Environmental sustainability in fishing communities within tourist destinations: The case of Mem de Sá Island - Brazil

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the environmental sustainability of the community of Mem de Sá Island in Sergipe, Brazil, based on sustainability indicators concerning social, economic and natural aspects. Methodology: It was carried out following the model for assessing the sustainability of fishing communities in tourist destinations, described by Faxina (2014). The questionnaire was chosen as a data collection instrument where 64 representatives out of 75 families in the community were interviewed. Originality/Relevance: The current work exhibits an environmental sustainability assessment tool for communities, which reduces the scale of analysis and allows to know the specific needs of small population groups. Results: The community has reached a medium level of environmental sustainability, and the data reveal a lack of means of accessing information, public transportation and community organization. In addition, low diversity of job opportunities, lack of professional training, weaknesses in the collection and disposal of waste, and uneven distribution of water and energy were observed. Theoretical/methodological contributions: The importance of small-scale sustainability assessment models was noticed, which can be useful resources for monitoring the development process, especially in cases where there is a new productive activity underway, which has the potential to cause negative environmental impacts unknown to the community. Social/management contributions: The environmental sustainability assessment can be used as a planning and management tool in different instances of governance, especially by community leaders, encouraging empowerment and local participation, principles supported by Community-Based Tourism.