Sustainable Fishing

Volunteer with community members and use sustainable fishing techniques. Depending on the season, sustainable fishing volunteers participate in a variety of daily activities related to Paiche, Arahuana fish and subsistence fishing activities.

Paiche

The Paiche is the largest freshwater fish in South America. It can reach 3 meters (10 feet) in length and 250 kilos (550 pounds) in weight. As this fish is found only in a number of places in the world, sustainable fishing techniques are of utmost importance. The Paiche project has 4 different steps in which a volunteer can be of assistance to the counterpart management group. These include:

1. Population monitoring (10% of the population can be fished according to Reserve guidelines). This consists in canoe trips to count the number of fish in the area lakes. This can be accomplished because the Paiche fish lung system requires it to come to the surface to breath about every 30 minutes. Monitoring takes place when the flood waters subside, tipically in July.
2. Capture takes place in August and September. This can be an intense experience considering the size of the fish. A minimum of two canoes and 4-5 people are needed to maneuver a big net.
3. Registry of sex, size, weight, etc. Participating in the registration of information can be a valuable volunteer contribution for monitoring the population of this species.
4. Processing for sale (filleted, salted, dried). Seeing and participating in this process is an interesting lesson in preservation without refrigeration.

Arahuana

The Arahuana is an ornamental fish which generally lives in calm, clear waters whose minnows are sought internationally. Much like the Paiche, fishing Arahuana is conducted in an organized and controlled manner. A paternal mouthbrooder, the male fish incubates the eggs from which an average of 100 minnows are born. It is these male fish that are targeted for capture in nets. The larva and eggs (in turn, minnows) emptied from the fish's mouth are sold. Fishing arahuana is also an adventure as it involves the following steps which start mid October and last through mid-December:

1. Population monitoring. This involves going out in canoes and attempting to count the population of Arahuana fish.
2. Capture. Considered more dangerous than fishing Paiche, the technique involves up to 4 canoes and 8 people. One group with nets capture fish, while others on the river shore risk possible encounters with alligators, etc. scaring fish into nets where their mouths are opened and emptied into containment buckets.
3. Registry of number captured, how many with minnows, larva, etc. This documentation step is very important and often difficult to accomplish while on the hunt. An adventure conservationist could easily help in this step.
4. Tabulation of minnows. This is important documentation in the monitoring process.
5. Treatment of larvae and minnows. The unhatched eggs must be treated with tetracycline to ensure their preservation.
6. Transport to buyers is done with careful attention to avoid overexposure to the sun's strong rays.

Subsistence Fishing

The fish from the lakes, rivers and streams provide a valuable source of food for the communities of the Reserve. Fished with nets as well as poles, fishing is an exciting way for a volunteer to see new fish species and become involved with the daily and routine activities of community members.