
Despite existing regulations, there is a consensus that the aquaculture industry is transforming the coastal ecosystems of Sinaloa in a way that is affecting the livelihood and quality of life for residents of the many rural coastal communities.
The coastal lagoons and estuaries that characterize Teacapan contain a diversity of habitats including mangrove forests, salt-marshes, inter-tidal pools, swamps, freshwater inner lagoons, and brackish and seawater systems. A key environmental concern is the impact of shrimp farm construction on ecosystems. This issue is
most prominent in the southern region of the state of Sinaloa which is of course Teacapan, where a single lagoon system can contain many shrimp farms. During the rainy season, the region’s lagoons are habitats and nurseries for postlarvae and a variety of fishery resources, which form the basis of the commercial fishing activity and are also exploited by the rural coastal communities as common property. When these lagoons dry up with the end of the rains, they have traditionally been mined for salt both by individuals gathering it for home consumption as well as by some cooperatives.
Vegetable farming is also spectacular due to the great soil in the valley and the water surrounding with lagoons, swamps and rivers make it perfect to grow all kind of vegies as cucumbers, pepper, tomatoes, onion, carrot and fruits as Papaya, banana, mango, coconut, etc. |