-Caveat Lector- > =========================================== > P A N U P S > Pesticide Action Network Updates Service > =========================================== > > Pesticide Fishing Spreading in Mexico > > June 29, 2001 > > A report released in May by the Mexican Environmental Enforcement > Agency > (PROFEPA) documents illegal use of pesticides for fishing in the > pacific > coast state of Michoacan. The report, the result of a four-month > investigation, reveals that at least two insecticides are being used > in > fishing for "langostino," a lobster-like crustacean. Langostinos are > considered a delicacy and are served primarily in expensive > restaurants. > > The chemicals being used for fishing in the region are the veterinary > insecticides "Batestan plus" (deltamethrin) and "Asuntol" > (coumaphos), both > widely available in the region. > > Deltamethrin, a pyrethroid, bioaccumulates and is considered > moderately > toxic to humans and a suspected endocrine disruptor. It is known to > be > highly toxic to aquatic species, including fish, amphibeans, aquatic > insects > and zooplankton. Coumaphos is an organophosphate rated "highly toxic" > to > humans by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and classified as > an > "extremely hazardous" substance by the World Health Organization. It > is also > a cholinesterase inhibitor. > > PROFEPA condemned the practice of pesticide fishing but did not > address the > question of whether fish caught through this method posed a health > risk to > consumers. The agency did not investigate whether langostinos > collected by > pesticide fishing have been served at restaurants in tourist areas > such as > nearby Puerto Vallarta. > > Additional evidence suggests that the practice of pesticide fishing > may be > widespread in Mexico. In late March of this year, two men were > arrested in > separate incidents in Michoacan for use of Batestan plus in fishing, > and > more than 340 langostinos were confiscated. Anecdotal reports > indicate use > of unidentified pesticides in at least two communities near the "El > Triunfo > Biosphere Reserve" in the state of Chiapas. According to a government > biologist working on the Pacific side of the Sierra Madre de Chiapas, > people > are fishing with pesticides to catch a shrimp-like crustacean locally > known > as "piguas." > > In addition, in mid-2000, a Mexican environmental law nongovernmental > organization, the Centro de Derecho Ambiental e Integraci�n Econ�mica > del > Sur (DASSUR), documented pesticide fishing in the Uxpanapa River, at > the > heart of biodiversity-rich Uxpanapa Valley in southern Veracruz near > the > Gulf of Mexico. > > In this case, health effects from consumption of contaminated fish > were > documented. Fishers were using "Butox" which, like Batestan plus, has > deltamethrin as an active ingredient. Acute illnesses of both adults > and > children linked to consumption of contaminated fish and shrimp were > documented in various townships near Ejido Palancares, where the > pesticide > fishing takes place. Researchers frequently heard unconfirmed rumors > of > frequent abortions and developmental effects in children in the > region. > Additional research is needed to document these impacts. > > DASSUR's investigation, a joint effort with PAN North America, > resulted in a > report and video documenting pesticide fishing in the Uxpanapa river > and its > effects. The project's next stage will involve further documentation > of > health effects, as well as education about the risks of pesticide > fishing in > other affected communities in Michoacan, Oaxaca and Chiapas. The > project > will also work to enhance the capacity of affected communities to > recognize > and report pesticide fishing to the proper authorities and to use > local > press to raise awareness about the issue. > > Sources: "Pesca con garrapaticidas en la Selva de Uxpanapa" by DASSUR > in > video and printed report. Available upon request from DASSUR. > "Denuncia > PROFEPA Envenenamiento de Peces," Grupo Reforma Servicio Informativo > (http://www.mural.com/occidente/articulo/092807/). > > Letter to Mr. Claudio Torres Nach�n from Ing. Ambrosio Mayorg > Guillen, from > PROFEPA--Michoacan "Envenenamiento de Rios en el Municipio de Arteaga > para > la Captura del Langostino" June 19 2001, and confidential sources. > > For toxicity and health effect data on the pesticides, visit PANNA's > pesticide database at http://www.pesticideinfo.org. > > Contact: Claudio Torres Nach�n- Director DASSUR, Primo Verdad 23-4, > Xalapa, > Ver. Mexico 91000; phone (+52)28 18 2388; fax (+52) 28 18 2028; email > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > PANUPS is a weekly email news service providing resource guides and > reporting on pesticide issues that don't always get coverage by the > mainstream media. It's produced by Pesticide Action Network North > America, a > non-profit and non-governmental organization working to advance > sustainable > alternatives to pesticides worldwide. > > You can join our efforts! We gladly accept donations for our work and > all > contributions are tax deductible in the United States. Visit our > extensive > web site at http://www.panna.org to learn more about getting > involved. > > =========================================== > NOTE: Replies to the sender of this message > will not be read. > > To comment, send a message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To subscribe, send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To unsubscribe, send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Pesticide Action Network North America (PANNA) > 49 Powell St., Suite 500, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA > Phone: (415) 981-1771 > Fax: (415) 981-1991 > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Web: http://www.panna.org > =========================================== > > ==^================================================================ > EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://igc.topica.com/u/?aVxh9y.aVGHGn > Or send an email To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > This email was sent to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! > http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register > ==^================================================================ __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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