EFFECTS OF THE POLLUTION CAUSED BY THE TUNA INDUSTRY IN THE SECTOR OF THE MARSHES OF THE CITY OF MANTA

EFECTOS DE LA CONTAMINACION EN EL SECTOR LOS ESTEROS DE LA CIUDAD DE MANTA

Abstract

The city of Manta has a privileged geographical location that makes it the main tuna port, so the development is linked to the fishing activity carried out by its inhabitants. The present investigation has the objective of determining the impact of the contamination caused by a tuna industry that is located in the central area of Manta and that at the same time has a high population density in its surroundings. The methodology used was exploratory, quantitative and qualitative, focusing initially on bibliographical research, the carrying out of a survey and the processing of data on the different factors affecting the population living around the limits of the area. Taken as a whole, the most relevant results of this study indicate that 38.7% have been permanently affected, 32.8% are over 300 m, followed by 20% between 100 and 200 m, 19.3% between 50 and 100 m, 17.1% over 200 and 300 and finally 11.4% under 50 m from the factory. These distances are strongly related to the perception of odours, with 33.6% of respondents saying that they are almost unbearable, 24.1% in an intermediate line and 6. 6% think they are bearable. It was determined with the realization of a projection that the place where this company is located when it was positioned could have been the propitious one since it has more than 45 years in operation, but with the demographic growth it became an inadequate location, nevertheless, the population of the sector is exposed to fixed sources of atmospheric pollutants of all type, which generates annoyances that were clearly expressed turning out to be of great relevance to put in perspective the investigation with the opinions of the affected protagonists.