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| 1. Project Details |
| Author or Responsible Organization |
|
R D Smith and E Maltby. (2003) 'Using the Ecosystem Approach to Implement the Convention on Biological Diversity: Key issues and case studies. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridge, UK x + 118pp. |
| Project Title |
|
The Marine Reserve of Galapagos,Ecuador |
| Date of Publication |
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| Project Status |
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Ongoing |
| Project Start Date |
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| Project End Date |
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| Countries |
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Ecuador |
| Regions |
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Latin America and the Caribbean |
| Funding Source |
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| 2. Background to Project |
| Project Issue/Problem Statement |
|
During the 1990s the Marine Reserve of Galapagos was the
site of strong disagreements between the interests of the
area ’s different users. The major conflict stemmed from
the exploitation of marine resources (e.g. sea cucumbers),
which resulted in confrontations between the local artisanal
fishermen and the rest of the users of the reserve. A new
participatory process aimed to protect and conserve coastal-
marine ecosystems and biodiversity of the Galapagos Archi-
pelago for the benefit of humankind, science and education. |
| Project Description |
|
A number of issues contributed to the recent conflict in
the Galapagos: the marine reserve unit was not recognised
by the Ecuadorian National Protected Areas System; legal
aspects of the reserve were weak in terms of conservation;
the institutional capacity for the control of the reserve was
insufficient; and the approved management plan for the
reserve was rigid and non-adaptive and never implemented
or even known of by local fishermen. To deal with this
complex situation, a participatory process, involving all
stakeholders, was designed and orientated towards the
conservation of the marine area of the reserve.
A Core Group was established by local stakeholders including
the local fishing community, the National Army, conservation
and tourism sectors and the Galapagos National Park
representatives. The main task of the Core Group was to
elaborate a new management plan supported by the Special
Regime Law for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of
Galapagos ’ Province. This law established the reserve as
part of the National Patrimony of Protected Areas and the
Galapagos National Parks Directorate as the administrative
body of the Marine Reserve. In addition, the area of the
Marine Reserve was extended from 15 to 40 nautical miles
(the total area is 133,000 square km)and industrial fishing
activities were forbidden within the Marine Reserve limits.
In 1999,the new management plan for the reserve, shaped
by the Core Group, was approved. |
| Highlighted Aspects of Ecosystem Approach |
|
• Conservation, equitable sharing of benefits and
sustainable use of resources were simultaneously
addressed.
• Research on ecosystem functioning was carried out,
including a study of human-environment relationships in
the archipelago.
• The goods and services identified were scientific research,
fishing and tourism activities. Beneficiaries of these goods and services were identified as all those persons directly or indirectly involved in tourism, fishery and
research-conservation activities carried out in the reserve.
• Planning and management employs an adaptive strategy
that is supported by the Special Regime Law.
• Through the learning-by-doing process an appropriate
scale of management was employed according to the
nature of the problem and the participants.
• The case study identifies and illustrates the linkages
between the different sectoral groups as well as the need
for and constraints on such linkages.
• Principle 9 is indirectly referred to in the Special Regime
Law, which recognises that changes occur in systems and
that these should be considered in decision-making. |
| Conclusions |
|
Problems associated with socio-economic pressures,
conservation measures and unsustainable use of natural
resources must be resolved through a management
process that involves all local stakeholders.
• The economic appraisal of conservation and the
sustainable use of resources generates interest from the
political and economic sectors.
