Bahía De Chetumal-Corozal, Un Recurso Costero Compartido Entre

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Bahía De Chetumal-Corozal, Un Recurso Costero Compartido Entre Bahía de Chetumal-Corozal, un recurso costero 38 CASOS DE compartido ESTUDIO entre México y Belice Benjamín Morales Vela Colegio de la Frontera Sur, Chetumal RESUMEN La Bahía de Chetumal-Corozal (BCH/CZ) es un área compartida entre México y Belice la cual es un sitio relevante de presencia de manatíes en el Caribe. El 25 de octubre de 1996, la BCH fue decretada como Zona Sujeta a Conservación Ecológica, Santuario del Manatí (SM/BCH). El 28 de abril de 1998, el Gobierno de Belice decretó a Corozal Bay como Santuario de Vida Silvestre. Con estos dos decretos todo el sistema está bajo protección. A nivel internacional estas acciones fueron bien recibidas, pues no se tenía precedentes de hechos así en el Caribe. A siete años de su creación, el SM/BCH ha sufrido cambios en la tenencia de la tierra, deforestación, fragmentación de áreas, incremento de infraestructura urbana y de desechos urbanos, apatía social y descoordinación binacional. Existen amplias extensiones agrícolas a ambos lados del Río Hondo (frontera con Belice), las cuales utilizan importantes cantidades de plaguicidas organoclorados, herbicidas e insecticidas que escurren hacia la BCH a través de la cuenca del Río Hondo. Esta contaminación es reconocida como un problema crónico. Aunado a esto, las aguas residuales urbanas contienen detergentes, aceites, grasas y coliformes fecales que están por arriba de los niveles permitidos. La dirección del SM/BCH no ha podido implementar procesos que permitan incorporar iniciativas de desarrollo económico armonizadas con criterios de conservación. Es un hecho que el programa de manejo y el esquema administrativo actual del SM/BCH requieren de una profunda revisión. Es necesario actualizar las normas de uso y procedimientos legales para propiciar procesos de desarrollo sustentable sin sacrificar el capital natural existente. ABSTRACT The Chetumal-Corozal Bay (CH/CZB) is the natural border between Mexico and Belize and it is a relevant site for manatees in the Caribbean region. In October 25th of 1996 the CH/CZB bay was declared as a natural reserve and named Zona Sujeta a Conservación Ecológica, Santuario del Manatí (SM/BCH). In April 28th of 1998 the Belize Government declared the Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (Manatee). The entire system CH/CZB is now protected with these natural reserves. The actions of both countries was unprecedented in the Caribbean region. It has been seven years since the creation of SM/BCH, and it Manejo Costero en México still has several problems: changes in the land property, deforestation, habitat fragmentation, urban structure development, growing urban residuals discharges to CH/CZ system, public apathy, and international disagreement. At both sides of the Hondo river (border with Belize), there are extensive farming areas where important quantity of detergents, organochlorines, pesticides and insecticides are used. These contaminants drain into the CH/CZB through the Hondo river. This pollution is now a chronic environmental problem. Moreover, the urban residual waters have high levels of detergents, fuel oils and fecal coliphorms. The SM/BCHs managerial staff have not been able to implement economic development programs related to conservation criterions. The SM/BCHs management plan and structure need strong review. Rules and legal procedures of the management plan need reviewing and updating, in order to facilitate sustainable processes development without sacrifice the natural capital existent. INTRODUCCIÓN Ubicada en el extremo sureste de México, la Bahía nera general que en Quintana Roo las abundan- de Chetumal (BCH) es el sistema estuarino más cias de este mamífero acuático eran mayores en la extenso de Quintana Roo, con una área total esti- BCH (Colmenero-Rolón y Zárate, 1990) y se reco- mada en 2450 km2, incluyendo el área de Belice nocía a Belice como el país con la mayor abundan- llamada Corozal Bay. El lado sur de la Bahía y los cia de manatíes que cualquier otro país del Caribe 169 km de extensión del Río Hondo conforman la (O´Shea y Salisbury, 1991). De esta manera, Mé- frontera con el país de Belice (Fig. 1). En esta am- xico y Belice congregan al mayor número de ma- plia región acuática, se comparten ecosistemas y ri- natíes de todo el Caribe, población que queza biológica de alto valor mundial, incluyendo cómodamente se estima en 500 individuos (Mora- especies amenazadas y en peligro de extinción les-Vela, 2000). Entre Belice y México, a finales de (Gamboa-Pérez, 1994; Morales-Vela y Olivera- los 80s, también era un factor común la falta de Gómez, 1994; Vázquez-Yeomans y González- grupos académicos de investigación interesados Vera, 1994). También se comparten procesos his- en desarrollar proyectos conjuntos de investiga- tóricos de desarrollo económico-social y afinidades ción y de estrategias de conservación sobre los re- étnicas y culturales (Chenaut, 1989; Arnaiz-Bur- cursos costeros compartidos. nes, 