When taking care of the sea is better than fishing to put food on the table

Don Isis is 60 years old and since he was a child he dealt with the uncertainty of fishing in a model that he now knows “exhausted” and so 15 years ago, together with his fishing cooperative, he switched to ecotourism to take care of a bay in the Haitises National Park, in Dominican Republic, and offer a better future to those who come after him.

Between mangroves, kayaks and paddles, this fisherman, converted into a promoter of sustainable community tourism in his province (Samaná, north of the country), explains to EFE that in 2008 “a group of fishermen” It was organized “with the aim of fighting for a sustainable fishing” and “as a way to take pressure off fishing” in the area, and analyzed “how to function as an ecotourism company”.

This is how it was born “San Lorenzo Kayaks”in the homonymous bay, with 15 of the 60 members of a fishermen’s cooperative who advocate changing the model, since “Fishing resources have decreased a lot” in recent years.

“Our city, Sánchez, belongs to Samaná, there has always been tourism here, but our area is for fishing, it is a muddy place, not as beautiful as the rest of Samaná, but we think that ecotourism could be a way to acquire resources, for us and for the company”, He tells without losing attention of the flora and fauna that he travels through in his kayak and that he patiently points out to visitors.

Take advantage of what they already had

Don Isis remembers that, when they undertook the new activity, they tried to take advantage of what they already had, so they took their boat – the same one they use to fish – and began to tour the national park, in which any activity is prohibited. extractive activity as well as residing in its territory, which reaches 1,600 square kilometers.

“We offer a boat tour and a kayak tour through the national park. If you want food, we can include it, and everyone comes with their vest and snack.”says the fisherman about the tour, in which you can observe dozens of types of birds, such as the Ridgway’s hawk, the Hispanic woodpecker, the Hispaniola emerald (in danger of extinction), pelicans, frigates or herons.

Thanks to a donation of kayaks, training workshops and the support of the Dominican Ministry of Tourism, the most aware group of the cooperative managed to start with the excursions, which are also offered by other larger operators with more resources, and they began to “improve living conditions”, as well as his “experience in ecotourism”.

“We have no regrets, we are going to continue growing”assures the Dominican.

The profitability of fishing

The fisherman looks back with little nostalgia and, although he recognizes that in the past “Fishing was very profitable,” Now “less appropriate gear is increasingly being used,” which ends up damaging the habitat and making long-term reproduction of fish impossible.

“We trained to protect the environment, we observed how fishermen were using fishing gear that kills small fish and juveniles, we began to meet with them to warn them of the damage they were causing to the bay. They know it and understand that it is not the most appropriate, but they say that it is their way of feeding the family.”, he recalls.

That argument, answers Isis, “It will serve you for a short time,” well “When there is nothing, how are you going to feed them?”

And the tour guide is also aware that tourism is essential for the country and can be a source of resource for his sector, since, in 2022, according to data from the Hotel and Tourism Association of the Dominican Republic (Asonahores ), this area contributed 25% of the gross domestic product (GDP).

“The fishing In the past it was more profitable because there were a lot of resources, but now ecotourism is more profitable and, above all, it is more sustainable. In tourism you know, you have the guarantee of what you are going to earn, you take so many tourists and you know, you no longer have any doubts that you are going to bring food home.”ditch convinced.