• Good communication and high-level political support is
needed for the development of the overall management
system. |
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| 3. Sectors and Biomes |
| Sectors |
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Fisheries |
| Biomes |
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Marine and Coastal Biodiversity |
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| 4. Tools and Approaches |
| Tools and Approaches |
|
Relevance
Score |
|
Further
Information |
| Public Participation |
|
3-High |
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| - Methods for stakeholder consultation |
|
3-High |
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| - Conflict management methods |
|
3-High |
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| Education and Awareness |
|
3-High |
|
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| - Communication |
|
3-High |
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| Governance, Law and Policy |
|
3-High |
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| - Policy development, planning and reform |
|
3-High |
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| Management and Incentives |
|
3-High |
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| - Conservation enterprises/Diversification |
|
3-High |
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| Protected Areas and Land Use Policy |
|
3-High |
|
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| - Protected/managed areas |
|
3-High |
|
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| Cross-sectoral Research and Working |
|
3-High |
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| 5. Issues |
| Issues |
|
Relevance
Score |
| Sustainable Use of Biodiversity |
|
3-High |
| Tourism and Biodiversity |
|
3-High |
| Traditional Knowledge, Innovations and Practices - Article 8(j) |
|
3-High |
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| 6. Ecosystem Approach |
| Principles and Operational Guidance |
|
Relevance
Score |
|
Reason
(Only if NOT relevant) |
| Principle 1: The objectives of management of land, water and living resources are a matter of societal choices |
|
3-High |
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| Principle 2: Management should be decentralized to the lowest appropriate level |
|
3-High |
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| Principle 3: Ecosystem managers should consider the effects (actual or potential) of their activities on adjacent and other ecosystems |
|
3-High |
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| Principle 4: Recognizing potential gains from management, there is usually a need to understand and manage the ecosystem in an economic context |
|
3-High |
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| Principle 5: Conservation of ecosystem structure and functioning, in order to maintain ecosystem services, should be a priority target of the ecosystem approach |
|
3-High |
|
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| Principle 6: Ecosystem must be managed within the limits of their functioning |
|
3-High |
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| Principle 7: The ecosystem approach should be undertaken at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales |
|
3-High |
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| Principle 8: Recognizing the varying temporal scales and lag-effects that characterize ecosystem processes, objectives for ecosystem management should be set for the long term |
|
3-High |
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| Principle 9: Management must recognize the change is inevitable |
|
2-Medium |
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| Principle 10: The ecosystem approach should seek the appropriate balance between, and integration of, conservation and use of biological diversity |
|
3-High |
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| Principle 11: The ecosystem approach should consider all forms of relevant information, including scientific and indigenous and local knowledge, innovations and practices |
|
3-High |
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| Principle 12: The ecosystem approach should involve all relevant sectors of society and scientific disciplines |
|
3-High |
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| Operational Guidance A: Focus on the relationships and processes within ecosystem |
|
2-Medium |
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| Operational Guidance B: Enhance benefit-sharing |
|
2-Medium |
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| Operational Guidance C: Use adaptive management practices |
|
2-Medium |
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| Operational Guidance D: Carry out management actions at the scale appropriate for the issue being addressed, with decentralization to lowest level, as appropriate |
|
2-Medium |
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| Operational Guidance E: Ensure intersectoral cooperation |
|
2-Medium |
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| 7. Lessons Learned and the Outcomes |
| Lessons Learned |
|
Problems associated with socio-economic pressures,
conservation measures and unsustainable use of natural
resources must be resolved through a management
process that involves all local stakeholders.
• The economic appraisal of conservation and the
sustainable use of resources generates interest from the
political and economic sectors.
• Good communication and high-level political support is
needed for the development of the overall management
system. |
| Outcomes |
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| Other Information |
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| 8. References |
| References |
|
Smith, R.D. & Maltby, E. (2003) Using the Ecosystem Approach to implement the Convention on Biodiversity: key issues and case studies. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland and Cambridg, UK. x + 118pp. |
|
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| 9. Contact Details |
| Contact Person |
|
Ms. Diana Mortimer |
| Job Title |
|
Ecosystem Approach Officer |
| Organization |
|
Joint Nature Conservation Committee |
| Address |
|
Monkstone House, City Road, |
| Postal Code |
|
PE13 4LA |
| City |
|
Peterborough |
| ZIP/State/Province |
|
Cambs |
| Telephone |
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+44 1733 866857 |
| Fax |
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+44 1733 555948 |
| E-mail Address |
|
diana.mortimer@jncc.gov.uk |
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