Due to oil spill, three beaches are closed to tourism and fishing in Oaxaca
Oaxaca.- An unpleasant odor and black spots appeared this Sunday morning on the beaches of Punta Conejo, Brazil, Salinas del Marqués and Azul.
Fishermen and locals reported the events to the authorities, who confirmed that it was fuel oil contamination caused by a spill from Monobuoy 2 of Petróleos Mexicanos .
Playa Brasil is the beach most affected by this spill covers about 10 kilometers, confirmed the municipal director of Civil Protection of Salina Cruz, Rafael Ramírez.
The municipal official together with the fishing and ecology councilors and fishermen carried out a tour and inspection and found that the leak is in the Pemex monobuoy number 2, for which they informed this Mexican company to carry out the corresponding cleaning.
Fishing activity was suspended and access to bathers was restricted.
In addition, people were urged not to go to the four beaches until it was reported that all the spilled fuel had been removed.
“We have already informed Pemex what is happening and the request is that they start cleaning the beach immediately, what is happening is worrying and it is also urgent that it be cleaned, for now there are no reports of dead animals,” he said.
He said that the cleaning of the beach will surely take several days, which generates affectation among the fishermen who are their main source of income, as well as the merchants and business owners on the shore of the beach.
Although the cause of the contamination is not yet known, the director of civil protection stressed that it will be Pemex who reports what happened, and together with the Secretary of the Navy they will carry out the cleaning of the four beaches in the next few hours.
“Approximately five days ago , 15 olive ridley turtles appeared dead on the beach of Salinas del Marqués and Brazil, so far the causes are unknown, but it is a worrying number of animals that died, hopefully Pemex can give us an answer and inform us what is happening, because they do not you can continue to contaminate these natural spaces of life and coexistence,” he stressed.
Finally, Ramírez stressed that it is the fourth contamination that occurs in the year. For its part, Pemex has not reported anything in this regard nor has any federal authority, because it is a question of damage to the environment.
In a statement, the municipality of Salina Cruz confirmed the incident, as well as the hydrocarbon contamination on said beaches; therefore, it determined the closure of these to the public, in addition to prohibiting riverside fishing, as well as the extraction of oysters and molluscs.
“We will inform more details and recommendations based on the communication from the state and federal government, in matters of environment and environment, and from the parastatal company Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX).”
Municipal authorities in the statement
It should be remembered that, just four days ago, another similar event had been recorded in Oaxaca, affecting the beaches of Bahía La Ventosa, also in the municipality of Salina Cruz.
