Oil Spill From Trinidad Halts Venezuelan Fishing, Causing Daily Loss of 11 Tons

Artisanal fishermen in the Valdez municipality of Venezuela's Paria region face severe economic hardship as an oil spill originating from Trinidad and Tobago has contaminated their waters and paralyzed their operations.

José Jesús Blanco, a spokesperson for the Fishermen's Councils (Conppa) in the municipality, reported that the spill is causing daily losses exceeding 11 tons of fish. The contamination has significantly impacted the marine ecosystem, directly affecting the fishing activity that sustains the local community.

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A large part of the species caught in the gulf, in the Valdez municipality, go out to the whole country.

Following the detection of the spill, which satellite imagery confirmed did not originate from Venezuelan operations, fishermen proactively withdrew their boats. This measure aims to prevent damage to equipment and mitigate risks associated with the pollution. Currently, only 20% of the fishing fleet is operational, as there is a constant risk of encountering traces of the spill.

The situation affects approximately 500 fishermen who are experiencing financial difficulties due to reduced activity and income loss. Blanco recalled a similar spill from Trinidad and Tobago in 2017, noting that the previous incident was more severe and was handled by Petróleos de Venezuela (Pdvsa). He expressed hope that Trinidad and Tobago will acknowledge responsibility and provide compensation for the current damages, urging the Venezuelan state to insist on this commitment.

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We hope that Trinidad assumes its responsibility and that the company causing this impact responds. Likewise, the Venezuelan State must insist on demanding Trinidad's commitment to repair this damage.