Belo Monte dam Project - CANCELLED!!!

fishnut2 · Post by **fishnut2** » 28 Jul 2005, 18:07

Xingu River granted protected status

Visitors to the Xingu River Lodge can now be assured of continuing exclusive access to a 30 km stretch of a protected fishery.

BelÃ©m, ParÃ¡ Â Brazil - June 26th, 2005:

An expanse of river in the vicinity of the Xingu River Lodge, known as Volta Grande do Xingu (The Great Bend of the Xingu), in the region of Belo Monte has been granted protected ecological status by COEMA (State Council on the Environment), in accord with the federal agencies of the Secretary of Science, Technology and Environment (SECTAM) and Secretariat of Agriculture (SAGRI).

Comprising 278 square kilometers, the region designated as the SÃtio Pesqueiro TurÃstico Estadual Volta Grande do Xingu (State Sportfishing Reserve of the Great Bend of the Xingu), will enjoy the preservation of its natural resources through the restriction of use for solely sustainable purposes. Deforestation and pollution are now prohibited in the tract of surrounding land and adjoining river of the newly protected area Â as well as industrial development, mining, real estate subdivisions, commercial fishing and non-sustainable exploitation of rainforest resources.

In a partnership between SECTAM and SAGRI, oversight of the region will be conducted under the rules established by the national program for the development of sportfishing (PNDPA), promoting the management of the fishery and aiming to establish disciplinary guidelines for its use.

The objective of establishing protected status is intended to provide a commitment to the maintenance of equilibrium of fish stocks and biodiversity in the region. Angling in this protected area will be strictly limited to catch-and-release techniques. An area of the reserve will be set aside for subsistence fishing of certain species of catfish, only outside of the spawning season.

(Source: O Liberal - BelÃ©m, ParÃ¡ and Amigos da Terra Â AmazÃ´nia Brasileira)

Post by **Barbie** » 28 Jul 2005, 18:58

What great news! Thanks Rich for sharing!

Barbie

Post by **Janne** » 28 Jul 2005, 21:27

But are there any words about the dam project?
I thought they have already start the building of the dam and even if they give this area a protection as an ecological reserve...will that prevent a dam?
It's common that they make some exchange between departments and organisations like...if we are allowed to build the dam we help you so you can protect the nature.
I have hard to believe they will stop the building of a dam...nothing has stopped them before.

Janne

fishnut2 · Post by **fishnut2** » 28 Jul 2005, 21:59

Hi Janne,
The article was sent to my travel agent who received it from the Rio Xingu Lodge. (I'm going there in late November) The lodge sits on top of the Belo Monte hilltop...about 1 hour and 45 minutes from Altimara. Although the project is a series of 4 dams, the main dam was to be built in Belo Monte.
The article mentions prohibiting industrial developement,and the preservation of it's natural resources. The series of dams would destroy the natural habitat. I agree it doesn't specifically mention the Belo Monte dam project. But everything in the article seems to say...no more dams.

racoll · Post by **racoll** » 28 Jul 2005, 22:17

what's to stop them building dams upstream? this would seriously affect hydrology downstream, possibly causing extinction events regardless of protection status within the reserve.

fishnut2 · Post by **fishnut2** » 28 Jul 2005, 22:57

The Belo Monte project wouldn't work without a series of 5 dams. Even then; they'd be shut down for 3-5 months...during the dry season. See: http://www.amazonwatch.org/amazon/BR/bm ... _number=99 (posted before) I only know what the article says. And that the Xingu River Lodge said that no construction has started yet.

Post by **Janne** » 29 Jul 2005, 08:43

I hope this really stops the building of the dam's finally and not just are a smokescreen to decrase the massive protest's.
I hope you will enjoy your visite at Rio xingu in late November and share a lots of pictures with us...I feel a little released of the news because this is one of the places I also want to visite and I have felt like I needed to hurry, thanks.

Janne

fishnut2 · Post by **fishnut2** » 29 Jul 2005, 13:19

Janne,
That is exactly why I planned my trip for this year! We think alike. I wanted to see the area in it's natural habitat...before it was destroyed. I plan to take a bunch of pictures! I'll be taking water parameters on different parts of the river as well.

bronzefry · Post by **bronzefry** » 31 Jul 2005, 17:55

I was reading the Boston Globe this morning and there's a huge article about a dam project in Brazil's "arid northeast". Here's a link, but you may need to register.
http://www.boston.com/news/world/latina ... _fortunes/
It's 2 pages long and there's a link to a map of the region. It doesn't talk about Belo Monte though. The article talks about what a confusing project it is and how the locals really don't want it.

Yann · Post by **Yann** » 02 Aug 2005, 21:07

Hi!

I was surfing through some Brasilian webiste and obviously theri equivalent of the Senate, approve the construction of the dam and it was 19 July 2005... I much thinking that we are heading on the other direction...

Cheers
Yann