PROJETO TURISMO  ECOLÓGICO

PRAINHA DO CANTO VERDE BRASIL

The economic activity in this fishing village always consisted mainly of fishing and related activities. During the time of the big lobster catches, this was enough to look after the families, maintain the Jangadas and to purchase consumer goods. With the dramatic break-in of lobster stocks over the last ten years, the economic survival of the population is put in question and we must look for new sources of income. One of these alternatives lies in the development of tourism.

Tourism-Development in the northeast of Brasil: Since 1989 our government promotes tourism development with the support of the world bank daughter IDB (Interamerican Development Bank);

 in the state of Ceará alone $ 800 millions are available for development of infrastructure. Disregarding the agreement in the letter of intent signed with the IDB our state government failed to include the affected population or NGO's into the planning of the project. To the contrary inhabitants of coastal areas see themselves threatened by real estate speculators, who, informed well in advance, saw a huge profit potential from landownership along the coastal area in view of the expected investments. The project certainly doesn't help contribute to change the already very high concentration of wealth in the hands of very few and will hardly create a great number of new jobs for the poorly educated population of the coastal villages. Few of the villages along the574 kilometers of coastline will with stand this assault intact.

Once again it is Prainha do Canto Verde which shows a different way: Our village has taken up the leadership role over the past 7 years in the fields of humanrights, health, education and the fight against predatory fishing. The community has been debating and preparing over the last 4 years on how to tackle alternatives for a sustainable tourist development.