Chefs visit Amazon pirarucu management projects
In July, a group of nine chefs from Rio de Janeiro visited the Paumari indigenous lands, in the state of Amazonas, to monitor the fishing and processing of managed pirarucu – the largest scaled freshwater fish in the Amazon. The trip is part of the project “Taste of the Amazon - knowledge that preserves the forest”. The project results from a partnership between management institutions, the Maniva Institute and the Rio de Janeiro Bars and Restaurants Union (SINDRIO), with technical support from the United States Forest Service.
The week-long program included visiting management lakes, monitoring the processing of pirarucu, performing cooking experiments and exchanging information with the several institutions involved in the project. “The fact that we are literally in the same boat with people from different links in the chain, with their own knowledge and perspectives, made the difference in this field trip. We had a chance to listen to real anthropology and other science lessons , but also to engage in informal chats with all participants. This has given us all an unprecedented notion of responsibility," said chef Teresa Corção, who coordinates the "Taste of the Amazon" project.
According to Adevaldo Dias, a member of the Memorial Chico Mendes NGO and the Association of Rural Producers of Carauari (ASPROC), “The chefs' visit gave them a chance to better understand the importance of protecting nature and the way of life of traditional populations they would never have met if they had not visited. We could clearly see that everyone who was there was touched by the experience. Thanks to their new understanding, we are confident that pirarucu sales will rise in Rio de Janeiro.”
Read more about the visit on the project website.