Tree species used by fishermen for building handmade rafts, Environmental Protection Area of Costa Itacaré-Serra Grande, Bahia, Brazil

The "jangadeiros" are populations of artisanal fishermen of coastlines living in the northeastern Brazilian coast. Currently, it appears that only in some regions such as the southern coast of Bahia, the living culture of fishing with handmade rafts still persists. The present study aimed to survey tree species used for building handmade rafts in southern Bahia, investigating the possible sources of this knowledge kept by artisanal fishermen. The survey was conducted in the district of Serra Grande, Uruçuca, Bahia, between April and May 2013, through 13 semi-structured interviews. The results were analyzed qualitatively. A total of 13 species were cited. The most cited species are Apeiba tibourbou (Malvaceae) and Albizia polycephala (Fabaceae). The continuity of knowledge of artisanal fishing has been compromised due to the difficulty in extracting the raw material. A new component was introduced in traditional rafts, the engine, between four and seven years ago. The results of this study demonstrate the importance of the relationship of the community and the environment in which they live and the species used in the making of rafts, keeping alive a culture that disappeared in other regions. However, urgent actions are needed so that the culture does not disappear due to changes in habits and legal and logistical difficulties in obtaining raw materials.