Marine Conservation Forum

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MARÆ SANÆ IN COMVNITAT PROSPERANS
Generating tools and lessons for poverty
alleviation in coastal communities in LAC - a new
vision for an old relationship between people and
marine turtles
Marine Conservation Forum United Arab
Emirates Abu Dhabi, 14 September 2006 WWF -
LAC Marine Turtle Program Carlos Drews
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MARÆ SANÆ IN COMVNITAT PROSPERANS
Generando herramientas y lecciones para aliviar
pobreza en comunidades costeras de Latinoamérica
- una nueva visión para una milenaria relación
entre gente y tortugas marinas
UNA - Costa Rica 28 Agosto 2006 WWF -
Programa de tortugas marinas para Latinoamérica y
el Caribe Carlos Drews
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(No Transcript)
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Healthy coasts healthy oceans ?
Decline of fish biomass in the N-Atlantic.
Source Pauly D. J. Maclean 2003. In a Perfect
Ocean The State of Fisheries and Ecosystems in
the North Atlantic Ocean. Island Press.
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Coastal Marine Challenges

• Coastal development
• Unsustainable resource use
• Wasteful fisheries (bycatch)
• Climate change

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Coastal Development
Island Male - Maldives (Photograph Yann
Arthus-Bertrand)
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Unsustainable resource use
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Wasteful fisheries (bycatch)
Lobster netting in Brazil - video by TAMAR
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Climate change
WWF / Melanie McField
WWF / Melanie McField
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Marine turtles an unusual reptile
Opportunity marine turtles as a
flagship/umbrella for broader marine
conservation, work on best practices in
fisheries, integrated coastal management and
marine protected areas.
Slide by Raquel Briseño y Laura Sarti
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Livelihoods of coastal communities significantly
improved through sustainable benefits from marine
resources.
Healthy coasts healthy oceans
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What healthy coasts healthy oceans look like?
ask Columbus
Green turtles in the Caribbean 15-30 fold decline
since colonial times Source Jackson et al. 2001
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Livelihoods of coastal communities significantly
improved through sustainable benefits from marine
resources.
?
Coastal development Selective sustainable
fisheries Habitat resource protection Climate
change
?
?
?
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Livelihoods of coastal communities significantly
improved through sustainable benefits from marine
resources.

• ecotourism
• charismatic
• population trends
• bycatch mitigation

• A catalyst
• A communications tool
• An indicator
• A vehicle

Healthy coasts healthy oceans
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• Situation deficient documentation of our
  socio-economic impact on coastal communities
• suboptimal efficiency to address root causes of
  community- driven threats to marine ecosystems
• full impact and potential of our interventions
  to alleviate poverty is invisible, and therefore
  not acknowledged by donors
• Our thesis Community-based marine turtle
  conservation and regional bycatch reduction are
  vehicles to strengthen governance, build capacity
  and fortify the institutional backbone needed for
  sustainable fisheries, empowered communities and
  healthier oceans.

Healthy coasts healthy oceans
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Marine turtles occur predominantly in countries
with developing economies.
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About 2/3 of developing nations have one or more
species of marine turtles.
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Livelihoods of coastal communities significantly
improved through sustainable benefits from marine
resources.
Indicators of livelihood condition? Indicators of
sustainability? Indicators of ecosystem health?
Healthy coasts healthy oceans
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Species at risk
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Why and where in Latin America?
Global phytoplancton production Source
Lighthouse Foundation
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The good news Conservation works!
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Community capitals sensu Flora et al. 2005
Concept Indicators under development -
supported by WWF-Sweden (SIDA)
Manfred Max-Neef Desarrollo a escala humana
1986 - Satisfactors
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FUNDAMENTAL NEEDSSubsistence Protection
Affection Liberty Understanding Creation
Participation Leisure Identity Transcendence
POVERTIES WELL BEING
UNSATISFIED
SATISFIED

• SATISFIERS

Activities Work
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Money talks how much is a marine turtle worth?
NON- CONSUMPTIVE USE
CONSUMPTIVE USE
A marine turtle is worth more alive than dead
By Sebastian Troëng and Carlos Drews (2004)
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Marine turtles a driver of cash income

• Two thirds of countries with developing economies
  have marine turtles
• 175,000 turtle tourists / year, more than 90
  sites in more than 40 countries.
• 2002 - US 6.7 mio in Tortuguero (235 guides,
  26.292 visitors)
• 1,280 employees (60 female) in Brazil by
  Projeto TAMAR (merchandizing tourism)
• Gross revenue 3 x higher for use of turtle alive
  than dead

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Marine turtles strengthening local governance
Women Association of Friends of Leatherback
Marine Nat. Park - Costa Rica APRORENANB in
Chiriquí Beach - Panama Parents association and
youngsters in Junquillal - Costa Rica
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Marine turtles a cultural asset or a victim?
Eight to nine thousand turtles killed annually in
Mexico for consumption as white meat during
lent.
Comaac community (Seri) reinitiate the caguama
ritual in Baja California
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Marine turtles improving social well-being?
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Marine turtles coastal livelihoods - a regional
approach
Budget US 1.9 million 4 years (FY07-10)
WWF-Germany Tourism initiative with tour operators

• Standardized concept methodology
• Acceptable sample size
• Control communities
• Longitudinal monitoring (contribution to SocMon)

