One week after the oil spill in southern Veracruz, fishing and Indigenous communities continue to report damage to beaches and coastal ecosystems, while uncertainty persists regarding the origin of the oil and the remediation efforts.
According to a statement from the Gulf of Mexico Reef Corridor Network, signed by multiple organizations, the oil spill has affected 230 kilometers of coastline in Veracruz and Tabasco, impacting a total of 39 communities, 30 in Veracruz and nine in Tabasco.
In Veracruz, communities report the presence of tar on all the beaches in the municipalities of Tatahuicapan, Mecayapan, and Pajapan, as well as damage to the Ostión Lagoon in Pajapan, where at least nine communities depend on its resources.
Hydrocarbons have also been detected in Carrizal, in the municipality of Catemaco, and, to a lesser extent, in La Barra de Sontecomapan, Roca Partida, and Punta Puntilla, within the Los Tuxtlas Biosphere Reserve.
The organization noted that, while the impacts on wildlife and key ecosystems are still unknown, a turtle covered in hydrocarbons was found in Punta Puntilla.
The Gulf of Mexico Reef Corridor Network indicated that, to date, no official information has been provided regarding the extent, type of spill, or its possible source.
“So far, the authorities have not provided information on the extent, type of spill, or its possible source—essential elements for designing appropriate response strategies and ensuring accountability,” the statement said.
This coincides with statements made by Governor Rocío Nahle, who reported that the material found on the beaches is being analyzed by Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex) and exploration companies operating in the region to determine its source.
For its part, Pemex indicated that, after inspections of its facilities in southern Veracruz, “no leak or spill has been detected” and that its infrastructure is operating normally.
As part of the institutional response, the Veracruz government reported the establishment of a Unified Command Post in Coatzacoalcos, headed by the Mexican Navy and comprised of representatives from the Army, Pemex, the National Agency for Industrial Safety and Environmental Protection of the Hydrocarbons Sector, the State Civil Protection Secretariat, the Environmental Protection Agency, and municipal authorities.
While investigations into the origin of the hydrocarbon spill continue, residents of some communities have begun removing the tar from the beaches themselves.
According to the Gulf of Mexico Reef Corridor Network, on March 7, fishermen, vendors, and tourism service providers from the community of Jicacal organized a beach cleanup.
However, these actions are being carried out “without training, information on safety measures, or adequate equipment, exposing them to the health risks involved in contact with these substances,” the organization stated.
The spill has also led to the suspension of fishing and tourism activities in several communities, resulting in economic losses for families who depend on these activities and who have reported not having received any compensation to date.
In the case of the Ostión Lagoon, there is concern about potential impacts on water and sediment quality, making it impossible to determine whether it is safe to continue harvesting species such as oysters, clams, crabs, and mullet.
Residents of the Nahua indigenous community of El Pescador expressed concern about the potential impact of the spill on the environmental restoration areas they have developed over decades.
Source: es-us.noticias.yahoo
