Water is a way of life for the people of the Rio Grande Valley. But in recent years, the illegal use of chemicals to harvest fish, shrimp and crayfish for market has severely threatened the Rio Grande, Jamaica’s largest source of fresh water.
Now the Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust is working to combat river poisoning through a community education and awareness campaign, in partnership with the Nature Conservancy, and with funding from the Swiss Re.
JCDT’s Education Officer Courtland Grant, says local communities have shown much support and interest for the campaign which presents the message, “Kill de river yu kill yuself.”
Meetings are held in the local town square or church in the evenings with the goal of informing residents on the negative effects of river poisoning. Presentations detail how agro-chemicals and pesticides can cause everything from belly-ache to birth defects, and explain how the continued use of poisons will eventually cause the fish population and the river ecosystem to die. Residents are learning that that the use of poisons to kill or injure fish and knowingly sell or purchase such fish is illegal under the Wildlife Protection Act.
In the long term, the objective of this important project is threefold. In addition to local awareness, community members are trained to monitor their own water and prosecute offenders, as well as develop sustainable harvesting methods.
The Nature Conservancy’s Kimberly John says because the residents are dealing with a multi-faceted problem, a multi-faceted solution must focus on education, enforcement, and developing alternatives. “We are teaching fishermen to return to traditional fishing methods such as using fishing pots, line fishing and nets.”
This Rio Grande Valley Resident proudly displays her “Janga,” the local crayfish.
Members of the Bowden Pen Farmers Association already use traditional harvesting methods like these and are encouraging other communities to do the same. In fact, at this year’s Emancipation Day festival, Rio Grande Valley residents donned headdresses representing local fish varieties in support of this initiative.
From August 11-13, JCDT will hold community presentations in Portland, complimenting the recent success of meetings held in Maryland, St. Andrew as well as Millbank and Comfort Castle in Portland.
For more information, or to attend one of our upcoming meetings, please contact:
Susan Otuokon, JCDT Executive Director
Telephone: 960-2848-9
Email: jamaicaconservation@gmail.com
