Gomes, R.K.S., Sousa, F.B.B., Amanajás, V.V., Santos, G.C., Pereira, L.C.C, 2014. Guidelines for the management of the coastal zone of the Amazon estuary in the Brazilian state of Amapá. In: Green, A.N. and Cooper, J.A.G. (eds.), Proceedings 13th International Coastal Symposium (Durban, South Africa), Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 70, pp. 401–406, ISSN 0749-0208.
The study area is located in the district of Anauerapucu, at the watershed of the hydrographic basins of the Matapi and Vila Nova rivers. The objective of this study was to contribute to the social diagnosis of this estuarine community. Guidelines for the effective management of this coastal area were proposed. Data were collected using structured and semi-structured questionnaires in interviews with 63.3% of the local families, and all the association leaders, as well as a survey of the available services and infrastructure, and direct observations. Following this phase, a participative approach was employed in the local community. A socio-economic profile dominated by relatively young individuals (51.1% of population under 20 years of age), with agriculture and the extraction of natural resources as the primary occupations. However, the primary source of monetary income (73%) is government benefits. The community was also characterized by low levels of schooling. The principal health problems are diarrhea and hepatitis, reflecting the poor quality of the local drinking water. Due to the lack of a public sanitation system, most households (62.3%) have cesspits, which drain into the estuary. The community has five associations, although they do not participate in the social movements that campaign for the improvement of the quality of life of the population. The principal environmental problems of the community are the poor quality of the water supply and the inadequate disposal of domestic refuse. Overall, the results of this study indicate clearly that the socio-environmental problems of the local community are derived from the lack of effective public policies or management of the estuarine coastal zone of the state of Amapá. We provided some suggestions for the improvement of the current situation found within the study area.
