The re-stocking of the Rio Cobre: more questions and not many answers

Back in the 1980s, I was always in awe of the Rio Cobre. Whenever we traveled through the Bog Walk Gorge on our way to the north coast, I looked forward to seeing it – quite deep and slow around Flat Bridge, flowing more swiftly further down, fringed with rushes and with herons and other waterbirds standing like sentinels on the riverside.

Nowadays, this beautiful river is under severe pressure, as are so many of our waterways that are a significant part of Jamaica’s culture, enjoyed as places to “cool out” and just splash around in. Wonderful myths and stories surround our rivers. The Rio Cobre, Jamaica’s second-longest river, has so much to offer.

However, over the years and to this very day, the Rio Cobre has been abused.

The Rio Cobre. Photo credit: Paul Williams/The Jamaica Gleaner, used with permission.

The pollution of the Rio Cobre over the Emancipation holiday in 2021, which I documented here, was not the first nor the last such incident. The culprits are the West Indies Alumina Company, owned by the Russian company UC Rusal. I have since written about the repeated pollution incidents on this blog. How all this has been handled – including compensation for the fishers whose livelihoods depend on the river – seems to have been patchy and confusing, at best.

Today, the re-stocking of the Rio Cobre with fish was announced. It was reportedly done by UC Rusal, with advice from the Fisheries Division and guidance from an independent environmental consultant; and with a permit from the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA).

Now, to add to the confusion, Opposition Leader Mark Golding, who had shown interest and concern during another “fish kill” incident in 2022, posted the following on Twitter:

Promise Made. Promise Kept.
Last year we saw a massive spill of toxic effluent from Windalco cause a disastrous fish kill that destroyed the livelihoods of many. At the time I made an arrangement withDonnie Bunting to supply juvenile fish to restock the Rio Cobre. Today, I am… https://t.co/viC4jQh59L pic.twitter.com/XbMEQikOKo

— Mark J. Golding (@MarkJGolding) June 30, 2023

This is a little confusing. But I have several more questions – and so does the Jamaica Environment Trust (JET). Both JET and the fishers seem to have been taken by surprise by the restocking exercise, which took place at 8 in the morning and created a “chaotic” situation for a while, according to Kestonard Gordon, Vice Chair of the St Catherine Parish Development Committee. I heard on one news report that 4,000 tilapia have been put into the river. This is a warm-water fish native to Africa that is widely farmed in Jamaica and all over the world.

A tilapia farm in St. Catherine, Jamaica. Is this the species that was put into the river? (Photo: Yhomo Hutchinson/JIS)

Quick questions: Is the water now in sufficiently good condition for restocking? Why was the restocking done without any prior notice or engagement with the fishers and stakeholders? Why has no one apparently seen the ecological assessment, promised by the National Planning and Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) before the restocking was to take place, despite repeated requests for updates? What species of fish are being introduced (native species, one hopes)? When are the fishers to begin activities again? Is more re-stocking planned in the future?

Importantly, why are both NEPA and WINDALCO so reticent on this matter? And why, indeed, is transparency always an issue with these kinds of environmental concerns, especially those involving foreign-owned companies? Lack of information is a regular occurrence – or rather, non-occurrence. The case of Goat Islands and China Harbour Engineering Company springs to mind, among others. In any case, in a radio interview this evening, Minister with responsibility for the environment and climate change Senator Matthew Samuda described the process as “the beginning of the end” of the matter. So, that is that. Here is what JET has to say:

JET shocked by how the restocking of the Rio Cobre has taken place 

The Jamaica Environment Trust (JET) is shocked by the manner in which the restocking of the Rio Cobre, St. Catherine has taken place on June 30, 2023. It is assumed that the purpose of this exercise is to replenish the river with fish and other organisms that were significantly impacted by a major pollution incident 11 months ago allegedly caused by the release of toxic effluent from WINDALCO, Ewarton.  

Dr. Theresa Rodriguez- Moodie, CEO of the Jamaica Environment Trust said “We understand that the restocking of the river has started but we are appalled with how it has been done. We do not know if the ecological assessment to inform the restocking exercise has taken place, neither do we know the species of fish, the number of fish, or if there are other organisms also being added back to the river. Furthermore, no engagement has been held with the fishers about the activity, they have not been guided about how long after this exercise fishing can resume. This is simply unacceptable. It seems this activity was just to deal the fishers a fait accompli”.

The restocking of the Rio Cobre was required by the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) who announced on March 30, 2023 that restocking would commence in May 2023. NEPA had also required that an ecological assessment be completed. Multiple letters sent to NEPA by JET requesting an update on the ecological assessment and if it was to inform the restocking activity have gone unanswered. JET has also repeatedly called for greater transparency with regards to this incident, which was also a commitment given in a statement by the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation in November 2022. JET is calling on the Government of Jamaica to be more open and transparent with the public and engage the community and the fishers since they are the ones that have repeatedly been negatively impacted.

Looking towards the historic Flat Bridge over the Rio Cobre.