Posted on September, 05 2012

Flowing Rivers, Full Bellies: The case for freshwater conservation to achieve food security is the title of a publication presenting five cases in managing water ecosystems to guarantee the maintenance of the ecosystem and the food production.

One example that comes from the Amazon is the management of fisheries in the lower floodplains - also called varzeas - in the Brazilian Amazon. Although many different species can be found in the wide seasonal lakes formed in the varzeas, the iconic pirarucu fish (Arapaima gigas), one of the largest freshwater fish species in the world, is the most sought after because of its high commercial value.