even fish-
ing; however, they were not considered to be fishermen (Zanch-
ett, 2020). This fact is also portrayed by Souza and Silva (2018), 
who highlight the direct or indirect participation of women, often 
without being recognized as “fisherwomen”. This has changed over 
time, but even today fishing is considered a male activity (Zanchett, 
2020). One of our interviewees (fisherwoman 4, 60 years old) stated 
that she was unable to retire due to the National Institute of Social 
Security (INSS) not considering five years of her work (we do not 
know the reason for the INSS decision).

The respondents’ age range fell between 54 and 59 years old. The 
second-highest participation rate (34%) was found among those aged 
between 47 and 53 years old, indicating that they are fully active in 
their profession when compared to the age group of the economical-
ly active Brazilian population (Oliveira, 2019). The age groups with 
the lowest contributions were between 60 and 64 years old, between 
65 and 69 years old (7% each), between 70 and 74 years old (5%), 
and between 75 and 79 years old (only 2%). The age range pattern 
obtained in our results is very similar to that obtained in the studies 
conducted by Souza and Silva (2018) and Soares et al. (2019), in which 
the average age was between 43 to 52 years. This can be attributed to 
the aging of the riverside population and the reduction of fish stocks 
(Souza and Silva, 2018), as well as to younger generations choosing to 
abandon the profession.

Regarding education, 75% of the fishermen attended elementary 
school, 14% completed high school, and 11% declared themselves illit-
erate. Barreto et al. (2018) explain that the low education level among 
fishermen is related to the physical demands required by the activity. 
The need to feed their families by selling fish makes them work for lon-
ger periods, forsaking the need to attend school (Barreto et al., 2018). 
Their dedication to fishing can affect family income, as education is 
linked to the possibility of supplementing income with other sources 
(Lima et al., 2012).

The results showed that 65% of the interviewed fishermen receive 
one minimum wage (+ or - US$ 260) per month for the sale of fish and 
35% reported receiving two (2) wages (+ or - US$ 520). However, the 
latter group claims to be able to earn more because they have retired as 
fishermen, thus adding pension to the fruits of their labor.

Environmental perception: artisanal fishermen and the 
person-nature relationship

“According to the International Labour Organization, fishermen 
are defined as workers who dedicate themselves to the entire process 
of the fishing sector, from catching fish to various tasks related to it” 
(Ramires et  al., 2012, p. 38). This makes them sensitive and aware of 
all the changes that occur in the environment in which they are insert-
ed, and their day-to-day empirical knowledge can support important 
questions when it comes to policies to maintain and understand nature 
(Abreu et al., 2020).

When asked about the Paraná River prior to the formation of 
the reservoir, the fishermen reported a significant change in the 
water landscape and a decrease in the abundance of the local ich-
thyofauna after its creation. Among others, the following responses 
were obtained:
•  “It used to be quiet, there were the Sete Quedas. It was beautiful! 

There was plenty of fish” (Fisherman 24, 64 years old);
•  “It was the most beautiful thing in the world! There was plenty of fish, 

clean water, lots of wood on the shore” (Fisherman 11, 69 years old).

When the question was what changed with the flooding, the fol-
lowing were some of their answers:
• “Fish have decreased and there is a lot of siltation” (Fisherman 4, 

55 years old);
• “Everything has changed, the number of fish has decreased a lot, 

and the ravine has become shallower” (Fisherman 5, 74 years old);
• “The amount of fish has decreased a lot” (Fisherman 24, 64 years 

old);
• “Sometimes we sit and reminisce, and it makes us want to cry. Any-

time you came to the river, you had fish to catch” (Fisherman 21, 52 
years old).

Most of the fishermen’s answers revolved around the “lack of fish”, 
and this became clearer when the question was: “Do you think that 
someday there will be a lack of the fish that you are used to catching?” 
All the fishermen replied that “they are already missing”. Agostinho 
et  al. (2007) confirmed this, reporting that the disappearance and/or 
reduction of several fish species that were once abundant before the 
reservoir’s construction are due to various factors, with the alteration 
of habitat being the most significant impact.

