Ecobreves – GUATEMALA: Reproducing Endangered Fish

By IPS Correspondents and - - Reprint | | Print |

GUATEMALA CITY, Oct 16 2004 (IPS) - A technical mission from Taiwan is helping Guatemalan officials in an effort to boost the population of the Petenia splendida, or red bay snook, typical of this country but in danger of extinction from overfishing, officials from the Taiwanese embassy told Tierramérica. The meat of this fish is particularly tender and tasty, and local demand continues to rise.

The center of snook reproduction is Petén lake, in northern Guatemala, according to the Fund for International Development and Cooperation, overseen by the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry.

The Taiwanese technical experts are helping to set up and finance a new fish hatchery. From March to May, they successfully produced 3,500 fish.

The Taiwanese embassy says the success ''has not only helped overcome the crisis of potential extinction of the fish, but has set a new landmark in the development of fish farming.''