Brazil’s Federal Courts Expel US Company for Illegal Fishing Activities in the Amazon Rainforest

In 2021, Acute Fishing, a fishing tourism company based in New Jersey, promoted on its website a trip to explore a remote native region of the Amazon rainforest for fishing activities. “The Voyage is for ‘the hard-core angler with a streak of exploration, adventure, and discovery in their blood,’ the company said. “If you fancy being the first person to cast on a stretch of pristine water, so our new exploratory trip is the way to scratch it,” he added. The company has scheduled the trip between November and December.

However, days before the start of the exploratory trip, federal courts in Brazil ordered the company to vacate the area, after prosecutors filed suit against the company, as reported by The Associated Press. They accused Acute Angling of operating without government permission and manipulating Native, which is illegal in the country. Prosecutors said the company failed to consult with indigenous peoples about the project. Moreover, the company did not send a feasibility study for the activities required by the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment.

Ireland size

Located in the state of Pará, in northern Brazil, the Wayamu region is home to several indigenous peoples. The region is the size of Ireland.

“The activity, as far as is known, does not have government authorization for its operation. It is the exploitation of economic activity on indigenous lands. To be legitimate, it must be preceded by a prior, free and informed consultation of the indigenous peoples”, wrote in September the judge Clécio Alves de Araújo.

In court documents, prosecutors accused the US company of making deals with some local leaders. They received small sums of money in exchange for access to the territory.

The Associated Press has contacted Acute Angling owner Paul Reiss by phone and email. Reiss declined to answer questions, but in legal documents the company has previously denied any wrongdoing.

After the court ruling, Acute Angling removed the Mapuera River tour from its website. The company on its website still offers similar packages in another part of the Wayamu region. The river, called Jatapu, appears as Travessao River on the company’s website. Moreover, it is an “exclusive Indian reservation”.