From October to February, it’s eel-fishing time in the Dominican Republic, according to Diario Libre. Journalists Marvin Cid and Suhelis Tejero reveal that thousands are dedicated to the nighttime capture of the eels from Nagua to Samaná beaches on the northeastern coast of the country.
According to Diario Libre, American eel (Anguilla rostrata) fishing happens at the river mouths from Samaná to Montecristi. The reason is that buyers are offering up to RD$230 per gram of eel captured that is about seven to eight eels. Before 2017, the price per gram was only RD$30, which did not make the fishing for these remunerative to the local populations.
As reported, in a good night of fishing, up to RD$15,000 can be made by those fishing for eels.
Diario Libre notes the government has begun to implement controls, but this is too late as already there is a boom in the number of people that want to benefit from the lucrative product.
As reported, the Dominican Republic is now 17th in the world in live eel exports, with US$2.23 million. Exports in 2018 were to Canada, Hong Kong and the United States.
To export, a license from Codopesca is required. These licenses go for RD$25,000 to US$150,000 each, as reported in Diario Libre.
Pedro Baldera Germán, a lawyer and member of the Human Rights Commission in Nagua says that after the boom in eel fishing, during the fishing window, crime has significantly declined. But he says that the ecological damage is great and the activity is unsustainable.
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Diario Libre
The Fish Site
16 January 2020