Prof. Ning Labbish Chao, Project Piaba, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, AM Brazil.
Paulo Petry, Research Associate, Fish Division, Field Mus. of Natural History, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.
e-mail:piabas@aol.com; websites: www.angelfire.com/pq/piaba and www.ufam.edu.br/~piaba.
(All illustrations Courtesy of Project Piaba)
The local Barcelos newspaper, A Critica (16
February, 2003) quoted the Federal Police Agency as referring to the
actions of two German nationals caught attempting to leave the
International Airport in Manaus with 280 ornamental fishes as "daring
and abusive".
The case received much more attention that it would usually
have done because the Commission of Parliament Inquiry (CPI) had just
released a 145- page report:
Investigation on the illegal traffic of wild animals and plants of Brazilian Fauna and Flora (4 Feb., 2003,
www.rma.org.br/biblioteca/CPITRAFI.doc).
It reported that wild animal traffic is worth about US$ 1 billion per
year in Brazil. The CPI had called 112 federal agents, scientists,
witness and suspects to testify since September 2002.
Although the main concerns of the CPI report were on timbers,
seeds, medicinal plants, insects, birds and wild life, ornamental
fishes did not escape scrutiny, especially Amazon species. Illegal
trade of fishery products (food and ornamental) with Colombia were
repeatedly cited and related to drug traffic and money laundering
operations. One person testified that cocaine was diluted in the
water and exported with ornamental fishes and that four Brazilian
exporters were involved in the smuggling. Another agent from Manaus
deplored that all ornamental fishes exported by Colombia originated
from Brazil and that, in 2002, Colombia exported US$ 4 million of
ornamental fishes, while Brazil had only exported US$300,000 (same
agency had reported US$ 3 million). The witness also proposed a
revision of the laws that regulate ornamental fishes export, since the
current regulations are only aimed at Rio Negro fishes. Increasing
investments in research and qualifications of fishermen are fundamental
to regulate fishery in the State of Amazonas.
The CPI also reported on scientific research in the Amazon. The term 'biopirataria legalizada'
(legalised biopiracy) was used to described international scientific
expeditions and collaborations. A researcher also testified, there
was no legislation that considered the quality of the scientific
expedition; collaborating Brazilian researchers often served as bell
boys ('carregadores de mala'). From 1991 to 2001, only 16 out
of 160 countries of the world had applied for legal licenses for
scientific expeditions and collaborations. Scientists from USA
constitute 54.8% of applications, followed by UK (13.6%) and Germany
(5.5%).
Biopiracy is a CrimeIn April 2003, after 10
years of negotiations, 182 countries of the Convention on Biodiversity
(CBD) (US is an observer) signed an accord prohibiting the manufacture
of medicines and biotechnology obtained from knowledge of medicinal
plants of developing countries to generate large profits. The accord
reflects a worldwide effort aimed at establishing laws against
'biopiracy' and the traffic of wildlife and native plants. Rigorous
legislation and penalties for 'biopiracy' are being developed and
enforced in Brazil. Operation 'DRAKE', set up by Federal Police, will
assign special agents to 27 new offices in order to combat
international traffic of wildlife throughout Brazil. It will begin
operations at the
airports of Sao Paulo, Rio, Para, Amazonas, Amapo, Roraima, Mato Grosso, Pernambuco, Bahia, Mato Grosso do Sul and Brasilia.
'Biopiracy', although not clearly defined, is a criminal offence
in Brazil. Between 1994 and 1999, 29 foreigners, from Holland,
Switzerland, Germany and North America were charged and imprisoned in
the Amazonas State for biopiracy. A feature article, 'Xenophobia - paranoia involved in biopiracy prejudiced scientific research on Brazilian species', appeared in the Brazilian weekly news magazine, VEJA
(April, 2003). More recently, several foreign and local scientists
working at Amazonian research institutes have also been accused of
'biopiracy', and long-term international collaboration projects have
not been renewed. Brazilian scientists, today, dare not work with
foreign colleagues and some foreign colleagues left for good.
A draft article for AQUARAMA Magazine entitled: 'If you are looking for new species of fish to breed, cast your nets to Brazil.' was kindly sent to me for comments. I can only say that it is true, but forget the illusion.
Which Fishes are Legal?
