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Fishers' ecological knowledge of the Lower Ucayali

Cite this dataset

Poissant, David (2024). Fishers' ecological knowledge of the Lower Ucayali [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.qfttdz0h9

Abstract

Data gathered for: Fishers’ ecological knowledge points to fishing-induced changes in the Peruvian Amazon (2024). Ecological Applications

Scientists increasingly draw on fishers’ ecological knowledge (FEK) to gain a better understanding of fish biology and ecology and inform options for fisheries management. We report on a study of FEK among fishers along the Lower Ucayali River in Peru, a region of exceptional productivity and diversity, which is also a major supplier of fish to the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon. Given a lack of available scientific information on stocks status, we sought to identify temporal changes in the composition and size of exploited species by interviewing fishers from 18 communities who vary in years of fishing experience since the mid-1950s. We develop four FEK-based indicators to assess changes in the fish assemblage and compare findings with landings data. 

We find an intensification of fishing gear deployed over time, spatiotemporal shifts in the fish assemblage, and reported declines in species weight, which point to a fishing-down process with declines across multiple species. This finding is reflected in a shifting baseline among our participants, whereby younger generation of fishers have different expectations regarding the distribution and size of species. Our study points to the importance of spillover effects from the nearby Pacaya-Samira National Reserve and community initiatives to support the regional fishery and the supply of fish to city markets. Reference to fishers’ knowledge also suggests that species decline is likely underreported in aggregated landings data. 

The dataset contains information derived from fishers' interviews as well as a subset of socioeconomic information gathered during follow-up household surveys. Additional information gathered during household surveys conducted by the Peruvian Amazon Rural Livelihoods and Poverty (PARLAP) project (https://parlap.geog.mcgill.ca) between 2014 and 2016 is also included. Landings data included in this study are restricted and not available publicly. The aggregated dataset of landings in Loreto from 1984 to 2016 is the property of the Dirección Regional de la Producción Loreto. Data are available to qualified researchers from Dirección Regional de la Producción Loreto by contacting the Director, whose contact information is available at https://www.gob.pe/institucion/regionloreto/funcionarios

README

* File name: README_Dataset-FEK_of_the_Lower_Ucayali_v0.1.0.txt

* Authors: David Poissant

* Date created: 2024-02-01

* Date modified: 2024-02-01

Dataset Version and Release History

-----------------------------------

* Current Version:

* Number: 1.0.0

* Date: 2024-02-01

* Persistent identifier: DOI: 10.5061/dryad.qfttdz0h9

* Summary of changes: n/a

Dataset Attribution and Usage

-----------------------------

* Dataset Title: Data for the article "Fishers’ ecological knowledge points to fishing-induced changes in the Peruvian Amazon"

Data gathered for: Fishers’ ecological knowledge points to fishing-induced changes in the Peruvian Amazon (2024). Ecological Applications

Scientists increasingly draw on fishers’ ecological knowledge (FEK) to gain a better understanding of fish biology and ecology and inform options for fisheries management. We report on a study of FEK among fishers along the Lower Ucayali River in Peru, a region of exceptional productivity and diversity, which is also a major supplier of fish to the largest city in the Peruvian Amazon. Given a lack of available scientific information on stocks status, we sought to identify temporal changes in the composition and size of exploited species by interviewing fishers from 18 communities who vary in years of fishing experience since the mid-1950s. We develop four FEK-based indicators to assess changes in the fish assemblage and compare findings with landings data. 

We find an intensification of fishing gear deployed over time, and spatiotemporal shifts in the fish assemblage and reported declines in species weight which point to a fishing-down process with declines across multiple species. This finding is reflected in a shifting baseline among our participants, whereby younger generation of fishers have different expectations regarding the distribution and size of species. Our study points to the importance of spillover effects from the nearby Pacaya-Samira National Reserve and community initiatives to support the regional fishery and the supply of fish to city markets. Reference to fishers’ knowledge also suggests that species decline is likely underreported in aggregated landings data. 

The dataset contains information derived from fishers interviews as well as a subset of socioeconomic information gathered during follow-up household surveys. Additional information gathered during household surveys conducted by the Peruvian Amazon Rural Livelihoods and Poverty (PARLAP) project (https://parlap.geog.mcgill.ca) between 2014 and 2016 are also included. Landings data included in this study are restricted and not available publicly. The aggregated dataset of landings in Loreto from 1984 to 2016 is the property of the Dirección Regional de la Producción Loreto. Data are available to qualified researchers from Dirección Regional de la Producción Loreto by contacting the Director, whose contact information is available at https://www.gob.pe/institucion/regionloreto/funcionarios.