1993; César-Dechary, 1993; Hernández- Trueba, 1993), así como problemas de contamina- ción y explotación de recursos naturales (Cabrera- Cano, 1994). Esta realidad transfronteriza, obliga a HACIA LA PROTECCIÓN México y a Belice a atender de manera coordina- DE UN ÁREA ACUÁTICA da, la problemática ambiental y a diseñar conjun- Conscientes de la necesidad de iniciar un progra- tamente, diferentes estrategias de conservación de ma de conservación del manatí a largo plazo y en sus recursos compartidos. estrecha coordinación con Belice, en 1992 perso- nal del proyecto manatí del Centro de Investigacio- En septiembre de 1991, los gobiernos de Méxi- nes de Quintana Roo (CIQRO) ahora El Colegio co y Belice establecieron una agenda ambiental bi- de la Frontera Sur- unidad Chetumal (ECOSUR), nacional, como parte de las actividades de la Co- en conjunto con el Proyecto de Manejo de la Zona misión Binacional de Límites y Cooperación Fron- Costera de Belice ahora Instituto y Autoridad de teriza, la cual tiene capacidad de acción sobre una Manejo de Zona Costera, más expertos de Estados franja de 50 km a ambos lados de la línea divisoria. Unidos, planearon un programa conjunto de in- En esta agenda, las partes se comprometieron a vestigación y conservación del manatí en Quintana adoptar las medidas necesarias para prevenir, re- Roo y Belice (Morales-Vela y Olivera-Gómez, ducir o eliminar en su territorio las fuentes de con- 1994). Una de las estrategias propuestas en esa taminación, deterioro y degradación ambiental, reunión fue la creación de dos áreas protegidas que afecten a la zona fronteriza y poblaciones sil- que permitieran ordenar y orientar hacia prácticas vestres. También contempla desarrollar acciones sustentables las actividades humanas realizadas para la conservación de las áreas naturales protegi- dentro y en los alrededores de la BCH y de Coro- das y protección de las especies amenazadas, entre zal, con el fin de asegurar la permanencia del ma- otras actividades (SER, 1991). natí y de los procesos naturales presentes en este importante ecosistema costero, hábitat del manatí, Una de las especies costeras que se comparte en el Caribe occidental. con Belice y otros países del Caribe es el manatí (Trichechus manatus). En 1990 se conocía de ma- Casos de Estudio: Binacional 532 B. Morales-Vela Figura 1. El Río Hondo y una línea imaginaria que se extiende al este sobre la Bahía de Chetumal, marcan el límite de la frontera entre Belice y México. En 1993, la primera propuesta de decretar a la duría Federal de Protección al Ambiente BCH y humedales circundantes como área prote- (PROFEPA) y la Secretaría de Desarrollo Urbano y gida para la conservación del manatí, fue enviada Medio Ambiente del Estado (SEDUMA), crearon el al Instituto Nacional de Ecología (INE) para su eva- Subcomité para la Protección del manatí y de la luación. Esta propuesta incluía 101,000 ha de hu- BCH. A esta iniciativa se incorporaron otras institu- medales, que en ese momento aproximadamente ciones del gobierno federal, estatal y municipal, así el 80% estaban registradas como terrenos naciona- como particulares interesados en la conservación les y 180,320 ha de aguas de la BCH y Laguna del manatí. Este subcomité cobijó y fortaleció la se- Guerrero. En esta propuesta se evitó incluir al Río gunda propuesta de creación de la reserva y, sobre Hondo y a la Laguna Bacalar (Fig. 1) por la com- todo, impulsó fuertemente un programa de difu- plejidad de intereses económicos y sociales ya exis- sión sobre el manatí y la importancia de proteger a tentes. A pesar de ello, la propuesta fue rechazada la BCH, enfocado a los niños de primaria y jóvenes por el INE, señalando al menos tres puntos bási- de secundaria. En este programa se visitaron todas cos: a) la sola presencia de la mayor densidad de las escuelas públicas del sur del Estado, desarro- manatíes existentes en toda la costa de Quintana llando un taller interactivo con el uso de materiales Roo no era razón suficiente para decretar una re- novedosos. Para esta labor titánica, la participa- serva de 281,320 ha, se requería más información ción de los maestros y el apoyo logístico de la sobre el estado de otras especies claves y protegi- Armada de México tuvieron un papel crucial. Tam- das y de la riqueza biológica del área; b) el Gobier- bién se desarrollaron varias actividades y materia- no del Estado de Quintana Roo debería estar de les para todo público y se iniciaron visitas a comu- acuerdo para evitar conflictos de intereses con el nidades ejidales para incorporarlos a esta iniciativa decreto y; c) esta propuesta debería ser concertada y aclararles los alcances de la propuesta y los bene- con los pobladores de la región. ficios futuros que pueden alcanzar al ser parte de una reserva. Con estas actividades realizadas y el En seguimiento a estas observaciones y con el respaldo del Subcomité, quedó lista la segunda avance en los estudios sobre la biodiversidad del propuesta que se pensaba en ese momento, fuera sur de Quintana Roo, el CIQRO preparó un segun- una reserva federal.
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