Conceived and led by artisanal fishers from Guanabara Bay, in Rio de Janeiro, in November 2024, Brazil’s first Cooperative of Waste Collectors and Marine Protection Workers (COOP PROMAR) was established. The cooperative is an outcome of the ‘Fishing for Litter’ programme, created by BVRio, active since 2021, to empower local fishing communities to combat pollution and promote a circular economy in Rio de Janeiro.
The Fishing for Litter programme has transformed the daily lives of these fishers, who, in addition to their traditional activities, now dedicate two days a week to removing solid waste from the sea, mangroves, and coastal areas, using their expertise and deep knowledge of the waters to identify critical pollution hotspots and remove debris that threatens marine biodiversity. The programme provides fair compensation, ensuring greater financial security and dignity in their work while preserving their connection to the sea, workplace, and home. The success of this model has led to the formalisation of the cooperative, which now operates independently with specified goals and unique features.
COOP PROMAR’s mission is to recover solid waste with the active participation of local fishers, benefit vulnerable communities, and contribute to the cleaning and preservation of marine ecosystems and mangroves. The cooperative also promotes recycling, raises community awareness to prevent waste from entering the sea, manages voluntary waste drop-off points, and fosters the circular economy. Additionally, training, capacity-building, and cultural initiatives involving waste are key actions that amplify the positive impact of COOP PROMAR.
The cooperative is led by Glaucia Souza, a female leader who also coordinates the Fishing for Litter programme. Glaucia shared her testimony: “The cooperative was born from BVRio’s initiative to expand this work in Guanabara Bay. Our goal is to promote the growth of this initiative, shedding light on the reality of fishers and valuing our way of life with a new purpose that provides sustenance for our families and fosters local culture. As president, I aim to ensure the cooperative fully fulfils its role and contributes positively to cleaning the sea, restoring life. We may be just a drop in the ocean, but our work addresses structural aspects that enable our communities to implement a fair socio-environmental transformation in the region—and beyond.”
“The establishment of COOP PROMAR is an example of how local communities can lead transformative actions when supported by initiatives that promote social inclusion and sustainability. Pollution in Guanabara Bay has long been a challenge for fishing communities, jeopardising families’ livelihoods and the health of ecosystems. Now, through this programme, fishers are directly addressing the problem, driving structural changes in their communities.” Pedro Succar, BVRio circular economy specialist.
Since the Fishing For Litter programme began in Rio, in December 2021, 20-40 fishers – who participate or have participated – have collected over 450 tonnes of waste, with more than 10% recycled. “It’s a high rate of waste being sent to be recycled, considering the small-scale of collection and the often severely degraded state of the solid waste removed from marine environments.” Said Pedro Succar. The programme is exploring methods to increase recycling with the specialised manual collection by the fishers that allows targeting the recovery of specific materials, such as PET bottles that can be recycled, or tyres that can be reused or used for energy recovery, or pyrolysis and chemical recycling of plastic bags, etc.
