Download Sea of Cortez, Mexico - Natural Resource Management and

SEA OF CORTEZ, MEXICO
Isla Espíritu Santo Migratory Bird and Wildlife Refuge
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Loreto Bay National Park
Total Area Protected:
Isla Espíritu Santo Migratory Bird and Wildlife Refuge:
24,453 acres (9,900 ha)
Loreto Bay National Park:
510,253 acres (206,580 ha)
Ecoregions Represented:
Marine, benthic, mangrove, coastal,
coral heads/reef, Gulf of California,
xeric scrub.
Partner Institution:
Few marine areas in the world have the combination of biological productivity, biodiversity
and endemism of the Sea of Cortez. This exceptionally high degree of biological and ecological
value is due to the diversity and extension of ecosystems in the region. Sea of Cortez mangrove
communities are one of only thirteen mangrove complexes in the Latin America and Caribbean
region. The endemic species of the islands are under a significant threat from the introduction
of exotic species and resource piracy.
Ecological Significance
Loreto Bay National Park (LBNP) is a 206,580-hectare (510,253) site consisting of five islands.
Isla Espíritu Santo Migratory Bird and Wildlife Refuge (IES) is a 9,900-hectare (24,453 acre) site
composed of six islands. These two sites compose half of the designated Sea of Cortez Island
Migratory Bird and Wildlife Refuge archipelagos. Combined, these protected areas contain a
wide variety of marine and island species representative of the biodiversity of the Sea of Cortez.
The islands, wetlands, lagoons, mangroves, seagrass beds and marine areas provide habitat for
a wide variety of marine and terrestrial flora and fauna. These two marine and terrestrial
protected areas harbor five species of sea turtles, 15 species of whales, 17 species of marine birds
(eight species nest on the islands), 20 species of reptiles and 29 species of terrestrial mammals.
Of the plant and animal species found on the islands of both reserves, 38 are endemic. The
seagrass beds of Loreto Bay National Park are important feeding grounds for the endangered
black sea turtle. The park also includes areas of critical importance for sustenance and
commercial fishing.
Of the three main bioregions within the Warm Temperate Northeastern Pacific Province, the
Sea of Cortez, or Cortesian bioregion, ranks highest in terms of biological and ecological value.
Based upon the following indicators, the Sea of Cortez is considered a priority area for
conservation in Latin America and the Caribbean: the presence and extension of unique coastal
communities, the numbers of estuaries (indicators of terrestrial sources of coastal productivity,
the richness of fish species, the use of area by marine mammals and the numbers of endemic
species and sub-species in the region.
Principal Threats Affecting Biodiversity at the Site
Date of initial threats analysis for site:
Date of most recent update:
Source of threats analysis presented below:
October 1997
August 1999
Workshop
Participants in analysis presented below:
IES: Gabriela Anaya Reyna
Francisco Alverez
LBNP: Benito Bermudez Almada
Marylo Mandojano
ISLA: Antonio Cantu, Maria Elena
Martinez, Mary Belle Cruz Ayala
TNC: Guadalupe Morales Abril
Victoria M. Diggins
Update on an annual basis
Scheduled future update(s):
Major threats at the site – Please note that reserve staff are completing the strategies for the
last two threats
5= very high; 4= high; 3= moderate
Loreto Bay National Park
Target/
System/
Resource
Wetlands and Mangroves
Sandy Bottom
Threat
Rank
Infrastructure
Development
4
Beaches and Dunes
Illegal Extraction of
Materials (removing
beach sand for resort
beaches)
4
Reefs and Rocky Bottom
Destructive fishing
3
Strategy
• Promote the Plan de Ordenamiento
Ecológico (POE) to local and state
officials
• Carry out an outreach program
within the reserve boundaries
• Train individuals responsible for
the POE through the Proyecto de
Conservación de Ecosistemas Criticas
de México (University of Rhode
Island)
• Promote the importance of the
ecological values of the beaches and
dunes to businesses
• Promote techniques to stabilize
beaches
• Carry out park patrols
Sandy Bottom
practices
Beaches and Dunes
Wetlands and Mangroves
Reefs and Rocky Bottom
Extractive Scuba
Diving Activities and
Other Inappropriate
Recreation Activities
Introduction of Exotic
Species
Islands and Islotes
3
• Promote the prohibition of
destructive practices
• Look for and promote alternatives
to destructive fishing practices
• Educate fishermen
• Identify mechanisms to ensure
fishermen are paid fair value for their
catches
• Promote the design and
implementation of fishing
regulations.
