Etnoictiología Kichwa de las lagunas de la cuenca baja del río Curaray (Amazonia), Ecuador

The aim of this study was to characterize ichthyological aspects of artisanal fisheries of eight lagoons in the lower area of the River Curaray in the central Amazon of Ecuador, with emphasis on their ichthyological richness, fish uses and the fishing system used in lagoons as traditional knowledge of the Kichwa people. Ichthyological richness was determined using traditional techniques and surveys of local fishermen were applied. The inventory resulted in 1045 specimens of 60 species of fishes. These lagoon fishes were classified into five categories of use: food, medicine, bait, trade and use as raw material for making tools. In addition, information was obtained on the lagoon fishing, with emphasis on the techniques used, time, temporal frequency, fishing seasons and species most frequently caught. In the study area, fishing constitutes an important seasonal production activity for families to obtain food and income. We conclude that the Kichwa fishermen of the lower Curaray River have extensive ethnoichthyological knowledge that may have relevance for the conservation of fish biodiversity and management of Amazonian artisanal fisheries