On August 28, pirarucu fishing began, coming from the sustainable management of lakes in the municipality of Carauari, in Amazonas. The program will take place in 3 stages: the first with fishing in the lakes of the communities of RDS Uacari, the second in the lakes of the communities of the RESEX Médio Juruá and, the last stage, in the communities of the Baixo Area, expected to end on the 15th. of October.
Sustainable pirarucu fishing is one of the main sources of income for riverside communities in the Middle Juruá Conservation Units, in Carauari. For the 2018 harvest, 70 tons of fish are estimated, coming from the sustainable management of 12 lakes in the region, benefiting more than 150 families with its commercialization.
The sustainable management of pirarucu is developed within the scope of the Juruá Middle Territory Program by ASPROC – Associação dos Produtores Rurais de Carauari, which coordinates all stages of management, planning and execution of fishing, storage and marketing of fish, including monitoring of authorization , by IBAMA, of the fishing quotas destined to each family or community.
For the 2018 season, pirarucu fishing received important logistical support: the Amaru I boat. The vessel, owned by AMARU – Associação dos Moradores da Reserva Uacari, was built in Manaus with financial support from OPAN – Operação Amazônia Nativa and FAS – Fundação Amazônia Sustentável and contains the necessary facilities for evisceration and adequate refrigeration and storage of fish. The municipal government of Carauari is also supporting the fishery.
The arapaima (Arapaima gigas) is one of the largest fish in fresh water from Brazil, weighing more than 200 kilos and reaching 2 meters in length. It is generally found in lakes in amazon basin, where the waters are calmer. Sustainable fisheries management is heavily dependent on the migratory patterns of wild animals, when fish are confined by the low levels of rivers, which occurs between August and October.
Juruá Middle Territory Program
The Médio Juruá Territory Program is an initiative focused on the Médio Juruá region, in the municipality of Carauari, in the state of Amazonas, located 780 km from Manaus. The objective is to implement a Territorial Development Plan for the region, involving a broad base of local organizations and experiences, to expand the scale and impact of biodiversity conservation and development initiatives in the social, environmental and economic dimensions. The Program is a partnership between the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)*, Sitawi Finanças do Bem, Coca-Cola, Natura and members of the Médio Juruá Territory Forum. meet.
*USAID support was provided through the Partnership for the Conservation of Amazon Biodiversity (PCAB).
