_____________________________________________________________________________ Coral Reef Protection in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Intercoast #34 _____________________________________________________________________________ Bezaury, Juan and Jennifer McCann 1999 Citation: Narragansett, Rhode Island USA: Coastal Resources Center.InterCoast Network Newsletter, Spring 1999 For more information contact: Pamela Rubinoff, Coastal Resources Center, Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island. 220 South Ferry Road, Narragansett, RI 02882 Telephone: 401.874.6224 Fax: 401.789.4670 Email: [email protected] This five year project aims to conserve critical coastal resources in Mexico by building capacity of NGOs, Universities, communities and other key public and private stakeholders to promote an integrated approach to participatory coastal management and enhanced decision-making. This publication was made possible through support provided by the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Office of Environment and Natural Resources Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade under the terms of Cooperative Agreement No. PCE-A-00-95-0030-05. INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER OF COASTAL MANAGEMENT Narragansett, Rhode Island, U.S.A. • #31 • Spring, 1998 Protecting the Maya Reef Intercoast Through Multi-National Survey Results Cooperation Show Diverse manage their coastal resources region- Readership By Juan Bezaury and ally. The overall goal is to take advan- Jennifer McCann tage of growing opportunities for sus- ore than 200 people tainable development, through the Mworldwide responded n Earth Day, June 5, 1997, rational use and conservation of reef to Intercoast‘srecent readership Oheads of state from Belize, resources. Involvement and support by survey, and the results reveal Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, coastal communities, private compa- a truly global audience with Highlights united in Tulum, Mexico to show their nies, national and international non- diverse areas of interests in commitment towards the protection profit organizations and government coastal resource management. 3 officials is crucial Readers from more than 50 Managing to the success of countries, representing an array Tourism in this regional and of cultures, knowledge and inter- East Africa integrated initia- ests, provided personal and pro- tive. Some of the fessional profile information, 4 objectives include fields of interests, and sugges- South Africa the establishment tions to improve the look and Launches of protected usefulness of Intercoast. Coastal areas; strengthen- Although the majority of those Program ing regulations; who responded hold a Ph. D., ecotourism plan- Intercoastappealed to many who 8 ning; securing did not. Readers are employed as international environmental consultants, uni- Resource Fisher in Quintana Roo, Mexico. Conservation funding; and encouraging coastal man- versity professors and lecturers, in Malaysia and wise use of their shared coastal agement to address the need for the government employees, research habitats, especially the coral reef, sustainable use and conservation of this scientists and employees of non- 16 by signing onto the Mesoamerican area. Providing opportunities for train- governmental organizations. Urbanization Caribbean Coral Reef Systems ing, scientific research and monitoring Those surveyed indicated that in Denmark Initiative. All four countries under- are also encouraged. Intercoastis a valuable tool that stand that this rich and diverse ecosys- Other agreements have been can be used by some to develop 22 tem, second in size only to the Great signed by these four nations, includ- national policies, create research Reports From Barrier Reef in Australia, is the bases ing the Tuxtla I and II Agreements; projects, compare coastal man- The Field for many of their industries including Agreements of the Central American agement strategies and interna- tourism and fisheries. Currently, land- Commission on Environmental and tional trends, network, and pre- based activities, including coastal Development that encourage conserva- pare seminars and workshops; development, have placed increased tion actions on the Mesoamerican while for others Intercoastserves pressures causing, in many cases, Biological Corridor; and the Cartagena as a source for general insight. destruction or irreversible damage. Agreement on the protection and use The more than 200 readers The Mesoamerican Caribbean Coral of marine life in the Greater Reef Systems Initiative provides a (continued page 2) forum for all four nations to act and (continued page 24) Intercoast to Begin Subscription Fee in 1999 In the past two years, Intercoasthas expanded both its size and its global readership. Due to the costs associated with printing and mailing, the expense of getting Intercoastto our increasing readership has risen. One purpose of the recent Intercoastsurvey was to determine the willingness of our readers to pay a nominal annual subscription fee to offset these growing costs. The response we received was that, on average, Intercoastreaders would be willing to pay a subscription price of US$ 10 for three annual issues with a featured topic of interest; and periodically a special edition which would be devoted to a single topic, such as last year’s very popular IntercoastSpecial Edition #1 on mangroves. Based upon the survey response, beginning with the January 1999 issue, subscribers to Intercoast will be asked to pay an annual fee of $10. Some respondents raised concerns about charging a subscription price. These included the issue of costly international exchange rates, the desire to use credit cards rather than money orders and, most significantly, the inability of some individuals and organizations to pay a $10 annual fee. In regard to the first two concerns, we will develop systems for payment which minimize extraneous costs and complications. As for the last con- cern, we will provide the opportunity for individuals and organizations from developing countries who wish to continue to receive Intercoastfor free if the subscription rate is a financial hardship. Instructions for submitting payment or requesting a waiver will be published in the Fall edition of Intercoast. We greatly value our audience and would not like to lose even one reader. We will try to accom- modate you and make the transition easy and equitable. Thank you for your continuing interest in and support of Intercoast. — The Editors Survey (GIS) and remote sensing; effects of newsletter to what readers want to see (continued from page 1) climate change; aquaculture and fish- and what is most relevant and benefi- eries; water pollution; environmental cial to their work. Intercoaststrives to that replied indicated that, on average, law and policy; integrated coastal man- keep the articles and networking infor- four other people read each issue. agement case studies; among others. mation topical and up-to-date. Intercoast’saudience is even wider as Whether the readers of Intercoastare Readers’ suggestions on how to a result of readers contributing their from Algeria, Germany, or Tokyo, they improve Intercoastare useful and copies to libraries, after making the all shared the common desire to learn appreciated, and the editors urge you rounds among coastal managers. This about and understand coastal issues. to continue giving feedback, even in is in addition to those sent directly to Survey respondents rated the fea- addition to the survey. Those who libraries. ture articles the most valued element responded to the survey have already Intercoastreaders suggested many of the newsletter, with “Reports from taken the first step to help shape the topics for future issues, including the Field,” “Intercoast Insider publication. We welcome your future marine environment restoration; envi- Information” and the editorials follow- involvement with Intercoastthrough ronmental techniques and methodolo- ing close behind. Intercoast’seditors the contribution of articles and by gies; geographic information systems will use the survey results to tailor the offering your valued opinions. 2 Intercoast Network • Spring 1998 Small-Scale Tourism in Eastern Africa: Helpful or Harmful to Local Communities? By Friederike Ziegler lected from each tourist entering the benefit from the project. So far, four park. To date, about US$ 10,000 has Misali fishers have been trained as tour anaged tourism can often con- been collected, representing some guides. A tour operator in Zanzibar Mtribute to the survival of local 2,000 visitors. The money has been Stone Town takes tourists by high-speed communities. This was discussed during used to build schools, a health clinic the workshop “Experiences in Local and provide other community services. and Community Integrated Coastal Also, this money funds two full-time Management (ICM) Projects – Lessons educators who patrol the beaches, to Date” held in Zanzibar, Tanzania, answer tourists’ questions, burn litter, March 4-6, 1998. The workshop was and monitor for illegal fishing and organized by the Secretariat for Eastern destructive fishing methods. African Coastal Area Management Tourism still cannot be called sustain- (SEACAM, see Intercoast Network able. A big problem is that cruise ships #30) and the Western Indian Ocean carrying 200-400 passengers visit the Marine Science Association (WIOM- island, debark for shopping, snorkeling SA). Fifteen local, community-based and diving (often creating environmen- ICM projects from the East African tal problems) without