In fact, the construction of dams has been directly linked to de-
creasing population sizes and species richness (Nilsson et al., 2005), 
which affects the population dynamics and the attributes of all fish 
fauna (Sabinson et  al., 2014). The changes caused by dams are re-
lated to modifications in the hydrodynamic characteristics that al-
ter the physical and chemical characteristics of the river and, con-
sequently, the well-being of the biota present in it (Tundisi et  al., 
2002; Moura et al., 2014).



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The reduction in catches of fish with greater commercial value is 
another factor to be taken into account when considering the fish-
ermen’s responses: “It was the richest river in the country [...] It had 
fish in abundance and fish of high commercial value” (Fisherman 23, 
58 years old).

Typically, migratory species such as the Dourado (Salminus brasil-
iensis), the Pintado (Pseudoplatystoma corruscans) and the Jaú catfish 
(Zungaro zungaro) are considered of greater commercial value. As a 
result, damming primarily and negatively affects these migratory fish 
species (Suzuki et al., 2004). As migratory fish species rely on extensive 
movements to complete their life cycle, dams obstruct their migration 
routes, limiting upstream movements (Agostinho et al., 2003; Pelicice 
et  al., 2015) and reducing the likelihood of their offspring reaching 
downstream feeding sites (Agostinho et  al., 2007; Winemiller et  al., 
2016). Furthermore, with the formation of the reservoir, the main hy-
drological and limnological triggers for reproduction, such as water 
level, turbidity, (Vazzoler, 1996; Baumgartner et  al., 1997; Agostinho 
et  al., 2007) and flow velocity (Agostinho et  al., 2007; Pelicice et  al., 
2015), experienced a changed regime (Agostinho et al., 2007). For ex-
ample, in the upper Paraná River there are at least 18 species of migra-
tory fish under the influence of several dams (Suzuki et al., 2004; Su-
zuki et al., 2009; Lopes et al., 2020), some of them at risk of extinction 
(ICMBio, 2018). In addition to reporting the disappearance of species, 
the fishermen also claimed that the size of fish is decreasing over time. 
The following are some of their statements:
•  “Species such as Pintado, Dourado, and Pacu not only became 

scarce, but also significantly decreased in size” (Fisherman 27, 55 
years old);

•  “Yes, they are much smaller. They’re not even big enough to take, but 
what are we going to do? If we don’t catch them, we don’t fish” (Fish-
erman 21, 52 years old).

Research has been conducted to understand the reasons for the de-
crease in size and biomass (condition factor) of fish over time in hydro-
graphic basins with reservoirs, (Hoeinghaus et al., 2009; Moura et al., 
2014) and genetic alteration is among the potential causes (Perônico, 
2017). This modification might be the result of selective fishing prac-
tices that prioritize fish size, driven both by financial reasons and legal 
considerations regarding the size of fish that can be caught (Agostinho 
et al., 2007). The statement made by fisherman 21 reflects the views of 
the majority of fishermen, who claim that they are unable to catch fish 
that meet the minimum size required by law. Consequently, they end 
up catching smaller fish, even during the closed season. Some openly 
assert this, while others appear more embarrassed, but end up reveal-
ing their thoughts during the interview.

When it came to the comparison between the fish species that ex-
isted before the formation of the reservoir and those currently caught, 
including introduced and invasive fish, the fishermen claimed that the 

fish they catch now are of lower commercial value and are of different 
species than those that were present before the reservoir was created.
•  “The richest fish are no longer enough for us here” (Fisherman 35, 54 

years old);
•  “Now more fish have been introduced, the Armado is the one that is 

still guaranteeing the money” (Fisherman 28, 55 years old);
•  “The Cascudo Preto that brought in money, now when it gets caught 

it tastes bad” (Fisherman 9, 58 years old).

