North Rupununi, Guyana – May 21, 2012 – Referred to as “dinosaurs of the deep,” and believed to be the sinister reincarnation of Pirarucu, the disrespectful and taunting son of an Amazon chief, the prehistoric arapaima grow to be more than 8 feet long and can surpass 400 pounds in weight. They’re found in Rewa, a remote fishing village in the north Rupununi region of central Guyana, population approximately 280.
The scientific name is Arapaima gigas, it can reach lengths of more than 2.5 m (8.2 ft) and over 200 kg (440 lbs). As one of the most sought after food fish species in South America, it is often captured primarily by handheld nets for export, by spearfishing for local consumption, and, consequently, large arapaima of more than 2 m are seldom found in the wild today. Aside from its immense size, perhaps the most peculiar trait of the arapaima is a fundamental dependence on surface air to breathe. In addition to gills, it has a modified and enlarged swim bladder, composed of lung-like tissue, which enables it to extract oxygen from the air. This is an adaptation to the often hypoxic conditions of the Amazon floodplains, but requires the arapaima to surface for air every 5 to 15 minutes. The diet of the arapaima consists of fish, crustaceans, even small land animals that walk near the shore.
In the new feature film directed by Louisiana Kreutz and produced by Costa Sunglasses, “Jungle Fish,” follows three expert fishermen in a quest to catch the elusive arapaima with a fly rod, a feat never before accomplished. If they’re successful, they will have discovered a new adventure fishing experience for anglers, and created a sustainable sport fishing business opportunity for the people of Rewa.
For decades, the native people of Guyana depended on extractive efforts like poaching, mining and clear cutting as a way to generate income. But unlike resource extraction practices which can quickly destroy an environment, a sustainable sport fishing business offers a way for the people of Rewa to gain economic independence for things like improved healthcare and education programs within the village, without depleting any of the area’s pristine natural resources.“The arapaima is a true river monster,” said Oliver White, one of the three anglers featured in “Jungle Fish. “There were definitely times during our research when we weren’t sure if we were going to be able to pull off landing one of them on fly. We went through countless fly patterns and rods before we finally dialed into how to catch one of these fish, which look like something out of the Jurassic age.”
“But we knew if we could crack the code on how to catch the arapaima, it would open up a world of opportunity for the people of Rewa and for adventure anglers everywhere who live for this kind of experience,” said White. “It truly is the catch of a lifetime.”
The newly created sport fishing business model in Rewa is being studied closely to see if it’s a practice that could be replicated in other indigenous areas around the world as a way to sustainably generate income without extracting resources.
The Rewa Eco Lodge, which employs everyone within the village as cooks, hosts and fishing guides, is now open for business hosting small, individual groups of anglers at a time. This flagship lodge is currently booked through 2013. The film’s executive producer Al Perkinson is working with the Guyanese government to establish best practice policies and procedures to ensure the fishery and the surrounding area remain a protected habitat.
