Vila dos Pescadores

Vila dos Pescadores, Cubatão - SP, Brazil

The community of Vila dos Pescadores is an urban slum located in a mangrove area (the Santos Estuary) in the city of Cubatão, Brazil. Many of the people living in the community use the mangroves for artisanal fishing, which provides a large source of income and contributes to their food security. Fishers’ well-being and income have been greatly affected by garbage accumulation, destruction of mangrove forests, and industrial pollution, which have resulted in fish mortality and fishery reductions. Led by community leaders, the community is working with government, academic and private partners to restore the mangroves and improve the living conditions in the slums.

Top environmental challenge faced by the community (currently or in the past 10 years):

Industrial and urban pollution, social exclusion, poverty, rapid urbanization and growing inequality affect the future of fisheries in the community. Environmental racism is one of the factors that affect fishers in the community.


How the environmental challenge has affected local livelihoods:

Fishers, who are largely of African descent, live in areas of environmental risk, near the Cubatão Industrial Hub, where they are exposed to environmental disasters. Because fishers and community members live in a slum area, they suffer social exclusion due to not being able to properly access services such as proper housing and sanitation.


Community response to the challenge, through environmental stewardship (conservation) initiatives that improve environmental well-being and support sustainable livelihoods:

This project will be developed in response to local needs, and in order to better understand the mangrove areas and the value of biodiversity and ecosystem conservation; effectively address the environmental and coastal resource management issues, assist in the development of coastal areas responsible manner, and to improve the living conditions of the people living along the coast


Extent to which governmental policy (at local, regional or national levels, as relevant) has supported, or been contrary to, the community's responses to the environmental challenge:

The community leader has been working together with the municipal government to tackle environmental and social issues. Although Brazil has environmental laws to protect mangroves and other key environments in the countries, often laws are not properly enforced.


Keywords: Ecosystem

Coastal, Mangrove, Marine, Urban


Keywords: Resources

Air, Fish, Water


Keywords: Big Issues

Human-wellbeing, Infrastructure, Pollution, Resource use, Urbanization


Keywords: Solutions

Ecological, Empowerment, Governance/Management, Policy and planning, Restoration


Contributed by: Cintia Francisca Gillam

The information provided and opinions expressed above are the responsibility of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect the views and analysis of the Community Conservation Research Network (CCRN), nor those of all members of the community described.

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