Integrating fishers' knowledge on fish use with ecological networks to assess the 'silent threat' of mercury contamination in tropical marine and freshwater fisheries.

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Title: Integrating fishers' knowledge on fish use with ecological networks to assess the 'silent threat' of mercury contamination in tropical marine and freshwater fisheries.
Authors: Pereyra, Paula Evelyn Rubira1 (AUTHOR) paulinharubira@hotmail.com, Ospina‑Alvarez, Andrés2 (AUTHOR), Dutra, Márcia Caroline Friedl1 (AUTHOR), Schallenberger, Bárbara Heck1 (AUTHOR), Hallwass, Gustavo3,4,5 (AUTHOR), Begossi, Alpina5,6,7 (AUTHOR), Clauzet, Mariana5,8 (AUTHOR), Lopes, Priscila F. M.5,9 (AUTHOR), Silvano, Renato Azevedo Matias1,5 (AUTHOR)
Source: Environment, Development & Sustainability. Jan2026, Vol. 28 Issue 1, p1033-1058. 26p.
Subject Terms: *Mercury poisoning, *Socioeconomic factors, *Fish as food, *Fishery resources, *Fisheries, *Small-scale fisheries, *Freshwater fishes, *Fishing villages
Geographic Terms: Amazon River Watershed
Abstract: Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) are important sources of livelihood but are vulnerable to anthropogenic environmental changes, including heavy metal pollution, such as mercury (Hg). Fish-Hg contamination has well-known health effects, but restricting fish consumption is potentially challenging in places where fish is the main source of income and protein. In this study, metrics from socio-ecological interaction networks extracted from interviews with fishers were applied to identify the main species harvested (consumed or sold) and commercialized by SSF communities. To evaluate the potential impacts of restricting the harvest of contaminated fish, interaction networks containing all the fish caught by the communities were compared with networks excluding species with potentially high mercury levels, according to the literature. The interaction networks were based on information provided by 395 fishers from 26 communities in the Tapajós River, Amazon Basin, and 454 fishers from 38 communities in the coastal bay of Ilha Grande and Paraty. The SSF communities used (interacted with) a total of 38 and 70 fish species in the freshwater and coastal environments, respectively, showing some specialization and dependence on these resources. The networks indicated that, if fishers were not to harvest some of the preferred fish due to mercury contamination, fishing pressure on other target species may increase, whereas food provision and income opportunities would be reduced, especially in the freshwater environment. This often-overlooked socioeconomic effect of mercury contamination can negatively affect both the fishers' livelihoods and the sustainability of these fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: Integrating fishers' knowledge on fish use with ecological networks to assess the 'silent threat' of mercury contamination in tropical marine and freshwater fisheries.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pereyra%2C+Paula+Evelyn+Rubira%22">Pereyra, Paula Evelyn Rubira</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> paulinharubira@hotmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ospina‑Alvarez%2C+Andrés%22">Ospina‑Alvarez, Andrés</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dutra%2C+Márcia+Caroline+Friedl%22">Dutra, Márcia Caroline Friedl</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Schallenberger%2C+Bárbara+Heck%22">Schallenberger, Bárbara Heck</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hallwass%2C+Gustavo%22">Hallwass, Gustavo</searchLink><relatesTo>3,4,5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Begossi%2C+Alpina%22">Begossi, Alpina</searchLink><relatesTo>5,6,7</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Clauzet%2C+Mariana%22">Clauzet, Mariana</searchLink><relatesTo>5,8</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lopes%2C+Priscila+F%2E+M%2E%22">Lopes, Priscila F. M.</searchLink><relatesTo>5,9</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Silvano%2C+Renato+Azevedo+Matias%22">Silvano, Renato Azevedo Matias</searchLink><relatesTo>1,5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Environment%2C+Development+%26+Sustainability%22">Environment, Development & Sustainability</searchLink>. Jan2026, Vol. 28 Issue 1, p1033-1058. 26p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subject Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mercury+poisoning%22">Mercury poisoning</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Socioeconomic+factors%22">Socioeconomic factors</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fish+as+food%22">Fish as food</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fishery+resources%22">Fishery resources</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fisheries%22">Fisheries</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Small-scale+fisheries%22">Small-scale fisheries</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Freshwater+fishes%22">Freshwater fishes</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fishing+villages%22">Fishing villages</searchLink>
– Name: SubjectGeographic
  Label: Geographic Terms
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Amazon+River+Watershed%22">Amazon River Watershed</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) are important sources of livelihood but are vulnerable to anthropogenic environmental changes, including heavy metal pollution, such as mercury (Hg). Fish-Hg contamination has well-known health effects, but restricting fish consumption is potentially challenging in places where fish is the main source of income and protein. In this study, metrics from socio-ecological interaction networks extracted from interviews with fishers were applied to identify the main species harvested (consumed or sold) and commercialized by SSF communities. To evaluate the potential impacts of restricting the harvest of contaminated fish, interaction networks containing all the fish caught by the communities were compared with networks excluding species with potentially high mercury levels, according to the literature. The interaction networks were based on information provided by 395 fishers from 26 communities in the Tapajós River, Amazon Basin, and 454 fishers from 38 communities in the coastal bay of Ilha Grande and Paraty. The SSF communities used (interacted with) a total of 38 and 70 fish species in the freshwater and coastal environments, respectively, showing some specialization and dependence on these resources. The networks indicated that, if fishers were not to harvest some of the preferred fish due to mercury contamination, fishing pressure on other target species may increase, whereas food provision and income opportunities would be reduced, especially in the freshwater environment. This often-overlooked socioeconomic effect of mercury contamination can negatively affect both the fishers' livelihoods and the sustainability of these fisheries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1007/s10668-024-04990-y
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 26
        StartPage: 1033
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Mercury poisoning
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Socioeconomic factors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fish as food
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fishery resources
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fisheries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Small-scale fisheries
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Freshwater fishes
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fishing villages
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Amazon River Watershed
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Integrating fishers' knowledge on fish use with ecological networks to assess the 'silent threat' of mercury contamination in tropical marine and freshwater fisheries.
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            – D: 01
              M: 01
              Text: Jan2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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