Ecosystem indicators to assess the sustainability of multispecific artisanal fisheries in face of the environmental changes in the Southwest Amazon Basin

Abstract

The construction of hydroelectric dams causes several impacts on the aquatic environment and affects its structure and functions with direct consequences for the provision of ecosystem services. Despite its importance, since 1970, fisheries in the Amazon region, especially small-scale artisanal fisheries practiced by traditional populations, have been facing serious problems arising from human and climatic actions. In this study, we evaluated the impacts of dam construction and the environmental responses on fisheries production and fishing sustainability indexes in the Madeira River, which is the largest tributary of the Amazon River, between 2000 and 2019. Fisheries landing data in the city of Porto Velho (RO), Brazil, and large-scale environmental variables were collected for each of the years in the period and were compared using general linear models. We found that dams, as well as changes in hydrological levels, affect fisheries production. The sustainability indexes showed a decline after the completion of the two dams. Moreover, catch-per-unit-of-effort showed a significant decline after the implementation of the dam. We therefore highlight the importance of understanding the factors that affect the sustainability of fisheries in large rivers in order to mitigate the impacts of large dams and other anthropogenic actions.