Thesis
EVALUACIÓN DE LAS ÁREAS MARINAS PROTEGIDAS EN MÉXICO
Autor
GEORGINA RIVERA, MÓNICA
Institución
Resumen
xiv
ABSTRACT
Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a management instrument widely accepted for
marine resources. Particularly in Mexico the effects of its implementation are
unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the status of MPA management
and propose a model for evaluation. The methodology consists of four parts: (1)
collection and analysis of public information to make a diagnosis of MPA in the
country, (2) a conceptual model integration based on national and international
guidelines (3) validation of the model thought is application to six MPAs and (4)
program evaluation at an MPA management case study Cabo Pulmo National
Park. 35 MPAs were identify covering 95 243 km2, of which 48 261 km2 are at sea
covering 12% of the continental shelf. The protection of sea areas started at 1928,
the period of greatest number of decrees was 1994-2000. The average time to
establish the administration is three years. The 68% of MPAs have PM. The
budget for MPA management ranged between 328 000 and 10 million
pesos/year/area. On average, two million dollars allocated per area per year for
2006-2008.The main economic activity within the MPA is fishing, followed by
tourism and agriculture. Within the MPAs 10 979 taxa are protected representing
10% of the richness of Mexico. The 26% of the species that have some protected
status are within a MPA. At contrasting the framework of national management
with the IUCN showed consistency in the components. A model that represents
the management of MPAs in Mexico which consists of three components is
proposed. Two mechanisms were developed to assess the MPAs, one general
(MEgAMP) consisting of 37 indicators through which it is possible to measure the
integrity of management (planning, implementation and adaptation) and a specific
one (MEeAMP) based on the goals of the MPA management plan. Six MPA were
evaluated using the MEgAMP: (1) Cabo Pulmo National Park, (2) Zona Marina del
Archipiélago de Espíritu Santo National Park, (3) El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve,
(4) Alto Golfo de California y Delta del Río Colorado Biosphere Reserve, (5)
Banco Chinchorro Biosphere Reserve and (6) Tiburón Ballena Biosphere Reserve.
The Tiburon Ballena Biosphere Reserve resulted with the least value(18%
unacceptable management) while the best evaluated proved to be the Cabo
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Pulmo National Park (67% acceptable management), no area has a satisfactory
level of management. The application of the 60 indicators looked MEeAMP which
yielded a 82% rating that lists the area's management as satisfactory. Failure was
detected in environmental law around personal allowance for area management,
development of management program and updating of them. Both staff and
budget allocated for the management of MPAs are insufficient. It requires
collaboration between government agencies as CONANP, CONAPESCA, and
CONABIO to optimize and systematize the available information which is being
built to be useful to society in general. Evaluation mechanisms proposed in this
paper are low cost and require few resources for implementation. The use of the
proposed mechanisms in all areas will identify the weak components in the
management of MPAs. From the six areas assessed it was found that the current
effort is put into the planning while implementing and measuring the impacts are
from few to null attention. Assessments currently being undertaken focus on
compliance of activities scheduled which represents only administrative
monitoring. The current coverage of protected areas and the representation of
species can be considered sufficient while the assessment by the government
decreed areas is still on the agenda. Conservation efforts in Mexico should focus
on assessing the impacts of the areas enacted to improve their management.