Brazilian
environmental agency (IBAMA) has adopted a 'GOOD List' policy, which
includes fishes that can be captured, commercialised and exported for
ornamental purposes (OFI Journal, 1996, No. 14). In the last
two years, thanks to heavy lobbying by ACEPOAM (Association of
Ornamental Fish Breeders and Exporters of Amazonas), 31 additional
Amazon fishes have been added to the 'GOOD List'. Four species of
freshwater stingrays are still under a quota system for 2003 and 2004: Potamotrygon motoro (10,000/ yr), P. orbygni (5,000), P. schroederi (5,000) and an undescribed P. 'Cururui' (10,000). Export of Potamotrygon leopoldi. endemic to Rio Xingu. and P. henlei endemic to to Rio Tocantins, are not permitted.
Anyone who has been buying the last two are therefore encouraging
illegal export or 'biopiracy'. Juvenile arowanas have also been
released under quotas between May 2002 and April 2003: 100,000 Black
Arowana (Osteoglossum ferreirai, 100,00/yr) and 300.000 Silver Arowana (O. bicirrhosum). Quotas for these are under the self-control of ACEPOAM. These fishes have brought better revenues to piabeiros
(ornamental fish collectors), since one sting ray is worth 500 Cardinal
Tetras at R$5.00 (US $1.70) and each yolk-sac arowana is worth 100
Cardinal Tetras. Only consumers would know the fate of these larger
aquarium fishes.
In July, 2002, IBAMA in the region of Amazona, liberated 15
additional fishes for the export market to reduce pressure on existing
target species of the Rio Negro. The value of these fishes as
ornamentals fetches 200% more than their value as food fishes and,
thus, provides extra income to piabeiros. The list (as in the original document of IBAMA) included Uaru
amphiacanthoides, Geophagus jurupari, Geophagus albifrons, Crenicichla
regani, Crenicichla notophthalmus, Crenicichla cardiostigma, Crenicichla 'orange',
Chalceus macrolepidotus, Chalceus thrurus, Inpaichthyes kerri,
Semaprochilodus squalmilentos, Semaprochilodus theraponura, Cetopsis sp, Sorubim lima/Bico de pato and Merodontotus tigrinus.
For the same reasons, another 14 species have been granted permits
for exportation. IBAMA specialists have also added localities. They
are (as in the original document): Corydoras acutirostris - Rio Purus, C. melini - Rio Purus, C. parallelus - Rio Negro, C. narcissus - Rio Madeira, C. punctatus - Rio Purus, C. robinae - Rio Madeira, C. robustus - Rio Aiuana, C. schwartzi - Rio Purus, C. sterbai - Rio Juru, C. melanistius brevirostris - Rio Purus, C. melanistius lonigrostris - Rio Purus, C. davidsandsi - Rio Autazes, Liosamodoras oncinus - Rio Solimoes and Purus, and Anodus elongatus - Rio Solimoes.
At present, there is a total of 215 freshwater species that can be
exported legally from Brazil. Although, it is far short of the 400
fishes that I have been advocating for years (OFI Journal, May
1998, No. 23), this is a significant improvement. Hobbyists and
importers should abide by the 'GOOD List' when purchasing fishes from
Brazil; otherwise, the action will be considered a crime of
'biopiracy'.
|
PROJECT PIABA UPDATE
It will be 10 years in January 2004, since Project Piaba established
a public aquarium and laboratory in Barcelos. Many programmes have
been initiated and scientific studies have been completed. The most
significant achievement on the socio-economic front is probably that we
have been able to obtain unemployment benefits for hundreds of piabeiros
(since 2002) during the low fishing and fish protecting season in
Barcelos (May to August). The ornamental fish collectors association
became a 'Fishery Colony' in Barcelos.
Our fishery statistics collected in Barcelos have shown that far
more fishes have been trans-shipped from Barcelos than official exports
data for entire Amazonas State (Fig. 1). The decline in the percentage
of 'number one' export, the Cardinal Tetra, from near 90% to 80% of
total catch, may be a good sign of diversification. The Green Neon (Paracheirodon simulans)
has become the second-ranking species exported from Barcelos, from 0 in
1999 to over 2 million in 2002. The number of stingrays shipped out of
Barcelos varies from year to year (between 1,000 and 11,000).
Are these observations signs of changing target species or just that market demand has shifted?
In each of the IBAMA decrees that have resulted in the releasing of
more fishes to exporters, an article said that ACEPOAM or IBAMA must
invest in research on the biology and ecology of these species. There
is a great deal that the Project Piaba team can help with and I sincerely hope that we will be called upon to perform some of the tasks.
Prof. Ning Labbish Chao |
OFI Journal Issue 43: October 2003
