Serviços de Pescas e o nascimento da Oceanografia Portuguesa - O laboratório marítimo (1850 a 1910)

• Type: Article in International Conference Proceedings Book
• Date: 2001

Authors

Inês Amorim (Author) FLUP

Conference proceedings International

Title: I Congresso Luso-Brasileiro da História da Ciência e da Técnica

Pages: 594-605

1º Congresso Luso-Brasileiro de História da Ciência e da Técnica

Universidade de Évora, Universidade de Aveiro, 22 a 27 Outubro 2000

Scientific classification

FOS: Humanities > History and Archaeology

CORDIS: Humanities > History > History of science > History of technology ; Humanities > History > History of science

Other information

Abstract (EN): This effort to establish a regulative framework resulted from a more global process of political, economic, social and cultural transformation, which recaptured a broader concept of industry – the notions of work and man’s natural abilities, but without rejecting the mechanical and material innovations, which should never be regarded as an end in itself, but as a way for man to achieve his personal fulfilment: - therefore, the authorities launched a campaign encouraging people’s schooling – a project of mass education and civilisation (more libraries, exhibitions, schools, etc.); - therefore, during the 1880’s and 1890’s, the implementation of research activities and the popularisation and dissemination of a scientific culture through the production of reports, inquiries, museum catalogues, documentary patrimony and hydrographic campaigns. To this new frame of reference we must add the perspective given by the still embryonic contributions from Oceanography and from the growing consciousness of the dangers caused by the introduction of powerboats. In effect, there was a gradual understanding of the relationship between fishery and the preservation of ecosystems, as well as of the consequences resulting from some fishing operations and the industry demands. This perspective is distinctly confirmed by the organisation of national and international meetings, in some cases closely associated to parallel activities undertaken by the Liga Naval Portuguesa (Portuguese Naval Association). On the one hand, the international regulation of the fishing industry was underway, at the same time that in Portugal the authorities discussed the modernisation of the long-distance codfish fishery; on the other hand, there were also discussions on the regulation of coastal fishery to be supported by the creation of maritime administrative areas. These concepts created a difficult balance between the Central Administration, local interests and the scientific and economic recommendations. A good example of these difficulties was the proposal for the development of an aquaculture industry in the Aveiro’s Ria, an area well known for presenting conflicting relationships between the different ecosystems. In order to develop this research, it will be necessary to analyse a large collection of legislation, periodicals, particularly those issued by the Liga Naval, as well as other documents issued by scientists, notably the works of Mello de Mattos, specially a scientific paper called Laboratório Marítimo em Aveiro (Marine Laboratory in Aveiro), in “Revista de Ciencias Naturaes e Sociaes”, v. 3, 1895.

Language: Portuguese

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific