The expansion of the Port of Santos and the social and environmental impacts on artisanal fisherman communities

Abstract

Considering the challenges involved in port management, the related perspective between the Port of Santos and local artisanal fishermen is proven from the perspective of the socio-environmental impacts generated and responses provided and/or recommended. Using the ecosystem-based management model and the Drive-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) conceptual structure, the classification and characterization of the main port activities is presented, with the aim of offering information support related to environments and ecosystem services capable of supporting sustainable management instruments. Through the identification of macro-activities (Driving Forces), environmental tensions (Pressures), the quality of the affected environments (State), the work presents the main negative socio-environmental effects (Impacts) resulting from this relationship, as well as the Responses presented by the different actors involved. Among port activities, the most relevant were discharges and leaks into water (chemical substances or waste water); releases into marine sediment; generation of solid waste; interactions and consequences structural changes in coastal ecosystems and interactions with fishing communities. Environmental management tools and public policies are permitted due to the complexity of port-environment-society interrelationships, especially in relation to adjacent fishing communities.