From Poop to Fuel

Tilapia Pens Raise Concerns About Pollution in Lake Atitlan

Dear Friends of Fixed-Dome Biogas Digesters,

You will recall that TRL has decided to allow two years to acquire the necessary hands-on experience with the proof-of-concept digester I financed and built on my property before we begin to build the model fixed-dome biogas digester in the community.

In the meantime, new developments have created more interest in resolving the issue of fecal pollution in Lake Atitlan within the Tz’utujil community.

Net pens with commercially farmed tilapia have been established in the lake around the shoreline of Santiago Atitlan. Many of these are owned by oligarchs in Guatemala City. This is illegal as no one is allowed to introduce new species into the lake. We all know of the disaster created by Pan American Airlines introducing wide-mouth bass into Lake Atitlan in 1958, with the intention of creating a sport fishing haven for tourists. The wide-mouth bass ate the endemic species of fish and even the ducklings of the Atitlan Grebe, causing the extinction of this rare bird.

Already, tilapia have escaped from the pens and harpoon fishermen spear big tilapia in the lake at night.

Most concerning is the extreme pollution caused by the fish feces and commercial food fed to the fish in the pens. It is reported that the water near the pens is foul-smelling and viscous. It is causing more fresh water plants to choke the lake. In a lake already threatened with eutrophication, this is an emergency!

Led by the Indigenous Alcalde, the townspeople took legal action against the net pens. Their case was supported and the pens ordered removed from the lake. The owners, many of whom are the same corrupt oligarchs trying to remove President Arevalo from office, took the case to a higher court and got an injunction to stop the removal.

Notwithstanding, last week the townspeople removed 11 net pens from the lake and distributed millions of fish to the Tz‘utujil residents. Their concern about the pollution in Tz’utujil waters is raising the consciousness in the other lake villages where non-residents have installed net pens.

A positive aspect of this is the increased concern about fecal pollution in Lake Atitlan. It may be the beginning of a movement towards genuine protection of the lake – even rights of the lake are being discussed. This could bring new interest in resolving issues of fecal pollution in the lake and an opportunity to explore the use of TRL’s fixed-dome biogas digester as one solution.

We will keep you posted on new developments. As always, we appreciate your interest in TRL’s biogas digester program and your support!

Sincerely,

Candis Krummel