# Oil pollution and infrastructure issues in Lake Maracaibo > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/oil-pollution-and-infrastructure-issues-in-lake-maracaibo > Updated: 2026-10-02T22:28:53.000Z. Sources: 4. Developments: 2. Environmental groups and local communities in Zulia state, Venezuela, have reported widespread oil spills and gas leaks affecting the eastern coast of Lake Maracaibo. These pollution events, impacting municipalities such as Cabimas, San Francisco, and Lagunillas, are attributed to increased oil industry operations and a lack of adequate infrastructure maintenance. The spills have caused significant economic hardship for local fishermen, who report that contaminated nets require expensive replacements costing between $3,000 and $4,000. To avoid pollution, workers are being forced to operate further from the coastline. Compounding these environmental issues are failures in public services. Frequent electricity outages, lasting six to seven hours daily, hinder the ability of fishermen to preserve their catch. Furthermore, officials report that water treatment plants intended to sanitize the lake remain non-operational, and proposed remediation funds from oil dividends have not been implemented. ## Timeline ### 2026-10-02: Zulia fishermen face oil spills and power outages Fishermen in Zulia, Venezuela, face economic losses and operational hurdles due to oil spills from ruptured pipelines and frequent electricity shortages. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/zulia-fishermen-face-oil-spills-and-power-outages ### 2026-09-29: Zulia oil spills and gas leaks impact Lake Maracaibo Oil spills and gas leaks are impacting multiple municipalities in Zulia, Venezuela, damaging the Lake Maracaibo ecosystem and causing economic hardship for local fishermen amid a lack of functional treatment's. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/zulia-oil-spills-and-gas-leaks-impact-lake-maracaibo --- Cite as: Oil pollution and infrastructure issues in Lake Maracaibo. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/oil-pollution-and-infrastructure-issues-in-lake-maracaibo