The bocachico (Prochilodus magdalenae) is a traditional  fish mostly found in the Sinú river in Lorica basin. The bocachico is a migratory fish of continental waters, it´s basic diet consist of organic 
materials that can be in decomposition. This fish´s time of reproduction is basically on the rainy season that is between May and April. Right now it is an endangered specie because of the over fishing that this fish has been suffering during the last years. This fish measures approximately 50 centimeters of longitude and its general color is silver with red fins. 

 

The Bocachico is a fish that represents a really strong part of the economy and the nutrition of the Lorican people and also the people that live near the Sinú river, because this fish is a really essential source of food in the  diet of this people , but as well represents a very strong part related to the economy of  this places because there is a massive amount of this fish found in this river (that now is decreasing). Also in relation to its environment the bocachico develops a really important function in his marine ecosystem because he works as a decomposer due to the fact that this fish eats organic materials that can be in decomposition, so as well this fish represent a really mark importance in his habitat. 

The factors that are threating the survival of the bocachico are many. The first problem that is the affecting this specie is the overfishing for many uses, one is for commercialization for the populations that live around these areas, another use is selling the fishes as seeds for the cultivation of (jagueyes) of drinking trough for the cattle. Also another factor that is affecting the survival of the bocachico is that after the construction of the Hydroelectric of Urra in the alto of Sinu, the bocachico lost a great area where they laid their eggs because this is the area where the fish can reproduce and due to the construction of the hydroelectric the bocachico can’t swim upward. Another problem that affects the Bocachico is that the fishers are using innappropite capture methods and also the introduce of exotic species in the Sinu river. 

A strategy that is being used by the government to protect this species is to implement an official size so that the bocachico is fished when it is already mature and they can reproduce and lay their eggs. This size is of 25 cm.  This strategy is allowing the control of the overfishing.  Another strategy is that as the price of the bocachico is really expensive many people are opting to buy other fishes, letting this fish to repopulate. 

The role of people and society in the conservation of this species is to have an environmental conscience when it comes to the pollution of the swamps and drainpipes that may also obstruct them and don´t let the Bocachico reproduce, so we have to stop throwing garbage to the water sources for preventing the water sources to stop closing. Also people must respect the government´s policy of the minimum measurement because the measures they stablished are the ones in which we can be sure that the fish has already reproduce and will not end with the specie. 

 

The new solutions we can use in order to stop with the decrease of the Bocachico is: 
1. to measure the fishes as soon as fished before they die to make sure that they reach the appropriate height. 2.Look for other fishes to hunt until the specie is stabilized again. 
3.Reduce wastes because they usually go to the rivers and pollute the water of the habitat of these fishes. 
4.Look for other places to fish. 
5.Apply a policy or law to protect the rivers which contain endangered species to stop fishing them. 

Question: Is it better to protect and conserve Bocachico, prohibiting the fishing activities of it, or to have a stable economy, in which it is fished, that may only last until this specie is extinct?

The general answer we could infer according to our readers´ comments is that we should protect the specie over having a stable economy. Nevertheless, it´s a really important issue for economy and people. So in the case of continuing fishing Bocachico, our readers agree that they should strictly follow certain parameters so it doesn´t get extinct. 
Bibliography: 

Images from google "Bocachico." Opepa.  Web. 23 May 2013. <http://www.opepa.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=438&Itemid=29>. "El bocachico, en peligro de extinción."Noticias. Actualidad universitaria. uni>ersia, 9 Apr. 2007. Web. 24 May 2013. <http://noticias.universia.net.co/vida-universitaria/noticia/2007/04/09/251528/bocachico-peligro-extincion.html>.Images: Medida Bocachico. Digital image. Foros.pesca.org.mx. Foros.pesca.org.mx, Web. 11 June 2013. <http://foros.pesca.org.mx/uploads/bocachico1_2955.jpg>. Captura Bocachico. Digital image. Crautonoma. Crautonoma.gov.co, Web. 11 June 2013. <http://www.crautonoma.gov.co/files/a9737a_bocachico5.jpg>. Digital image. Boletín De Investigaciones Marinas Y Costeras - INVEMAR. Web. <http://www.scielo.org.co/scielo.php?pid=S0122-97612005000100001&script=sci_arttext>. Digital image. Alevinos Del Valle. Web. <http://alevinosdelvalle.es.tl/-Bocachico--Coporo.htm>. Bocachico Tesoro De Babahoyo. Digital image. Web. <http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bocachico_tesoro_de_Babahoyo.JPG>.