In Jamaica’s Rio Grande River valley, local communities are struggling with a man-made threat to their way of life — poison fishing, the practice of harvesting fish and shellfish by polluting the river with agrochemicals.
Poison fishing can result in severe health problems, including birth defects. But poverty and unemployment can sometimes force local residents to take long-term risks for short-term gains.
Nature.org talked to Kimberly John, manager of the Sustainable Waters Program for The Nature Conservancy in Jamaica, about how she is working with local residents to halt poison fishing on the Rio Grande and implement sustainable fishing practices that will ensure the areas’ long-term economic survival.
Nature.org: You work on freshwater conservation in Jamaica’s Rio Grande River. What’s the biggest challenge you face?
Kimberly John: The Rio Grande is the largest river source of freshwater in Jamaica — it’s free-flowing (i.e., undammed) and is a major inland fishery. Unfortunately, over the past 10-15 years, the fishery and the entire river ecosystem have been affected by poison fishing, and the practice is taking its toll on the river.
Nature.org: What do you mean by poison fishing?
Kimberly John: Local fishermen have been using readily-available agrochemicals to harvest fish, shrimp and crayfish from the river, usually for sale. This practice has deteriorated the health of the river and is a threat to the health and way of life of the people who depend on the river for survival.
National park rangers who regularly monitor the streams are reporting an increase in the use of chemicals, and many locals are completely frustrated with the spectacle of dead and dying fish and shrimp in their streams and springs. Our plan is to eliminate the use of illegal and harmful poisons in the upper Rio Grande valley by 2009.
Nature.org: How do you plan to phase out this practice so quickly? Will you include community education programs?
Kimberly John: First of all, the Conservancy needed to strengthen and deepen our relationship with all the parties involved. Since spring 2007, we have been carefully cultivating a partnership between several organizations, including the Jamaica Conservation Development Trust, the government's Fisheries Division and, of course, the residents of Rio Grande, especially Bowden Pen Farmers Association.
We are dealing with a multi-faceted problem, so we have adopted a multi-faceted approach focusing on education, strengthening enforcement and developing sustainable alternatives. For example, we are teaching fishermen to return to traditional fishing methods such as using fishing pots, line fishing and nets.
Many local people are not aware of how dangerous and illegal the practice is. We will educate the local communities about the toxic effects of agrochemicals — from belly aches to birth defects — not to mention substantial fines and jail time for those who practice poison-fishing.
Nature.org: You also mentioned strengthening enforcement. Are there laws against poison fishing in place now, and are they effective?
Kimberly John: We are training community members in environmental law and enforcement, river ecology and river monitoring. We will help interested persons become equipped and appoint them to function as honorary wardens and inspectors to work alongside the government officers. In addition, we’re developing sustainable alternatives to river poisoning and management options for the river’s fishery.
Nature.org: What has been the response to your efforts from the local communities?
Kimberly John: It would be easy for these communities to ignore the problem. We’re talking about an area with poor infrastructural development and few economic opportunities. There’s nothing romantic about poverty, unemployment or uneducated youth. These are real problems in Rio Grande, and it is difficult to focus on environmental issues when the economic and social equity aspects of sustainability are unaddressed.
In spite of these challenges, the communities’ positive response has been very encouraging. In this remote area, the residents are the stewards of their biodiversity.
Some of the community leaders already have a strong environmental vision themselves and understand the problem they are facing. They are the ones who first identified poisoning as a major threat to the river and their livelihoods, and they asked for help. For years, the Bowden Pen Farmers Association has been promoting traditional methods of harvesting and they are rallying others to help solve the problem of river poisoning.
rate
email
print
link to this page
Comments: 15
Indeed this means poisoning the fish and then collecting the dead fish. While it's obvious to us that this is not a sensible sustainable method for fishing, it's important to remember that these areas have little in the way of education or infrastructure and that poverty and hunger can be powerful motivators.
Unfortunately, unsustainable fishing methods persist around the globe--from using harmful toxins and explosives in developing nations, to commercial drag fishing in the developed world. Educating governments, communities, and consumers at all levels is the key to more sustainable oceans.
I know that Jamaica is not at all a rich country and that parts of it are quite isolated. Is it also a matter of getting the necessary food and aid to those regions (from government or UN sources)?
