“In this photograph, I am taking local reporters out into Ohuira Bay on Mexico’s west coast, where my community’s sacred sites lie. We fish shrimp and crab here, and collect snail shells to make crafts — a tradition that has been part of our Indigenous culture for generations. I’m a member of the Lázaro Cárdenas Yoreme-Mayo community and work as a fisher, but collaborate with scientists to collect marine-life samples for testing. Recently, we’ve been collecting turtles for a nearby research centre to test for signs of contamination. Heavy metals such as cadmium, mercury and selenium have been detected, and we think industrial pollution is a major contributing factor.
Ohuira Bay is under threat. Since 2013, we’ve been fighting the proposed construction of a vast ammonia production and storage plant on our shores.
The site lies in a network of coastal lagoons, islands and mangroves recognized as globally important for biodiversity. Researchers estimate that the plant could lead to a 60% drop in shrimp numbers and increase water temperatures by 3 °C. Even a 1 °C rise could devastate marine life.
The company that’s promoting the project insists that the plant is safe and does not breach environmental laws. It did not respond to requests for comment.
