RADIO PANAMA Editorial Office
The National Chamber of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Panama joined the international program “Networks of America”, in an alliance of positive environmental impact, made up of twelve countries.
During the third edition of the Latin American Summit for Fisheries and Aquaculture Sustainability, held in Puerto Varas, Chile, the president of the National Chamber of Fisheries and Aquaculture of Panama, Gustavo Zúñiga, signed the agreement to be part of “Networks of America”, with the president of the Latin American Alliance for Sustainable Fishing (Alpescas), Osciel Velásquez.
Zúñiga highlighted the importance of Panama joining the “Redes de América” program, which constitutes “an important step for our organization, contributing greatly to the environment.”
He pointed out that by joining our country in this pro-environmental initiative “we are joining forces so that these disused nets and gear do not reach poachers, thereby avoiding illegal fishing.”
For his part, the president of Alpescas, Osciel Velásquez, emphasized the concept of “a new fishing, more committed to the environment and its sustainability.”
He reiterated that by joining Panama to “Networks of America”, efforts are redoubled to promote circular economy initiatives in the Latin American fishing sector.
The Networks of America program seeks to collect disused fishing and aquaculture nets and gear to recycle them, and in this way give them a second useful life, reducing the carbon footprint and mitigating the effects that climate change is producing.
It is a recycling program that aims to collect 4,500 fishing nets in three years among the members of the alliance, contributing to decontamination and preventing this type of waste from reaching landfills.
Through “Redes de América” disused material is being delivered from countries such as Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Mexico and Peru, as well as from the Association of Large Freezer Tuna Vessels (AGAC) of Spain.
Now Panama is part of this international project, in which, in addition to the environmental issue, the importance of fishing and aquaculture on the continent is emphasized, as well as its prospects for sustainability and growth.
