Eco-Amazon Piabas of Rio Negro

Original project description

The project aims to safeguard traditional ornamental fisheries in the Amazon in a sustainable way by stimulating a niche market. Through a socially and environmentally responsible fishery cooperative and traders, the initiative introduces a fair trade system for rural communities. A cooperative will supply tropical fish hobbyists with Amazon fish that carry a green label which indicates that the fish was sourced in a socially and environmentally responsible manner. It will also include a geographic origin indication. This promotes an international ‘green’ ornamental fish industry and the conservation of the Amazon.
Eco-Amazon, together with the cooperative, not only explores greater varieties of target species to meet the market demand but also reduces fishing pressure on traditional species. The artisanal fishery has a minimal impact on aquatic habitats and Eco-Amazon alternates its activities between different habitats to avoid local overfishing.
The fair trade system through the cooperative will support and encourage entrepreneurship and the financial returns will provide additional sources of income. New community entrepreneurs will emerge, such as ecotourism, and other stakeholders may join the cooperative-based trade chain. This offers alternative livelihoods so helping to maintain traditional family values and structures and in turn reduce other environmentally damaging economic activities, such as deforestation and urban migration.
The project initially targets the Asian market but aims to expand to the worldwide fish market.

Current project updates

No update available.

Growth plans description

• Assist the fish collectors cooperative in establishing a fair trade chain
• Continue working with local communities on co-management and technology transfer to develop suitable protocols and improve fish health and quality.
• Assist local exporters to upgrade fish holding facilities, quarantine and packing processes to reduce death on arrival at the distributors’ end.
• Seek additional R & D grants for ecology, socio-economic and market analyses

Current Needs

• External logistical and financial to improve the fish collectors´ cooperative management skills
• Support for marketing and international networking to establish sustainable ornamental fisheries as an alternative means of Amazon conservation
• External support to implement the property rights for indigenous products and stop bio-piracy, or illegal live ornamental fish traffic.

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