11th ICRS Abstract book - Nova Southeastern University

23.979
Creating a Community-Based Marine Protected Area
Paul SANCHEZ NAVARRO 1 , Miguel Angel MALDONADO* 1
1 Centro Ecologico Akumal, Akumal, Mexico
Akumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico
Marine protected areas in Mexico are administered by the federal government, under a
centralized and consultative system. A new protection scheme based on community
administration of the coral reef system is being generated in Akumal, Quintana Roo. The
Community-Based Marine Management Program for Akumal’s Bays, combines legal
protection instruments with collaboration agreements, through committees made up of
representatives from the hotels, dive shops, tour operators and local property owners,
with participation of federal and municipal authorities. The process is moving toward the
establishment of the first co-management agreement of a marine protected area in
Mexico, with defined protection and management objectives based on aquatic tourism
use, wastewater practices and sea turtle protection, and specific zoning criteria. The local,
non-governmental conservation organization plays a determining role in the process.
Centro Ecológico Akumal (CEA) has explored diverse alternatives for marine resource
protection, with fourteen years of ecosystem research and monitoring, as well as
community education. The organization’s role has become one to integrate efforts in
academic, educational, social, policy and economic issues related to coastal and marine
management in the Akumal area. Through CEA’s work, determining factors are
analyzed, along with attributes of individuals and organizations, all of which allow the
coastal community greater capacity to manage its natural resources. This analysis of
capacities will also help adapt management policies to the particular characteristics of the
community and its ecosystems. The successful use of legal instruments, best practices in
marine tourism services and community participation may provide a solid alternative to
traditional centralized ecosystem management.
23.980
Human Uses Impacting Coral Reefs Of Puerto Rico
Idelfonso RUIZ-VALENTIN* 1 , Manuel VALDES-PIZZINI 2 , Michelle T. SCHARER 1 ,
Miguel LUGO 3
1 Departamento de Ciencias Marinas, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Mayaguez, Lajas,
Puerto Rico, 2 Departamento de Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Puerto Rico,
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, 3 Silver Spring, Maryland, National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, Silver Spring, MD
The goal of this study was to identify human uses of the marine-land interface which
generate activities that have direct and indirect impacts upon the coral reefs of Puerto
Rico. The objectives of this project were to identify the most common human uses
impacting coral reefs, identify key coral reef areas where human uses were heavily
impacting the integrity of the ecosystem and recommend human use monitoring
activities. A written survey and focal groups were carried out with local researchers and
scientists where experts identified the most frequent threats. These were: sedimentation
(13%), anchoring (11%), commercial fishing and dive tourism (6%), deforestation and
waste water discharges (4%) as well as oil pollution and recreational fishing (3%).
Experts identified specific reef sites and geographical regions where the aforementioned
threats are most prevalent and require directed monitoring programs. This data was
analyzed in a geographical information system (GIS) in order to identify priority areas for
monitoring of particular threats or where conservation is a priority. One of the key
problems identified by the participants of the focus groups was terrestrial erosion and
subsequent sedimentation of coastal waters. The problem seems to be acute in the
southwest of the island where coastal construction has dramatically increased in the last
decade. General recommendations included: increased educational efforts in coral reef
conservation, law enforcement, economic valuation of coral reefs, marine protected areas
and community participation in management.
Poster Mini-Symposium 23: Reef Management
23.981
Contaminants in Fishes From Johnston Atoll, A Us Military Base in The Pacific
Lisa LOBEL* 1 , Phillip LOBEL 1
1 Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA
This study examined the distribution of military-industrial contaminants that entered the coral
reefs offshore of Johnston Island, Pacific Ocean. This island was a major military base involved
in nuclear and chemical weapons as well as being a major depot and transient airfield and
harbor since the 1930’s. The base was closed and abandoned in 2003. Fishes of different trophic
levels were sampled from locations throughout the atoll. Contaminants of concern included
heavy metals (antimony, arsenic, barium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury and zinc) and
organics, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs),
herbicide orange, dioxins and furans. Fish tissues were sampled for direct chemical analyses
and PCBs were detected in damselfish embryos using immunohistochemical methods. The
northwest section of the atoll was the area with the most variety of contaminants in fishes and
sediments. This was near the site of the island’s open burn pit and trash dump, a fire training
and explosives detonation area, and the former storage site of Agent (Herbicide) Orange. An
assessment of the possible ecological impacts of these contaminants on the reefs will be
presented along with a discussion of issues for management. This research was supported by the
Army Research Office and the DoD Legacy Program.
23.982
Marine Resources Management At The Coiba National Park (Panama)
Juan MATÉ* 1,2 , Angel VEGA 3 , Héctor GUZMÁN 4 , Daniel SUMAN 5 , Darío TOVAR 4 ,
Ricardo MONTENEGRO 6
1 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panamá, Panama, 2 University of Miami, Miami,
3 University of Panama, Santiago, Panama, 4 Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama,
Panama, 5 University of Miami, Miami, FL, 6 Alianza para la Conservación y Desarrollo,
Panama, Panama
Marine protected areas can be considered as governance tools for managing the natural and
cultural resources. The Coiba National Park (CNP), a World Heritage site since 2004, is the
largest marine protected area of Panama (2.700 km2). Decision-making in the CNP is
characterized by shared management and represents a new governance model for protected
areas in the country. The operation of the CNP artisanal fishing fleet, composed of only 47
boats, has been monitored in the field and in ports since June 2006. A baseline for population
densities for lobster, conch, and shellfish not currently authorized to be extracted was also
established for the CNP. Main results indicate that there is an artisanal (commercial) fishery
directed to fin fish such as snappers, groupers and dolfinfish. The silky snapper (Lutjanus peru)
fishery is harvesting pre-reproductive individuals (