The Javari Valley boasts the second-largest protected Indigenous reserve in the country and is home to seven tribes, including the Kanamari. Only residents are authorized to hunt the pirarucu, a freshwater fish that is larger than a man, delicious, and coveted by poachers in the lawless regions of the Amazon jungle where Brazil, Peru, and Colombia meet. The pirarucu’s skin and flesh are prized by Indigenous people, but it has gained the attention of gastronomic and fusion restaurants in Rio, Bogota, and Lima, causing prices to skyrocket and raising the stakes for the Amazon dwellers. Unfortunately, the increasing demand for pirarucu has been attributed to the deaths of Indigenous rights defender Bruno Pereira and British journalist Dom Phillips, who were killed by fish poachers in pursuit of the prized fish.
In Brazil, pirarucu harvesting is highly regulated, and only residents of the Javari Valley are permitted to hunt it. Despite this, poachers continue to steal from the Indigenous people, creating tension and conflict. The Kanamari consider the pirarucu to be a “tree leaf that fell into the water and became a giant fish,” and it is one of the largest freshwater fish on the planet, growing up to three meters long and weighing over 200 kilograms. Its skin is used for exotic leather products, and its scales are sold as souvenirs. Overfishing in the Brazilian Amazon almost caused the extinction of the pirarucu in the 1990s, but the government introduced fishing restrictions to prevent complete eradication.
A project to ensure the sustainable harvesting of pirarucu was launched in the Javari Valley in 2017 with the help of the Indigenous NGO CTI. The Kanamari tribe voluntarily limits their catches and agreed not to sell any pirarucu for five years. The project involves patrolling to spot and report poachers, a dangerous task that exposes the tribespeople to illegal fishermen carrying guns. A stocktake will occur shortly, and if fish numbers have recovered sufficiently, the Kanamari will be able to start selling pirarucu. However, setting up a cold chain and deciding how to split the proceeds are obstacles to overcome. There are also concerns that local politicians or businessmen may attempt to manipulate the system, negatively affecting the Indigenous jungle dwellers.
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