The introduction of species is seen by energy companies as one of 
the measures to reduce environmental impacts, especially on the ich-
thyofauna, caused by the construction of reservoirs, but due to factors 
that include lack of monitoring and appropriate studies, this resource 
has proven to be less effective in some Brazilian reservoirs (Agostin-
ho and Júlio-Jr., 1996). The impact of introduced or invasive species is 
considered of great ecological importance (Vitule et  al., 2012) and is 
directly related to changes in the functional diversity of the fish assem-
blage (Milardi et al., 2019). Moreover, the increase in the abundance of 
non-native species is associated with the decrease in “ecosystem ser-
vices” (Attayde et  al., 2011). Among the causes of global biodiversity 
loss, the introduction of exotic species is considered the most import-
ant (Leprieur et al., 2008).

Among the species mentioned by the fishermen, the Silver Croaker 
Curvina (Plagioscion squamosissimus) was introduced into the Pardo 
River Basin in 1967 (Machado, 1974; Nomura, 1984) with the purpose 
of increasing fish yield (Agostinho et  al., 2007) and found favorable 
environmental conditions in several Brazilian reservoirs. It became the 
only introduced species that was successful in terms of abundance and 
biomass in the floodplain of the upper Paraná River (Agostinho and 
Júlio Jr., 1999).

With the purpose of understanding the fishermen’s perceptions re-
garding the IGNP, they were asked if they had knowledge of the park’s 
importance to the region. The following results were obtained: 69% of 
fishermen did not know the importance or did not want to answer; 
29% responded that it was important for the environment, fauna or 
flora; and 2% believed that the conservation unit was created to harm 
the fishermen. Below are some statements:
•  “Important for the preservation of the river and fish” (Fisherman 4, 

55 years old);
•  “It is important because it is a place that no one can sell, it is import-

ant for animals, for reproduction” (Fisherman 6, 79 years old);
•  “Responsible for 50% of the extinction of fishermen” (Fisherman 23, 

58 years old);
• “None, they did it to annoy the fisherman” (Fisherman 21, 52 years 

old);
•  “It is the nursery of the river, very important for the animal” (Fisher-

man 11, 69 years old);
•  “I don’t know...” (Fisherman 5, 74 years old).



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Subsequently, the fishermen were asked if the conservation unit 
was important for fishing. The majority (70%) of the fishermen did not 
know how to answer; 18% answered that it was not important for fish-
ing, and 12% answered that it had some kind of importance for fishing.
•  “Fruit trees give us fish” (Fisherman 2, 51 years old);
•  “Reproduction of fish and preservation of fish” (Fisherman 4, 55 

years old);
•  “They created the conservation unit and the fishermen were harmed” 

(Fisherman 38, 58 years old);
•  “None, it interferes with fishing” (Fisherman 25, 55 years old).

The negative perception that fishermen have towards the IGNP 
may be due to a lack of informative educational actions (environmental 
education) before, during, and after its creation, considering the ex-
propriations and conflicts that occurred at that time (Moreira, 2017). 
Laws and prohibitions are implemented for the creation of conserva-
tion units aiming to conserve biodiversity in the area, but this series of 
prohibitions generates conflicts with the population that depends on 
that environment for their livelihood (Gonzaga et al., 2014).

The model of conservation units adopted in Brazil is in line with 
a policy that holds that, to conserve, it is necessary to relocate popu-
lations that have always lived in and cared for that location (Hassler, 
2005). This has caused and still causes significant conflicts with the 
riparian population who has always taken care of the land (Acevedo 
et al., 2013; Alvite and Ferreira, 2022). In his research, Arruda (1999, 
p. 90) concludes that this model of conservation units, “by ignoring 
the conservation potential of culturally differentiated segments that 
have historically preserved the quality of the areas they occupy, has 
possibly disregarded one of the only appropriate avenues to achieve its 
proposed objectives”.

Below are some statements from the fishermen related to the IGNP:
•  “Before the National Park was created by decree, there were around 

one thousand families living within the park area. These were not one 
thousand individuals, but rather one thousand families. They used to 
cultivate crops such as rice, beans, and chicken, among other things. 
When they were forced to leave, they received a meager compensa-
tion, and I was closely involved in the compensation process” (Fish-
erman 1, 48 years old);

•  “When the preservation unit was created, the fishermen were 
harmed, they took away our right to work, to camp. They were re-
stricting. We, while here, didn’t let the island burn like that. One 
thing you may not know is that most of the fishermen who were 
harmed are dead because they went to work as smugglers” (Fisher-
man 38, 58 years old).

