Tuesday, March 22, 2016

WildAid’s Marine Program Expands to Mexico



Legendary diver and explorer Jacques Cousteau once described Mexico’s Sea of Cortez (or the Gulf of California) as "the aquarium of the world," home to a tremendous array of marine life. Perhaps nowhere is this more true than the Midriff Islands, an uninhabited archipelago located in the Sea of Cortez’s central region that has a nickname of its own: "the Galapagos of the Northern Hemisphere.” Whales, whale sharks, sea lions, jumping mobula rays and five species of endangered sea turtles can all be found in this UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Sadly, the Midriff Islands’ abundant reefs and thriving marine habitat attract illegal and unsustainable fishing practices, which threaten their continued protection.

That’s why WildAid and partners are taking our proven marine protection model to Mexico. With the support of Helmsley Charitable Trust, Pronatura Noroeste, the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature and Niparaja, we will soon embark on a full assessment of the Midriff Islands' marine protected area, which will guide how to create a comprehensive control and vigilance plan for the region.

The new project includes testing enforcement strategies on the Baja California peninsula and two high-level peer exchanges between Mexican and Ecuadorian environmental officials. Expected to roll out in late 2016, this pilot program will also feature innovative technology and multi-agency patrols that can be replicated throughout Mexico’s coastal protected areas. 

In November, WildAid, the Ecuadorian Minister of the Environment and the Galapagos National Park Service hosted the first week-long peer exchange with a visit from Mexican officials. Since 2002, we’ve helped to strengthen enforcement of the 51,000-square-mile Galapagos Marine Reserve; today, it’s one of the best-protected marine reserves in the developing world.

But marine animals from humpback whales to olive ridley sea turtles migrate through the coastal regions of multiple nations, which is why it’s crucial that WildAid and our partners strive for better protections throughout Latin America. In this inaugural peer exchange, high-level representatives from Mexico’s Navy and environmental/fisheries agencies met with their Ecuadorian counterparts to share best practices for effective marine reserve management, including long-term budgetary considerations and improved inter-agency collaboration.


Ecuadorian officials also showcased surveillance equipment to monitor the Galapagos Marine Reserve and discussed the benefits of inter-agency cooperation between the Ecuadorian Navy and Galapagos National Park Service in patrolling the region, which has led to the apprehension and prosecution of approximately 100 illegal fishing vessels over the last seven years. The two nations will reconvene in the fall for a second exchange, where Mexican officials will demonstrate their own enforcement approach and report on key action points.

In addition to our project in Mexico, and with the support of our donors, WildAid plans to work on the following new projects in 2016:

Assess enforcement and management of the Jardines de La Reina in Cuba to protect its pristine coral ecosystems.

Use findings from an assessment of Palau’s enforcement system to implement oceanic and near-shore pilot projects. We will test new oceanic surveillance technologies in Palau’s national waters, as well as near-shore surveillance in the Northern Reefs test site.

Support sea turtle and manta conservation projects in coastal Ecuador.

Further Reading:

Article and images sourced from http://wildaid.org/news/wildaids-marine-program-expands-mexico




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