347
10 The Role of Local Ecological Knowledge in the Conservation and Management...
described by Johannes et al. ( 1999 ) based on fi eld studies, and were reported in
interviews to last from April to August (Sadovy 2007 ) . While aggregations are also
protected in July, August is still unprotected.
Likewise, interpretations of the condition of a resource can depend heavily on
experiences based on gear types being used. In Brazil, those fi shers using spears
perceived the goliath grouper fi shery to have declined; they attributed this to illegal
fi shing with underwater breathing apparatus, pollution and decreased availability of
food resources, such as lobsters. Long-line fi shers from Brazil, however, perceived abundance as being unchanged or even higher than before (Gerhardinger
et al. 2006 ) .
10.5.3 Knowledge Beyond Fishers
There are sources of knowledge, or means of corroborating interview-based information, other than fi shers and fi shery managers. Experienced and long-serving dive
guides, local researchers and traders may have a wealth of knowledge on the status
or history of a local fi shery or on particular species. Historical documents can provide unique insights into past fi sheries and, in some countries, trade, fi sh processing
or market data, or even tax offi ces may yield useful information. For example,
Sadovy and Cheung ( 2003 ) used LEK of older fi shers and literature on swim bladders to reconstruct the history of the giant yellow croaker, also known as the Chinese
bahaba, fi shery. This large fi sh spawned in river mouths in southern China and was
abundant in the mid twentieth century. Now it is on the verge of extinction after its
spawning aggregations were heavily targeted for its valuable swim bladder. LEK
regarding changes in its abundance was cross-checked by conducting reviews of the
English and Chinese published and unpublished literature (e.g. Sadovy and Cheung
2003 ) . In Cuba, an 1884 account on grouper migrations provides a fascinating insight
into a fi shery that has clearly changed profoundly in recent decades (Vilaro-Diaz
1884 ; Claro et al. 2009 ) . In the Mexican Caribbean, early accounts by a geographer
(Craig 1966 ) attracted the attention of researchers to study the Nassau grouper
“corridas” (migrating runs) along the Mesoamerican Reef (Aguilar-Perera 1994 ) .
Traditional seasonal calendars in Fiji associate the times of the fl owering of certain
trees with increased abundance of certain grouper species (see above). Saenz-Arroyo
et al. ( 2006 ) documented past marine fauna of the Gulf of California mainly through
the use of accounts from early travellers, while Lajus et al. ( 2001 ) reconstructed
Atlantic salmon fi sheries in Russia mainly through the use of tax records.
10.5.4 Recall
Possible bias introduced from memory loss or distortion is a serious consideration
with interviews that seek to document past conditions. The nature of the bias will
depend on the questions, the importance of the species or issues to the interviewee
10 The Role of Local Ecological Knowledge in the Conservation and Management...
described by Johannes et al. ( 1999 ) based on fi eld studies, and were reported in
interviews to last from April to August (Sadovy 2007 ) . While aggregations are also
protected in July, August is still unprotected.
Likewise, interpretations of the condition of a resource can depend heavily on
experiences based on gear types being used. In Brazil, those fi shers using spears
perceived the goliath grouper fi shery to have declined; they attributed this to illegal
fi shing with underwater breathing apparatus, pollution and decreased availability of
food resources, such as lobsters. Long-line fi shers from Brazil, however, perceived abundance as being unchanged or even higher than before (Gerhardinger
et al. 2006 ) .
10.5.3 Knowledge Beyond Fishers
There are sources of knowledge, or means of corroborating interview-based information, other than fi shers and fi shery managers. Experienced and long-serving dive
guides, local researchers and traders may have a wealth of knowledge on the status
or history of a local fi shery or on particular species. Historical documents can provide unique insights into past fi sheries and, in some countries, trade, fi sh processing
or market data, or even tax offi ces may yield useful information. For example,
Sadovy and Cheung ( 2003 ) used LEK of older fi shers and literature on swim bladders to reconstruct the history of the giant yellow croaker, also known as the Chinese
bahaba, fi shery. This large fi sh spawned in river mouths in southern China and was
abundant in the mid twentieth century. Now it is on the verge of extinction after its
spawning aggregations were heavily targeted for its valuable swim bladder. LEK
regarding changes in its abundance was cross-checked by conducting reviews of the
English and Chinese published and unpublished literature (e.g. Sadovy and Cheung
2003 ) . In Cuba, an 1884 account on grouper migrations provides a fascinating insight
into a fi shery that has clearly changed profoundly in recent decades (Vilaro-Diaz
1884 ; Claro et al. 2009 ) . In the Mexican Caribbean, early accounts by a geographer
(Craig 1966 ) attracted the attention of researchers to study the Nassau grouper
“corridas” (migrating runs) along the Mesoamerican Reef (Aguilar-Perera 1994 ) .
Traditional seasonal calendars in Fiji associate the times of the fl owering of certain
trees with increased abundance of certain grouper species (see above). Saenz-Arroyo
et al. ( 2006 ) documented past marine fauna of the Gulf of California mainly through
the use of accounts from early travellers, while Lajus et al. ( 2001 ) reconstructed
Atlantic salmon fi sheries in Russia mainly through the use of tax records.
10.5.4 Recall
Possible bias introduced from memory loss or distortion is a serious consideration
with interviews that seek to document past conditions. The nature of the bias will
depend on the questions, the importance of the species or issues to the interviewee