AGUUA CLARA, Brazil (AP) – Two years of record drought have hit perhaps the largest region of the Amazon hard. successful sustainable economy: Management fishery for giant pirarucu.
In Brazil’s Amazonas state, around 6,000 river residents who are allowed to fish have reported sharp declines in production and rising costs. They are demanding aid from the federal government and discussing how to adapt to climate change.
Last year’s catch amounted to 70% of the government-approved catch quota of 100,443 fish. We could see an even steeper decline this year, as fishing is still not possible in many areas. The period is from June 1st to November 30th.
The pirarucu managed fishery began 25 years ago in the Mamirauá region of the Amazon and has since expanded. This has saved the Amazon’s largest fish from extinction, and it now serves as an important source of income for local people in 10 sustainable protected areas and eight indigenous areas with near-zero deforestation. .
Unlike other aquatic species in the Amazon, river dolphinalso known as arapaima, pirarucu has historically proven tolerant of drought and climate change. However, falling water levels are making it extremely difficult for fishermen to transport their catch from distant lakes to major rivers and then to cities.
That’s a lot of work. Pirarucu, which can weigh up to 200 kilograms (440 pounds), inhabit large lakes that connect to large rivers during flood season. Fishing typically occurs when water levels begin to drop, making it easier to catch fish and transport them in small boats or canoes. However, water levels dropped rapidly in some areas and this connection was severed before fishing could begin.
in Community of San Raimundo In the Medio Jurua region, fishing is scheduled to begin on Saturday, a two-month delay, which is common this season. As a result, Coletivo Pirarucu, an umbrella organization representing 2,500 river dwellers and indigenous families, called on the federal government to extend the fishing season until the end of January.
FILE – Captured by brothers Gibson (right) and Manuel Cunha da Lima (front) sitting on a floating warehouse in the settlement of San Raimundo in the Medio Jurua region of Amazonia, Brazil, on Monday, September 5, 2022. Three pirarucu. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz, File)
Even large rivers are experiencing navigational problems, increasing costs and creating anxiety among fishermen. It usually takes three to four days to transport the fish from the city of Carauari, the main producer of pirarucu, to Manaus, the largest city in the Amazon. At the peak of the drought, trips increased to 10 days and fares doubled.
Although pirarucu are hardy, they are not immune to climate change, said Adalberto Ruiz Val, a researcher at the National Amazon Research Institute. He said rising temperatures and severe droughts are exacerbating the “death trio” for all fish: warmer waters, more carbon dioxide and less oxygen.
Although pirarucu evolved to breathe air, they are not invincible. “No fish can regulate their body temperature,” Val said. “Then there’s the lack of water. When the levels drop, you start to get a lot of suspended solids, which leads to a buildup of sludge. It sticks to the gill area and blocks the processes that occur there.”
Coletivo Pirarucu worries that the situation will worsen in the coming decades and argues that fishermen should be entitled to compensation for their losses due to climate change. “This crisis is not only challenging the resilience of communities, but also highlighting the urgent need for climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies,” the nonprofit said in an open letter last week.
James Bessa, the federal official who oversees pirarucu management, said in an email response that Ibama, Brazil’s environmental agency, is working with other public agencies and local governments to reduce the effects of extreme events such as droughts and floods. He said he was working with fishing organizations. He said there are plans to launch scientific research and close monitoring to provide insight into how to help river basins and indigenous communities sustain fishing activities.
Adevaldo Díaz, a river leader with the Chico Mendez Memorial, a nonprofit organization that supports traditional non-Indigenous communities, says adopting additional public policies to support fishermen is an important part of climate justice. claim that it is a problem.
“Indigenous peoples and people along the river have minimal impact on the environment,” Diaz said. “We know that protecting our forests benefits both us and the people outside of them, and they are the most vulnerable when extreme weather events occur.”
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