* Persistent Identifier: https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.qfttdz0h9

Contact Information

-------------------

* Name: David Poissant

* Email: david.poissant@mail.mcgill.ca

* Alternate Email:

Data and File Overview

======================

Summary Metrics

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* File count: 7

* Total file size: 302,56 KB

* File formats: .csv

Table of Contents

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* FishSpecies_Troph_Value.csv

* LEK_FishingMaterial_Now.csv

* LEK_FishingMaterial_Past.csv

* LEK.csv

* LEK_FunctionalTraits.csv

* Household_Surveys.csv

* PARLAP.csv

Details for: FishSpecies_Troph_Value.csv

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* Description: a comma-delimited file containing information on fish species used for constructing the functional groups. Data in this table has been collected from the literature or third parties. See manuscript for details.

* Format(s): .csv

* Size(s): 4 KB

* Dimensions: 67 rows x 6 columns

* Variables:

* CommonName: Species vernacular name in Western Amazonia.

* ScientificName: Species scientific name. Some species vernacular name refer multiple different species.

* BodySize: Species maximum body length (cm)

* TrophicLevel: Species trophic level

* LifeHistory: Species life history strategy

* Price: Species market price in Iquitos in 2011 (Peruvian soles)

Details for: LEK_FishingMaterial_Now.csv

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* Description: a comma-delimited file containing information on fishing gear used by fishers interviewed in the Lower Ucayali in 2019. See manuscript for details.

* Format(s): .csv

* Size(s): 3 KB

* Dimensions: 70 rows x 12 columns

* Variables:

* UnIDs: Unique identifier for each interviewee

* Comunidad: Community name (coded to respect anonymity)

* ID: Identification number of interviewee within the community

* MatPesAhoAnz: Owned fish hooks at time of interview (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesAhoArp: Owned a harpoon at time of the interview (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesAhoFle: Owned a trident spear at time of the interview (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesAhoHon: Owned a circling net at time of the interview (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesAhoMal: Owned a large entangling net time of the interview (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesAhoMot: Owned a boat motor at time of the interview (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesAhoTar: Owned a casting net at time of the interview (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesAhoTra: Owned a gill net at time of the interview (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesAhoArr: Owned a beach purse seine net at time of the interview (0=no, 1=yes)

* Region: Sub-region in which the community is located (Puinahua or Ucayali)

Details for: LEK_FishingMaterial_Past.csv

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* Description: a comma-delimited file containing information on fishing gear used by fishers interviewed in the Lower Ucayali in 2019 when they first started fishing. See manuscript for details.

* Format(s): .csv

* Size(s): 3 KB

* Dimensions: 70 rows x 13 columns

* Variables:

* Region: Sub-region in which the community is located (Puinahua or Ucayali)

* UnIDs: Unique identifier for each interviewee

* Comunidad: Community name (coded to respect anonymity)

* MatPesIniAno: Number of years since start of fishing career, concerning fishing material

* MatPesIniAnz: Owned fish hooks at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesIniArp: Owned a harpoon at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesIniFle: Owned a trident at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesIniHon: Owned a circling net at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesIniMal: Owned a large entangling net at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesIniMot: Owned a boat motor at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesIniTar: Owned a casting net at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesIniTra: Owned a gill net at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes)

* MatPesIniArr: Owned a beach purse seine net at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes)

Details for: LEK.csv

---------------------------------------

* Description: a comma-delimited file containing fishers'observation of ressource trends in the Lower Ucayali in 2019. See manuscript for details.

* Format(s): .csv

* Size(s): 12 KB

* Dimensions: 91 rows x 44 columns

* Variables:

* Comunidad: Community name (coded to respect anonymity)

* ID: Identification number of each interviewee

* Cocha: Name of the lake where interviewee has noticed changes

* AnoTamPri: Number of years since beginning of observations

* TamBoqPri: Mean size of Boquichico at beginning of fishing career (kg)

* TamGamPri: Mean size of Gamitana at beginning of fishing career (kg)

* TamPaiPri: Mean size of Paiche at beginning of fishing career (pieces)

* TamPacPri: Mean size of Paco at beginning of fishing career (kg)

* TamTucPri: Mean size of Tucunare at beginning of fishing career (kg)

* TamBoqAho: Mean size of Boquichico now (kg)

* TamGamAho: Mean size of Gamitana now (kg)

* TamPaiAho: Mean size of Paiche now (pieces)

* TamPacAho: Mean size of Paco now (kg)

* TamTucAho: Mean size of Tucunare at beginning of fishing career (kg)

