(…) se elas houverem, a gente vai tirá-las
On the banks of the river Ave and the river Vizela, there have always been murmurs of an activity that was slowly undermining the pillars of some of the municipalities and parishes that depended on its waters. The industrial flood that settled in the Ave valley threatened the natural ecosystem – and the mental health – of what used to be one of the region’s most striking landscapes. The pollution spread by the discharge of toxic products into the waterways has led to a total imbalance in the local fauna and flora. These attitudes have consequently led to many aquatic species moving to other areas, or simply being driven to decay. Just as the murmurs of the textile industry were heard among the local population, the possible existence of an exotic species in the rivers was also heard – among timid conversations – which, if confirmed, would easily unravel the abrupt disappearance of the others.