Award of the Ministry of Tourism for teacher of the UDA
"We don't need to compete with another species, we must learn to relate to them."
With this phrase, Ronal Chaca, professor at the UDA School of Tourism, reveals the importance of scientific tourism and the practice called “fishing and return”.
Chaca - together with Fredy Nugra, biologist and master in Agroecology, and Juan Fernando Feicán, specialist in the field of fishing and return - promoted the Ikiam Anglers project, winner in the “Idea” category of the second edition of the “Emprende Tourism ”, carried out by the Ministry of Tourism of Ecuador.
Ikiam Anglers, which means hunters of the jungle, was created two years ago when Chaca, Nugra and Feicán were in search of another by-product of the medicinal forest of the Gualaquiza Canton.
Chaca told us that they found a species of fish called paiche, which can reach up to 2 meters in diameter and "is one of the main attractions sought by fishermen who practice the concept of fishing and return."
The teacher stressed that this practice is totally different from experiential or sport fishing. Being scientific tourism, the fish is extracted from the water for a maximum of 30 seconds, it is analyzed, and then it is returned to its habitat.
Specialized equipment should be used to protect and care for this species. Chaca stated that “this concept is like a ritual, it is a 30-second experience, without competition between humans and animals; it is a way of giving back to everything that the ecosystem has given us ”.
The project has three main axes: respect for the environment, sustainability and spirituality, since, in addition to offering a space for ecosystem research, it provides the perfect opportunity to disconnect from the outside world and seek inner well-being.
According to Chaca, the tour planned in this initiative will have specialized psychologists to help improve the well-being of each person.
In the same way, they will have spiritual rituals, such as the Wayusa ritual, a ritual performed by the indigenous people before starting their daily activities. With this, it is also sought to integrate indigenous peoples with society, and thus make their customs known.
According to Chaca, it seeks to create a culture of conservation through fishing and return, which respects everything that the environment has given us, even what cannot be seen.
“We take care of what we see, but there is also nature that is not easily seen, that has been a big problem, especially with the resource of fish. As the role they play in the ecosystem is not visible, we do not realize if we pollute their habitat ”.
With this initiative, in addition to contributing to national tourism, it is intended to create schools for children in which, through this new practice, they can understand a new form of conservation and can generate a link with nature.
As it is a completely innovative project, it is the only one in the country, so its direct competition is in Colombia. However, Chaca said that they seek to create tourism with a concept of territory, which is a great competitive advantage, since to carry out the tour you should not travel long distances as in Colombia.
The tour will begin in Guayaquil, where tourists will be picked up and transported to Cuenca. This journey is already part of the experience since researchers will be able to get to know and explore El Cajas National Park. After visiting Cuenca, they will be transferred to Gualaquiza where they can enjoy fishing and return.
The Ikiam Anglers project will feature a 7-day, 6-night package in which 6 to 8 people will be allowed per tour, and it is planned to be accessible to the public next year.
UDA Correspondent
