Environmental Perception as Support for Coastal Management in the Bay of Araçá, Northern Coast of the São Paulo State, Brazil

Abstract

Coastal zones are responsible for a wide range of ecological functions but are also objects of concern for their integrity and environmental balance due to their different uses and pressures suffered. Such scenario adds up to the non-inclusion of the environmental perception of the population as a management strategy and as a way to broaden the participation of society in this process, understanding that, in turn, this perception can be influenced by the age group and the type of relationships that people keep with the place. The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in marine environmental perceptions according to different age groups (from 07 to 16 years, from 17 to 34 years, from 35 to 50 years and older than 50 years) considering as indicators: importance, sense of belonging, sense of responsibility and interest, in the Araçá Bay, São Sebastião, São Paulo, Brazil. Regarding the importance of Araçá, younger interviewees are shown to be linked preferably to the leisure and family fishing that the bay provides. As for the older, fishing is a matter of major importance. Concerning the sense of belonging, there is a difference that partially depends on the age group, but most of the individuals interviewed like to live there and use the Bay in different ways. The lowest sense of responsibility was observed in individuals aged 17 to 34 years, as opposed to the younger age group. The lower involvement with Araçá Bay was observed in the interviewees who do not use the bay in any way or do not know it very well, despite living there since birth, regardless to the age group. Thus, it is verified that the involvement of people with this site is much more related to the knowledge, the use and creation of an identity with the region than with the age.