Traditional Fishing in the Colombian Amazon

Provided by: Mongabay Kids |Published on: May 7, 2026

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Synopsis

This article describes the traditional fishing practices used by the Indigenous Macaquiño community.
Students will understand how Indigenous fishing methods contrast with commercial fishing, and how traditional knowledge can support conservation efforts in one of the world's most biodiverse river systems.

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Subjects: Social Studies, Biology

Authors: Aimee Gabay

Region: South and Central America

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Prerequisites:

Use a world map to help students locate the Macaquiño community and compare this region with their local region.
Introduce terms like Indigenous, ancestral, and lagoon.

Classroom Implementation:

Have students take notes on each of the traditional fishing techniques and compare them with modern practices.
Use this article as an entry point for discussions about Indigenous knowledge systems and environmental stewardship, particularly in units on biodiversity, ecosystems, or climate justice.
Use as a paired reading with a scientific article about Amazon deforestation or freshwater biodiversity to give students both cultural and ecological perspectives on the same ecosystem.

Climate Change Connections:

Stress the importance of fishing sustainably to maintain biodiversity, which may decline as the climate warms.

Sustainable Development Goals Connections:

Make connections to Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water, through its focus on freshwater fish and sustainable fishing practices.

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Mongabay Kids

Mongabay Kids is the dedicated youth education initiative at Mongabay, an award-winning nonprofit environmental and conservation news organization. We provide free, age-appropriate news, features, activities, and multimedia resources that inspire curiosity, ecological understanding, and action. Designed for children ages 8-14, families, and educators, Mongabay Kids empowers the next generation to explore, celebrate, and protect the natural world.

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Traditional Fishing in the Colombian Amazon

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

About the Partner Provider

Scientist Reviewed

Related Teaching Resources