According to Joaquín Madrigal, president of the Federation of Fishing Cooperatives "El Faro", at least 10,000 fishermen are facing a severe economic crisis following the oil spill on the coast of Tabasco. He warned that the activity could take at least six months to recover. The fishing leader stated that the contamination was detected as early as the last week of February in areas such as Sánchez Magallanes in Cárdenas, as well as in Paraíso, where oil slicks were observed on the shore. This contrasts with the official version of the Secretariat of the Sea, which states that the first reports were received starting March 2. "We saw the phenomenon from the last week of February... we informed the State Government that clumps had been found on the beach," he stated. He indicated that the impact is not limited to the surface but directly affects the marine ecosystem, damaging the reproduction of species and forcing fishermen to suspend their activities. Many have chosen not to go out fishing to avoid damage to their nets and equipment, which could become filled with waste. "Fishermen self-limit, they punish themselves by not going out to fish because they know their nets will fill with clumps," he said. Madrigal emphasized that the hardest blow has been the commercial rejection of the Tabasco product, precisely in the peak season of demand. "The strongest blow we have right now is that we are banned... they are no longer accepting Tabasco fish," he lamented. He added that this situation has even affected products from inland waters, due to a widespread perception of contamination. Therefore, he estimated that there will be no normal production conditions "for at least six months" due to the environmental damage caused by the hydrocarbon. What do we know about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico? Regarding the origin of the spill, he stated that there are indications that it comes from operations by the company ENI, specifically from a vessel operating in the area since 2019. "We are sure that it is a phenomenon caused by the FPSO Miamte vessel, property of ENI," he affirmed. He assured that, due to its location and sea currents, other hypotheses such as natural seepage or impacts from other regions are ruled out: "It is impossible for a natural seep to have spilled that amount... we are talking about approximately 80,000 barrels," he stated. Likewise, he accused the authorities of a cover-up, insisting on mentioning natural seepage as part of the problem. Finally, the fishermen demanded the official recognition of the issue, as well as immediate support to face the crisis, such as temporary employment programs and financing to replace worn-out nets and equipment. The sector warned that the impact extends beyond a few cooperatives, affecting the entire fishing zone of the Tabasco coast, which worsens the social and economic impact in the region.
