The predictability of fishing in the unpredictable sea: daily fishing life in the cerritos and sambaquis of Rio Grande do Sul

Abstract

This paper discusses the predictability and importance of fishing for catfish as a cross-species present in the cerritos and sambaquis of Rio Grande do Sul. Historical, ethnographic and archaeological data are combined to highlight the relevance of daily fishing based on short-term predictions and actions, in contrast to “larger” seasonal calendars characteristic of some Brazilian coastal species and indicated as fisheries that structure coastal communities.

Keywords
Predictability; Unpredictability; Fishing; Catfish; Cerritos; Sambaquis