* Acarahuazu: Pattern of abundance of Acarahuazu (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Bujurqui: Pattern of abundance of Bujurqui (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Boquichico: Pattern of abundance of Boquichico (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Carachama: Pattern of abundance of Carachama (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Corvina: Pattern of abundance of Corvina (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Doncella: Pattern of abundance of Doncella (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Fasaco: Pattern of abundance of Fasaco (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Gamitana: Pattern of abundance of Gamitana (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Lisa: Pattern of abundance of Lisa (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Llambina: Pattern of abundance of Llambina (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Maparate: Pattern of abundance of Maparate (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Paiche: Pattern of abundance of Paiche (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Paco: Pattern of abundance of Paco (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Palometa: Pattern of abundance of Palometa (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Pana: Pattern of abundance of Paña (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Ractacara: Pattern of abundance of Ractacara (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Sabalo: Pattern of abundance of Sabalo (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Sardina: Pattern of abundance of Sardina (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Tucunare: Pattern of abundance of Tucunare (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Turushuqi: Pattern of abundance of Turushuqui (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* Zungaro: Pattern of abundance of Zungaro (0=Disapeared,1= Has declined, 2= Not changes, 3= has increased, 9= Sepcies always absent)

* CuaPesAnt: Quantity of fish that could be fished in a good day at beginning of fishing career (kg)

* CuaPesAho: Quantity of fish that can be fished in a good day now (kg)

* Region: Sub-region in which the community is located (Puinahua or Ucayali)

* DeclineBoq: Decline in the weight of boquichico (Beginning-now)

* DeclineGam: Decline in the weight of gamitana (Beginning-now)

* DeclinePai: Decline in the weight of paiche(Beginning-now)

* DeclinePac: Decline in the weight of paco (Beginning-now)

* DeclineTuc: Decline in the weight of tucunare (Beginning-now)

* DeclinePesSub: Decline in the weight of catches on a god day (ln(Beginning)-ln(now)_

* UnIDs: Unique identification number of interviewees

Details for: LEK_FunctionalTraits.csv

---------------------------------------

* Description: a comma-delimited file containing fishers' observation of ressource trends in the Lower Ucayali in 2019, aggregated with species functional traits. The table does not contain primary or new information, but rather reformatted observations from LEK.csv and FishSpecies_Troph_Value.csv for directly running the functional group decline analysis. See manuscript for details.

* Format(s): .csv

* Size(s): 219 KB

* Dimensions: 1801 rows x 13 columns

* Variables:

* Species: Species vernacular name in Western Amazonia.

* Region: Sub-region in which the community is located (Puinahua or Ucayali)

* Community: Community name (coded to respect anonymity)

* UnIDs: Unique identification number of interviewees

* Years: Number of years since beginning of observations

* Trend: Observed trend (1= declined (declined or disappeared), 0= did not decline (increased, or stable))

* Scientific Name: Species scientific name

* BodySize: Body length (cm)

* Trophic: Trophic level

* Life Species: life history strategy

* Price: Species price at market in Iquitos in 2011

* Rank: Species percentile rank of market value (brackets)

* Quant_BodySize: Species quartile rank of body length (brackets)

Details for: Household_Surveys.csv

---------------------------------------

* Description: a comma-delimited file containing socio-economic information gathered during follow-up household surveys in 6 communities in 2019. See manuscript for details.

* Format(s): .csv

* Size(s): 41 KB

* Dimensions: 143 rows x 94 columns

* Variables:

* UnIDs: Household unique ID

* Region: Sub-region in which the community is located (Puinahua or Ucayali)

* Comunidad: Community name (coded to respect anonymity)

* Fecha: Date of interview

* Household_ID: Identification number of each household in the community

* MatPesIniAno: Years since beginning of fishing career from which the material list starts

* MatPesIniTar: Had a cast net at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes, 2=lended)

* MatPesIniTra: Had a gill net at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesIniTra1.5: Number of gill nets of mesh size 1.5 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniTra2: Number of gill nets of mesh size 2 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniTra2.5: Number of gill nets of mesh size 2.5 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniTra3: Number of gill nets of mesh size 3 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniTra3.5: Number of gill nets of mesh size 3.5 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniTra4: Number of gill nets of mesh size 4 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniTra4.5: Number of gill nets of mesh size 4.5 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniTra5: Number of gill nets of mesh size 5 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniMal: Had a large entangling net at the beginning of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesIniMal6: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 6 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniMal7: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 7 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniMal8: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 8 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniMal9: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 9 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniMal10: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 10 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniMal11: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 11 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniMal12: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 12 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniArr: Had an beach purse seine net at the beggining of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesIniArr3: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 3 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniArr4: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 4 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniArr5: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 5 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniArr6: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 6 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniArr7: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 7 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniArr8: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 8 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniArr9: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 9 at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniHon: Had an circling net at the beggining of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesIniHon2: Number of circling net panels at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesIniArp: Had a harpoon at the beggining of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesIniFle: Had trident spear at the beggining of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesIniAnz: Had fish hooks at the beggining of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesIniCan: Had a canoe at the beggining of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesIniBot: Had a bote at the beggining of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesIniMot: Had a motor at the beggining of fishing career (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesIniOtr: Other fishing material at beginning of fishing career

