Because of this, the local people are completely dependant on the estuary for their livelihoods. It is how they eat and make money! The mangrove forests support crab, conch, and fish communities that are very important in the diets of these island residents.
Because the people of Bellavista need the healthy mangrove forests for their food, their well-being is threatened by mangrove deforestation. Damage caused to the mangroves impacts the entire food web, including the humans. One woman that I talked to expressed that there are now fewer crabs in the estuary, so it is harder for her family to catch food to eat.
One threat that the mangroves are facing in this area is commercial shrimp farming. A commercial shrimp farm is a type of big shrimp farm that is intended to make a large profit, or a lot of money. These shrimp farms are owned by large companies. The local communities do not benefit from the farms. In fact, these large shrimp farms can really harm the mangroves. They displace the habitat, or disturb it and move it around. They also contaminate the water, or make it dirty. Shrimp farms are the biggest cause of mangrove deforestation in Ecuador. The presence of these big companies can also increase crime in the area.
The local people of Bellavista practice small-scale fishing and harvesting. This means that they fish in a way that is local and better for the environment.