To be determined
3
To be determined
Isla Espíritu Santo Migratory Bird and Wildlife Refuge
Target/
System/
Resource
Coastal Fringe
Desert Xerofiles
Tectonic depression plains
Islotes
Reefs and Rocky Bottom
Threat
Rank
Poaching
5
Coastal Fringe
Desert Xerofiles
Tectonic depression plains
Introduction of Exotic
Species
5
Coastal Fringe
Desert Xerofiles
Incompatible
Recreation Activities
5
Strategy
• Patrolling, especially with Profepa
inspector
• Ensure rangers have adequate
equipment for patrols (Radios, etc.)
• Carry out an outreach program
with resource users
• Prepare materials for outreach
• Develop a patrolling program with
the local fishing sector
• Carry out park patrols to monitor
fishing and tourist activities
• Carry out environmental education
activities
• Implement an eradication program
(rats, cats and goats)
• Monitor refrigerators and nets that
are brought to the islands to ensure
they do not harbor rodents
• Carry out a monitoring program
• Provide environmental education
to tour service providers
Tectonic depression plains
Islotes
Reefs and Rocky Bottom
Coastal Fringe
Desert Xerofiles
Tectonic depression plains
Coastal fringe
Fishing camps and
Other Related
Activities
Incompatible
Infrastructure
Development
5
• Carry out park patrols at camping
areas and trails
• Establish a training and
accreditation program
• Develop and promote a code of
ethics for tour service providers
• Educate port captains
• Hold periodic meetings with
tourism sector
To be determined
5
To be determined
Industrial fishing is the most significant threat to Loreto Bay National Park and the marine
buffer zone of Isla Espíritu Santo Migratory Bird and Wildlife Refuge. Domestic and foreign
industrial fishing vessels heavily utilize the marine area of these reserves. Industrial vessels
harvest thousands of tons of shrimp and commercially valuable fish, as well as sea turtles,
marine mammals and spawning fish. The introduction of exotic species is the greatest threat to
the terrestrial environment of the islands of Loreto Bay National Park and Isla Espíritu Santo
Migratory Bird and Wildlife Refuge. The introduction of species such as goats, pigs, dogs, rats,
mice, cats, rabbits, burros and innumerable insects and plants to these islands. results in
predation on endangered endemic species. Resource piracy also represents a significant threat
to endangered endemic island species, sea turtles and other valuable fish and shellfish species
in Loreto Bay National Park and Isla Espíritu Santo Migratory Bird and Wildlife Refuge.
Dumps and sewage outfalls in Loreto and La Paz release toxics into the coastal and marine
systems. Contamination can adversely impact the health of fish and shellfish stocks.
Unregulated discharge of sewage adversely impacts coastal and marine environments. The
island of Loreto Bay and Espíritu Santo are popular destinations for ecotourists. Ecotourists
may sometimes introduce exotic species to the islands. Uncontrolled tourism can result in
disturbances to sensitive island plant and animal species. Industrial shrimp vessels use drag
nets, which severely damage benthic resources. Coastal development in Loreto adversely
damages sensitive coastal and wetland systems. Sustenance fishing is also largely unregulated,
causing damage to commercial fish stocks. Sustenance fishermen often ignore spawning
seasons. Unregulated fish camps along the coastline and on islands result in habitat
degradation and the dumping of trash and human waste into sensitive ecosystems.
Conservation Strategy at the Site:
 Loreto Bay National Park was established in July 1996 as a protected area. The decree
initially protected only the islands and not the surrounding marine areas. Five months
later the decree was changed and the reserve became a national park – protecting its six
islands and their surrounding waters. Like many protected areas in Latin America, when
the park was decreed it lacked on-site staff and a conservation strategy. This situation
began to change in 1997 when the Mexican government funded on-site personnel to manage
the protected area. In the past two years, the focus has been on completing a management
plan, establishing a presence on site and in the local communities, and identifying the
threats to conservation of the area. The federal, state and municipal governments are
promoting an initiative requiring land use and coastal zoning which will strengthen current
natural resource management and use policies.
 Many of the activities currently underway are supported through the Parks in Peril (PiP)
program, such as the development of a management plan, long-term financial plans, park
patrols and environmental education. In particular, PiP is helping the reserve staff
strengthen its capacity to manage the reserve through offering training and developing
consolidation products. At the same time, local environmental groups are encouraging,
facilitating and advising government and academic sectors on the development of the
reserve’s management plan, land use and coastal/marine zoning for Loreto Bay and Isla
Espíritu Santo. These efforts represent the basis for conservation and sustainable use of
natural resources.