Abstract
1
Pensar Enfermagem / v.30 n.Sup / Jan-Dec 2026 / DOI: 10.71861/pensarenf.v30iSup.501 / e00501
Artisanal fishing in the coastal fishing community of Paraná,
Brazil: an ethnographic study
Claudiomária Ramos Pires Fonsêca1, Fernanda Moura D’Almeida Miranda2, Tereza Maria Mendes Diniz de
Andrade Barroso3, Maria de Fátima Mantovani4, Sara Ingrid de Rezende Ferreira 5, Fernanda Bez Birolo6, Isabelle
Costa Ferreira7
1 Principal Doctoral Student. Nurse. MSc. PhD candidate in Nursing at the Federal University of Paraná. Nursing faculty member at Centro
Universitário UNIFACEAR. Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil; https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4952-5441
2 Principal Supervisor. Nurse. PhD in Nursing. Nursing faculty member at the Federal University of Paraná. Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil;
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7140-9557.
3 International Supervisor. Nurse. PhD in Nursing. Coordinating Professor at the Coimbra Nursing School. Coimbra, Portugal;
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9411-6113
4 Faculty Member (Participant). Nurse. PhD in Nursing. Nursing faculty member at the Federal University of Paraná. Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil;
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7961-8273
5 Nurse (Participant). MSc from the Federal University of Paraná. Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil; https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8250-5616
6 Nurse (Undergraduate Research Participant). Bachelor of Nursing from the Federal University of Paraná. Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil;
https://orcid.org/0009-0006-2046-2247
7 Undergraduate Nursing Student (Undergraduate Research Participant) at the Federal University of Paraná. Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil;
https://orcid.org/0009-0005-7187-7226
* Corresponding author: claudiomariap@yahoo.com.br
Abstract
Introduction
Artisanal fishing is essential for the livelihood and culture of many traditional communities in Brazil and around
the world.1,2 Present in environments such as seas, rivers, lakes, and mangroves, it is estimated that one in every
200 Brazilians is an artisanal fisher, highlighting the importance of this activity in the country.3
Objective
To analyze the behaviors, interactions, and cultural practices involved in artisanal fishing and their relationship
with the health-disease process among fishers on an island in the state of Paraná, Brazil.
Methods
This is a qualitative study with an ethnographic approach, conducted on Superagui Island, in the municipality
of Guaraqueçaba, Paraná. The research is based on the ethnographic method proposed by Bronislaw
Malinowski, using participant observation. The study population consists of local fishers, both men and women,
aged 18 or older. Data collection includes participant observation, ethnographic interviews, semi-structured
questionnaires, and records such as field diaries, photographs, and audio recordings. Data analysis follows the
steps of ethnographic research: preparation, immersion, observation, documentation, and interpretation. The
study began in 2024 and is expected to continue until 2027. Data will be analyzed using Microsoft Word,
Excel® 2016, and Iramuteq software.
Results
During visits conducted in February and October 2024, it was observed that the main local economic activity
is shrimp fishing. The health unit has a physician and a dentist available only once a week, which makes
continuous access to healthcare difficult. For emergency care, residents must travel by boat to Guaraqueçaba
(approximately 30 to 35 km, with a duration of 50 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes) or to Paranaguá
(approximately 35 to 46 km, with travel time ranging from 50 minutes to 2 hours and 5 minutes). Travel time
varies depending on the type of vessel and sea conditions, and residents face transportation difficulties, such as
the absence of water ambulances.
Conclusion
The partial study highlighted vulnerabilities in access to healthcare among artisanal fishers, suggesting the
expansion of primary healthcare, culturally sensitive professional training, and specific intersectoral public
policies aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), especially SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-
Being and SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth.
Keywords
Occupational Health; Fishing; Fishery Resources; Ethnography.
Abstract
2
Pensar Enfermagem / v.30 n.Sup / Jan-Dec 2026 / DOI: 10.71861/pensarenf.v30iSup.501 / e00501
References
1. Melo DDR, Silva PM, Almeida AM, Rocha LS, Santos NC, et al. Condições de vida, trabalho e saúde
de pescadores artesanais. Living, working, and health conditions of artisanal fishermen Revista Baiana
de Saúde Pública [Internet] 2023 [cited 2025 Aug 01]; 47(4):e3982. Available from:
https://rbsp.sesab.ba.gov.br/index.php/rbsp/article/view/3982.
2. Conceição LCA, Oliveira JAA, Oliveira APM, Almeida MS, Pinto MP, et al. A Pesca Artesanal e os
Agravos à Saúde do Pescador no Município de Curuçá. Artisanal Fishing and the Health Impacts on
Fishers in the Municipality of Curuçá Estado do Pará, BRASIL. Revista Sustinere [Internet] 2021
[cited 2025 Aug 01]; 9(supl. 1):103–117. Available from:
https://doi.org/10.12957/sustinere.2021.49276.
3. Jesus LL. Saberes e práticas alimentares de marisqueiras da Ilha de Itaparica/BA e sua relação com a
saúde. Food knowledge and practices of shellfish gatherers on Itaparica Island/BA and their
relationship to health [dissertation on the Internet]. Salvador: Universidade Federal da Bahia; 2023
[cited 2025 Aug 04]. Available from: https://repositorio.ufba.br/
