At the age of 8, fisherman Luiz Carlos Passos Filho, 51, began accompanying his father to the sea off Boiçucanga beach in São Sebastião (SP) to catch schools of fish.
However, his two sons did not want to learn the trade passed down to him by his father, who learned to fish from his grandfather, who in turn was taught by his great-grandfather.
This situation is repeated in other families. None of the ten children of Benedito Serafim dos Santos, 73, wanted to follow in their father's footsteps. He mentions that six months ago, he left fishing to operate a tourist boat. "The laws against fishermen no longer leave room for fishing," he says.
The difficulties cited converge with the frequent changes in environmental laws that, according to them, restrict the craft. Shark fishing is prohibited, with a fine of R$5,000 per fish.
The National Policy for Sustainable Development of Aquaculture and Fisheries also prohibits the use of waiting nets, which are placed on the seabed and capture higher-value fish.