A group of local fishermen has developed an innovative aquaculture project in Lake Chapala’s waters that promises significant economic benefits for themselves and their families.
The fishermen anchored six huge cages to the lake bed near Mezcala that eventually rendered three successful harvests of bagre (catfish), a species highly valued in the regional market.
The fishermen, all members of Los 21 del Manglar cooperative, received extensive training in aquaculture practices from the non-profit association Luz de Malla.
Four years after the initiative started, the fishermen are now ready to operate the project on their own and handle direct sales of their products to lakeside area restaurants that feature regional culinary specialties such as Caldo Michi on their menus.
The fishermen have been busy constructing 20 new prototype cages, each to be used for cultivating up to a ton of catfish over a span of approximately eight months.
Meanwhile, four of the original fish cages have been relocated about 300 meters offshore from the cooperative’s headquarters near the old railway station. The fishermen will use them to run a training school for others in the trade who are keen to explore in-water aquaculture methods. The other two big cages remain in place just off Mezcala Island, where several local pescadores will continue catfish cultivation.
Luz de Malla is essentially bowing out of the picture, having achieved its principal aim of providing marginalized rural communities with the knowledge and tools needed to tap into government funding programs and pursue modern day business ventures.