The fishing sector in Anzoátegui State is increasingly suffocated by the coral Unomia Stolonifera, which if not urgently attacked by the authorities, will leave them without their source of income.
By Javier A. Guaipo/ Lapatilla Correspondent
It is worth remembering that this invasive species has been wreaking havoc in Venezuelan waters for years, and to date Maduro’s regime has given no sign of having any action plan to prevent its spread and, therefore, the ecological disaster that it could cause.
According to José Daniel Jiménez, an environmental activist, Unomia has already expanded to cover 85% of the Mochima National Park, located between the states of Anzoátegui and Sucre in eastern Venezuela.
This in turn has significantly harmed fishing activity, which has decreased by 80%, as the coral attacks what are the natural nursery areas of local fish.
“We have already suffered this situation for two and a half years and have been trying to promote direct action for the extraction of the Unomia coral in focal areas, understanding that there are areas that are impossible to fully rescue, but we still have no response,” said the official from the Ombudsman’s Office. in Anzoategui.
He added that the idea is precisely to protect the different areas where commercial species are found and spawn, and that fishermen may rest assured that the fry (newborn fish) will grow in a clean area where they can develop and in turn guarantee both reproduction, food for the future and survival of native fish species.
Fish migration
Sikiú Ramírez, main spokesperson for the Council of Artisanal Fishermen, and Fishermen of Los Cocos, Los Boqueticos and adjacent islands (Conppa), indicated that this group is one of the most affected by the Unomia coral, since its expansion has caused the migration of a large number of species in your fishing area.
“In the seven catches that we have already had, the volume of fish this season has dropped a lot. Right now, we fishermen must move far offshore to be able to guarantee productivity,” she commented.
Ramírez emphasized that this extra effort implies greater use of fuel (in the midst of the current crisis) and more risk to the fishermen’s lives, since in some cases they must use more than one motor for the boats and this draws the attention of “sea pirates”.
The spokeswoman noted that there are species such as cachorreta, choro coro, lamparosa or cataco, which were previously very common and highly demanded by consumers, but now they handle much smaller quantities.
She explained that 200 fishermen are registered in Conppa (Co-op), not counting those who work indirectly, and all of them are affected by the difficulty in carrying out their work.
Both Ramírez and Jiménez called on the Chavismo attorney general, Tarek William Saab, the eco-socialism minister, Josué Lorca, and the rest of the national authorities to take action on the matter immediately, since they believe that if the same continues, Unomia Stolonifera will end the marine biodiversity of Mochima and its surroundings.