EVALUACIÓN DE LAS ÁREAS MARINAS PROTEGIDAS EN MÉXICO

Abstract

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 xv 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.