Buy a Fish, Save a Tree!

Project Piaba is a community based interdisciplinary project established to understand the ecological and socio-cultural systems of the middle Rio Negro basin, Amazonas, Brazil, in order to conserve and maintain the live ornamental fishery and other renewable resources at commercially feasible, and ecologically sustainable level. The ornamental fishery in the Rio Negro is centered around the Cardinal tetra. Many interests world-wide are trying to produce this fish in aquaculture operations. Doing so would destroy the economic base for the Rio Negro communities, and would open up a vast area of rainforest to the destructive practices of mining, foresty, and agriculture. The Project Piaba team is working with fishermen to create a sustainable industry that can survive the numerous challenges it faces.

If you are interested in seeing the cardinal tetra fishery first-hand, find out how to join us on an expedition!

Case Study Project Piaba has been used as a case study to fully understand the impact of the aquaculture production of ornamental species in the following publications:

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For more information contact Scott Dowd at sdowd@neaq.org or Dr Michael Tlusty at mtlusty@neaq.org.