Macroalgae Mariculture as a Social and Environmental Alternative for Coastal Traditional Communities of the Semi-Arid Region of Northeast Brazil

Abstract

The coast of the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil comprises a marine ecosystem between 40° W and 35° 27' W longitude, in which there are natural banks of macroalgae that constitute an environment rich in biodiversity. The predatory exploitation of macroalgae of economic interest contributed to reduce the size of these banks, which, in turn, negatively affected the local marine fauna. To minimize this environmental damage, associations of women were created in Rio do Fogo, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, and in the communities of Barrinha/Icapuí and Flecheiras/Trairí, in Ceará, in order to cultivate marine macroalgae and improve family income and develop new products based on macroalgae, in addition to providing autonomy to women involved in this practice. In this context, this chapter aimed to: show the potential of family mariculture to reduce environmental impacts and the advantages of using marine macroalgae biostimulants in agriculture and livestock; describ the social technologies used to obtain biomass from marine macroalgae; guarantee the conservation of biodiversity in the semi-arid region of Northeast Brazil; and demonstrate how macroalgae mariculture can function as an integrating system for the various species of the marine and coastal ecosystem.