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ecological disaster in Mexico

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Admin
Post subject: ecological disaster in Mexico
Posted: Wed Jul 15, 2015 2:43 pm
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Open Letter
C. Óscar Medinilla Sánchez
Ministerio de Ambiente y Recursos Naturales de Guatemala
ministro@marn.gob.gt
C. Juan José Guerra Abud
Secretario de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales de México
c.secretario@semarnat.gob.mx
C. Alejandro del Mazo Maza
Comisionado Nacional de Áreas Naturales Protegidas de México
adelmazo@conanp.gob.mx

Recently members of the Mexican Ichthyological Society (SIMAC), American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH), the Thematic Network of Researchers on Water of the Mexico-Guatemala-Belize (RISAF) and Watersheds Mexican Network, became aware of the ecological disaster that (ironically) occurred in the Usumacinta River a few days before World Environment day celebrations on June 5. We are here communicating our alarm over this lamentable event.

In this tropical and megadiverse region are more than 30 Natural Protected Areas in Guatemala and México. This considerable richness of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems is in the most diverse region of northern Guatemala and southeastern México, and this is the largest and most important freshwater wetland area of Central America.

Recent studies of the aquatic diversity of the Usumacinta basin list 218 species of fishes and 206 species of amphibians and reptiles. Of these, 25 are considered endemic to the region and in some state of risk or officially granted environmental protection.

The grave contamination of the waters of the Usumacinta being reported in public media as “Ecocide in the Río la Pasión”, caused a massive mortality of fishes and many other aquatic species in Guatemala extending into México.
(http://www.soy502.com/articulo/desolaci ... r-sayaxche).

The most recent evaluations indicate a massive mortality of at least 25 species of fishes important in the local fishery and the loss of 40 tons of fishes that represent an economic loss of $131,000 U.S. dollars. More information can be found at (http://www.soy502.com/articulo/desolaci ... r-sayaxche).
(https://comunitariapress.wordpress.com/ ... struccion/)

The contamination extended over more than 180 kilometers and local residents were concerned about their daily use of river water and fish, which are part of their daily dietary and economic sustenance (https://comunitariapress.wordpress.com/ ... struccion/).
http://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/mo ... lometros-1

We know that non-governmental organizations, academic institutions and local residents have demanded that the authorities of the Guatemalan Ministry conduct a thorough investigation of the agroindustrial company (REPSA) working on African Palm in the Petén (http://www.prensalibre.com/guatemala/mo ... lometros-1).

Given the above, as a result of this ecological tragedy that affects the natural heritage of the world, local Mayan communities and Middle America’s most diverse aquatic ecosystem, we ask that the authorities of México and Guatemala carry out a rigorous investigation and apply corrective and preventive measures.

Dr. Omar Domínguez Domínguez
goodeido@yahoo.com.mx
Presidente de la Sociedad Mexicana de Ictiología (SIMAC)
Dr. Frank H. McCormick fmccormick@fs.fed.us
Responsable del Comité de Conservación de la Sociedad Americana de Ictiología y Herpetología (ASIH)
Dra. Edith F. Kauffer Michel risaf2010@gmail.com
Responsable Técnica Académica de la Red de Investigadores sobre Agua en la Frontera (RISAF)
Dr. Raúl Francisco Pineda López
rufuspinedal@gmail.com
Representante y fundador de la Red de Cuencas Mexicanas
29 de Junio, 2015

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unclenedsfishfactory@gmail.com
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