* MatPesAhoTar: Has a cast net now (0=no, 1=yes, 2=lended)

* MatPesAhoTarVal: Value of cast net (Peruvian soles)

* MatPesAhoTra: Has a gill net now (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesAhoTra1.5: Number of gill nets of mesh size 1.5 now

* MatPesAhoTra2: Number of gill nets of mesh size 2 now

* MatPesAhoTra2.5: Number of gill nets of mesh size 2.5 now

* MatPesAhoTra3: Number of gill nets of mesh size 3 now

* MatPesAhoTra3.5: Number of gill nets of mesh size 3.5 now

* MatPesAhoTra4: Number of gill nets of mesh size 4 now

* MatPesAhoTra4.5: Number of gill nets of mesh size 4.5 now

* MatPesAhoTra5: Number of gill nets of mesh size 5 now

* MatPesAhoTraVal: Total value of gill nets (Peruvian soles)

* MatPesAhoMal: Has a large entangling net now (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesAhoMal6: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 6 now

* MatPesAhoMal7: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 7 now

* MatPesAhoMal8: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 8 now

* MatPesAhoMal9: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 9 now

* MatPesAhoMal10: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 10 now

* MatPesAhoMal11: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 11 now

* MatPesAhoMal12: Number of large entangling net of mesh size 12 now

* MatPesAhoMalVal: Total value of large entangling net (Peruvian soles)

* MatPesAhoArr: Has an beach purse seine net now (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesAhoArr3: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 3 now

* MatPesAhoArr3.5: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 3.5 now

* MatPesAhoArr4: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 4 now

* MatPesAhoArr4.5: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 4.5 now

* MatPesAhoArr5: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 5 now

* MatPesAhoArr6: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 6 now

* MatPesAhoArr7: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 7 now

* MatPesAhoArr8: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 8 now

* MatPesAhoArr9: Number of beach purse seine net of mesh size 9 now

* MatPesAhoArrVal: Total value of beach purse seine nets

* MatPesAhoHon: Has an circling net now (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesAhoHon2: Number of circling net panels size 2 now

* MatPesAhoHon3: Number of circling net panels size 3 now

* MatPesAhoHonVal: Total value of circling nets (Peruvian soles)

* MatPesAhoArp: Has a harpoon now (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesAhoFle: Has trident spear now (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesAhoAnz: Has fish hooks now (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesAhoCan: Has a canoe now (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesAhoBot: Has a bote now (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesAhoBotCap: Carrying capacity of bote (kgs)

* MatPesAhoBotVal: Value of bote (Peruvian soles)

* MatPesAhoMot: Has a motor now (0=no, 1=yes, 2= lended)

* MatPesAhoMotFue: Force of the motor

* MatPesAhoMotVal: Value of the motor (Peruvian soles)

* MatPesAhoOtr: Other fishing material now

* EmpNumberOfNets: Initial number of fishing nets

* EmpMeanNetSize: Initial mean net size

* AhoNumberOfNets: Number of fishing nets now

* AhoMeanNetSize: Mean size of fishing nets now

* AhoNumberOfNet.log: log10(Number of fishing nets now +1)

* total_fish_harvest: Household estimated total fish harvests in the last 12 months (kg)

Details for: PARLAP.csv

---------------------------------------

* Description: a comma-delimited file containing socio-economic information gathered during the PARLAP project between 2014 and 2016. See manuscript for details.

* Format(s): .csv

* Size(s): 21 KB

* Dimensions: 328 rows x 8 columns

* Variables:

* UBIGEO: Community unique identification number

* Sub-region: Region (puinahua or Ucayali)

* Number of households: Number of households in the community

* Household assets: Asset index of household

* Total income: Household total income (PEN)

* Total fish harvest: Household estimated total fish harvests in the last 12 months

* Total fish sold: Household estimated total fish sold in the last 12 months

* Fishing reliance: Proportion of revenues generated from fishing activities

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END OF READ ME

Methods

See: Poissant et al.(2024). Fishers’ ecological knowledge points to fishing-induced changes in the Peruvian Amazon. Ecological Applications

Funding

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council

Fonds de Recherche du Québec – Nature et Technologies