Regarding education levels and fishing methods, David is right, the bulk of industrialized/developed nations are rapidly diminishing world fishery stocks by their methods and amount of fishing activity. So: "... getting tired of hearing all the stupidity in the human race ..." certainly must be applied on those accounts as well. The current state of stocks is pitted against industries relying on those diminishing stocks (intertwined with those stocks in their :existing infrastructure, methods, vessels, gear, materials, incomes, and profits).
The next time you go to Landry's Seafood Shack or any seafood house, think about the fish you are eating and where it is coming from... Otherwise you are included in that "Level of Education" problem and the "...Stupidity of Humanity..." equation, knowingly or unknowingly (isn't that the definition of educated vs uneducated???).
You can no longer think of Sea food commodities (restaurants and markets and products) in the way you think of similar commodities coming from our other main 'livestock' sources such as cows and poultry etc. The majority of fish are not Farmed... Commercial Fishing is the last true Harvesting of Wild game for market consumption that humans practice. And like all other 'natural' resources they are limited and can be completely depleted (as the American plains buffalo almost were along with other examples) and their ecosystems and habitats suffer in the process.
So become educated and think about the demand you personally place on what is in Reality a limited natural resource... Does it make sense to keep going on at the current rate???
From what we understand, the reasons for this shift away from traditional methods are multifaceted and include "all of the above"--that is an increased yield for local consumption and increased yields for Jamaican markets. The potential down-stream effects range from general sickness from drinking polluted water to possible birth defects from long-term exposure. Once communities are made aware of the situation, and the serious side effects (the education component we're talking about) they tend to take action against the practice and the practitioners.
Two additional things to note about this story:
1. Poison fishing is illegal in Jamaica and those caught practicing it face substantial finds and jail time.
2. The Rio Grande area is an isolated area of Jamaica far away from the populated coastal areas, so the concept of modern chemicals and health issues are fairly new. Again, education of local communities on environmental issues are key to success.
I would be interested in knowing what the effects on coastal coral resources might be where the river meets the sea...
DJE
Susan B. There is something you can do. The Nature Conservancy has ways that you can donate and designate, land or other gifts.
Click here to read more about The Nature Conservancy's work in Jamaica
David Evans made some excellent comments about education and many thanks to the Conservancy for addressing this problem. It's hard to understand the kind of desperation that would lead to such a destructive practice.
Thank you for your comment. I've spent much of the day trying to track down the issue you're referring to, and here's what I've found:
In Willapa Bay, The Nature Conservancy is fighting to eradicate an invasive species called spartina, which is responsible for destroying the habitat of thousands of shorebirds, waterfowl, and other estuarine-dependent animals.
In Willapa Bay, Rodeo, the Monsanto product, is no longer the main product used. They are now using Imazapyr, which is much more effective and less toxic than Rodeo. It acts on an enzyme pathway that is only present in plant systems, not animal systems, and it breaks down very quickly in water applications.
Willapa Bay has gone from 20,000 solid acres of spartina to about 2,000 acres, according to Tom Kollasch, Willapa Bay Program Director for The Nature Conservancy. "We are on track to eradicate this weed, which would be something of a first for aquatic invasives. At the very least, we'll reduce it to a level where manual controls may be effective. At the same time, we're restoring the ecological function of Willapa Bay's mudflat systems for shorebirds, migrating waterfowl, and all the other estuarine-dependent flora and fauna."
Spartina completely destroys inter-tidal mudflats and native salt marshes critical to thousands of migrating and year-round birds, several fish species, and the area's oyster and clam aquaculture industry.
The Nature Conservancy works with The Monsanto Company to help the company implement more sustainable farming methods. In the upper Mississippi River Valley, the Conservancy works with Monsanto, the Iowa Soybean Association and local soil and water conservation districts on nitrogen management trials with farmers that emphasize performance-based measurement. Water quality changes are monitored and the data is shared with landowners. The Monsanto Fund has provided grants to the Conservancy's river restoration work in the Midwest, with most of the work focusing on environmentally friendly farming and land management practices, erosion control, reforesting buffer zones, and wetland restoration.
Mary