Brazilian fishermen turn to mobile apps to combat pollution scourge

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aug. 26 — Brazilian activist and fisherman Alexandre Anderson uses one hand to steer his boat while using the other to film the oil slick spreading across Rio de Janeiro’s Guanabara Bay.

He will post the footage using an app designed to expose environmental destruction in the iconic bay, which is crucial for tourism and fishing but is also plagued by oil spills, chemicals and raw sewage.

Guanabara Bay, a natural harbor covering some 400 square kilometers, is plagued by pollution not only from incoming ships and accidents on oil platforms, but also from old ships abandoned in its waters and runoff from cities.

Disappointed by the lack of an official response, fishermen from the bay decided to take matters into their own hands and, with the support of the NGO 350.org, developed an app for themselves.

“We took pictures with our cellphones or cameras,” but without accurate geolocation data, it didn’t make much difference, said Anderson, president of the Ahomar Bay Fishermen’s Association. AFP filming the continuous stream of sewage being discharged from the ship.

The app, however, “gives me accurate” data so that I can file a complaint anonymously.

The information is verified by a moderator and published on a dedicated website. It is then forwarded to the appropriate authorities, such as the Brazilian environmental protection authority Ibama or the Brazilian navy patrolling the bay.

Anderson says every time he monitors the dark waters for a few hours, he comes across several illegal spills.

According to administrators, in the three weeks since the app’s launch on July 26, 20 complaints have appeared online, and more than 100 others are currently being investigated.

There are “virtually” no sea bass or hake left

“Inspection agencies have always said they don’t have the tools to deal with complaints,” said Paulo Barone, a member of another local fishermen’s association.

But with this new app, he added, authorities “will no longer be able to ignore or deny” complaints.

According to Luiz Afonso Rosario, Brazilian coordinator of 350.org, artisanal fishermen have been on the “front lines” for too long.

“Oil and gas companies, in addition to polluting waters that provide food, income and entertainment for thousands of families, are deepening the climate crisis… by providing fossil fuels that are a major cause of global warming,” he said.

Fishermen suffered particularly badly in the 2000 spill, when 1.3 million liters of oil from the Petrobras refinery spilled into the bay.

“That ended the fishing. You can hardly find any sea bass (or) hake anymore,” said Roberto Marques Resende, who still fishes in the area.

For some, this fight is more than just a fight for survival.

Anderson, who has been opposing the petrochemical industry for years, says he has been the target of threats and attacks for years and hopes the app will help ensure “those responsible are truly punished.”

“Only then will we solve these problems,” he said. — ETX