Unfortunately, this fisherman’s speech is a reality in this region. 
Conflicts with traditional populations must be avoided, and, ideally, 
these populations and their knowledge (traditional ecological knowl-

edge) should be used as a tool for preserving the areas. This approach 
is being used in developed countries, with an innovative focus on con-
servation — ethnoconservation — where humans are regarded as an 
integral part of nature (Pereira and Diegues, 2010). The concept of eth-
noconservation, in a more straightforward way, would mean to say that 
“it is, therefore, a shared management of natural resources between the 
State, environmental organizations, and local populations” (Da Silva 
Júnior, 2009, p. 90), allowing the population to understand and assist 
in biodiversity conservation.

In the last question, an opinion was requested on how Guaíra and 
Mundo Novo would be if the Sete Quedas still existed:
•  “When it comes to Sete Quedas, we can count on one hand those who 

are still alive to tell you the truth. Apart from the well-known water-
falls, there were 19 more falls that were only known by fishermen and 
those who passed by plane at that time. Today, with the technology 
we have, it would be the greatest wonder in the world, and all the 
falls would be explored. Today there would be more inhabitants than 
Foz do Iguaçu because there were 30 wonders like those. There is a 
huge loss of tourist and economic potential. Today, that would not 
have happened, and we would have called the press from all over the 
world” (Fisherman 38, 58 years old);

•  “God forbid! It would be too big, bigger than Foz, the city would 
no longer have a place to build a house in” (Fisherman 24, 64 
years old).

•  According to the fishermen, everything is being directed towards 
the shortage of fishermen in this region.

•  “In a little while, no one will go fishing anymore and whoever goes 
fishing won’t catch any fish” (Fisherman 38, 58 years old);

•  “The fisherman nowadays no longer takes his son and grandson fish-
ing, as he used to. Soon there will be no more fishermen” (Fisherman 
24, 64 years old).

Due to poor pay and a lack of fish resources in reservoirs, the fish-
ermen have become more concerned with the future and education of 
their children so that they can secure jobs with better earnings, making 
fishing an activity to cope with unemployment rather than an exclusive 
means to support their families (Silva-Meneses, 2018; Souza and Silva, 
2018). On the other hand, Guaíra and Mundo Novo are close to the 
border with Paraguay. Due to this, there is a tendency towards finding 
remuneration through cigarette smuggling, which, despite being an il-
licit activity, becomes a more profitable option for young people who 
are easily tempted (Alvares, 2018).

Conclusions
During the research, the fishermen’s emotions when talking 

about the Paraná River, the extinct Sete Quedas Park, and the envi-
ronmental changes that have occurred became evident. In addition 
to that, during the interviews, they demonstrated knowledge of the 



Environmental perception of artisanal fishermen in the region of Ilha Grande National Park, 
PR/MS, after the formation of the Itaipu reservoir: traditional knowledge and human-nature interaction

87
RBCIAMB | v.58 | n.1 | Mar 2023 | 81-90  - ISSN 2176-9478

changes in the Paraná River’s bed and margins, its course, siltation, 
extinction and/or reduction of species, aligned with what has been 
found in scientific literature. This shows that they have an environ-
mental perception regarding the changes that have occurred in the 
region over the last 40 years.

In fishing, there is a relationship between the fishermen’s knowl-
edge, the methods used to catch fish, and the entire environment in 
which they operate. Despite their lack of opportunities in academic 
life, they revealed in their speech knowledge of the consequences of 
the changes that occurred in their fishing and living spaces. This shows 
that this knowledge can and should be used by government institutions 
to try to reconcile environmental changes with the subsistence needs 
of this population.

During the interviews, it became evident that there is a negative 
perception towards the IGNP and the conservation units. This leads 
us to a profound reflection: the fishermen are capable of relating the 
construction of the reservoir and the modifications in the environ-

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