At Segrest Farms, we try hard every day to make thoughtful, ethical sourcing decisions to ensure that our fish are not only the highest quality but also the best choice for sustainably-minded aquarium owners. To that end, we are thrilled to partner with Project Piaba to promote the environmentally beneficial aquarium fishery based in Brazil's Rio Negro.
The story:
Early aquarium fish collectors in the Rio Negro
Ever since the discovery of the cardinal tetra in 1955, Brazil's Rio Negro has been a fertile collecting ground for tropical fish bound for home aquariums the world over. With well over 800 freshwater fish species known to inhabit this important waterway, the Rio Negro is a freshwater biodiversity hotspot and home to many species found nowhere else on earth.
The collection and export of aquarium species is a major source of livelihoods in the Brazilian state of Amazonas, and employs hundreds of families throughout the region. This income from largely sustainable fishing efforts acts as a powerful incentive to protect aquatic habitat and the surrounding forest. Without the aquarium fishery, many would be forced to turn to slash-and-burn agriculture, cattle ranching, logging, intensive food fishing, or other environmentally destructive forms of subsistence.
But this fishery, and the environmental stewardship it fosters, are at a crossroad.
Competition from aquacultured fish and other exporting countries, coupled with increasingly negative views of wild collection, have pushed the Rio Negro's aquarium fishery to the brink of collapse.
The fishery today supports hundreds of families in the region
How you can help:
By choosing fish sourced from the Rio Negro, you can help this fishery remain viable. Every purchase helps ensure a sustainable future for the men and women of Amazonas who rely on fish collecting for their livelihoods. You'll also be helping Project Piaba in its important work in the region, as they improve handling practices on the ground and conduct further research.
Use our store locator to find a retailer near you that regularly carries Segrest Farms fish.
Learn more about Project Piaba, their work in the Rio Negro, and the science behind the Rio Negro's sustainable aquarium fishery at www.projectpiaba.org
* Availability from the Rio Negro is constantly changing and expanding. Not all Project Piaba fish will be available at all times and there may be additional items not reflected on this list.
The city of Barcelos in the state of Amazonas, Brazil. This remote town is a major transit hub for aquarium fish.