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Junquillal Beach - community awareness to protect
leatherbacks
Migration routes
Gabriel Francia
2004 100 nests poached 2005 0 of nests poached
Data Laura Sarti/Scott Eckert
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Livelihoods of coastal communities significantly
improved through sustainable benefits from marine
resources.
Artisanal fisheries similar challenges
Healthy coasts healthy oceans
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Livelihoods of coastal communities significantly
improved through sustainable benefits from marine
resources.
LAC Fisheries Officer Moisés Mug
Marine Turtles
Fisheries
Bycatch
Healthy coasts healthy oceans
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Reducing Fisheries Bycatch
A joint initiative by the LAC Marine Turtle
Program and the LAC Fisheries Program, with IATTC
Studies by NOAA/NMFS large circle hooks reduce
turtle catch rate by over 70.
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A teams work

• Region-wide collaborative work (8 countries)
• Industry, artisanal sector, Fishing Authorities,
  NGOs from
• Mexico Miguel Cisneros Co.
• Guatemala Sara Perez Co.
• El Salvador Sonia Salaverria Co.
• Costa Rica M. Mug, A. Segura, S. Andraka Co.
• Panama Lucas Pacheco.
• Colombia Luis Zapata, Lilian Barreto Diego
  Amorocho
• Ecuador Martin Hall, Erick Largacha Co.
• Peru Michael Valqui Co.
• Partners IATTC, NOAA, USAID, US State
  Department, WCPFC, Japan, Ocean Conservancy,
  Mustad, Packard, Royal Caribbean, OSPESCA
• Oversight and coordination
• Global Marine Program and Global Species Program
  (Robin Davies)
• Miguel Jorge, Moises Mug, Carlos Drews, Kimberly
  Davis
• Scientific and technical support Martin Hall
  (IATTC)

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The largest marine fisheries conservation project
in LAC

• Our policy work (RFMO Fishing Authorities)
• IATTCs bycatch related resolutions
• MoU between WWF and OSPESCA (Central American
  Fisheries And Aquaculture Organization) to
  promote sustainable fisheries by-catch
  mitigation as a priority area of collaboration
  (September 2005).

• High profile and priority within WWF network
• By-catch program was proposed by WWF
  International as a Global Keystone Initiative.
• MAG 2006 recommended focusing global efforts to
  consolidate the by-catch program in the Eastern
  Pacific.

The Rome Decision
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Two years of WWF work (2004-2005)

• More than 60,000 J hooks replaced by circle hooks
  and experiments with onboard observers completed
  in all countries.
• More than 300 fishermen have participated in
  experiments and many more in training workshops.
• Working relationships established with NOAA and
  with the world biggest fishing gear provider, the
  Norwegian company Mustad, that have donated
  200,000 hooks for the by-catch program in LAC.

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OUR CHALLENGE
Altar 11 (Ecuador)

• 1,229 industrial fishing vessels in the EPO (10
  EPO coastal countries) (larger than 24 m long,
  mean size is 45.5 m). Fishing trip duration 4-6
  months.
• More than 3,800 LL fishing vessels, including
  artisanal smaller than 24 m. Plus thousands of
  outboard motor boats that fish with long-lines
  (16,000 only in Ecuador). Fishing trip duration 5
  to 30 days.
• IATTC covers industrial fisheries both purse
  seine and long-line. Artisanal long-line fleet in
  LAC is an opportunity.

Ballena (Peru)
211 Donwon (Korea)
Chen Chieh 21 (Taiwan)
Don Jorge (Costa Rica)
Fong Kuo 6 (Vanuatu)
LL fleet. Manta, Ecuador
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Trans-Atlantic Leatherback Conservation
Aitkanti 4 months - 4.500 km 840 m depth.
Implementation Partners WWF Latin America the
Caribbean Program (LAC), Costa Rica WWF France
(Guyanas Program), French Guiana WWF - Gabon,
Gabon CID/Karumbé Proyecto Tortugas Marinas del
Uruguay, Uruguay Centre dEcologie et Physiologie
Energétique CEPE, France Caribbean Conservation
Corporation, Panama IUCN-France Bureau Régional
du Programme Kudu, Gabon Projeto TAMAR -
Brasil Duke Center for Marine Conservation -
USA University of Swansea - UK WIDECAST Sponsors
Convention on Migratory Species
(CMS) WWF-Netherlands, WWF-Germany, WWF-US,
WWF-UK, WWF-International, Nokia, SkyTV, The
Latin School of Chicago
Kawana 20 days - dead in a gillnet
www.panda.org/atlantic_leatherbacks
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Bycatch mitigation
Best practices
Selective gear
Competitive markets
Data collection, monitoring evaluation
On-board observer program
Access rights
Capacity
Management
Sustainable fisheries
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When marine turtles meet the sky
71 of Earths surface 97 of the Earths
water 50 of worlds population within 60 km of
the ocean
A blue planet with a changing climate
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Water temperature - how does it affect marine
biodiversity?

• Bleaching The heat and/or UV radiation causes
  algae that provides food for the coral to die
  (ejected) and turn white. That puts the coral in
  critical condition.

WWF / Melanie McField
WWF / Melanie McField
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Rising sea level - how does it affect marine
biodiversity?

• Changes in coastline (erosion)
• Increases in water depth

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Altered sea currents - how do these affect marine
biodiversity?

• Changes in salinity, water temperature, nutrient
  flow
• Altered dispersion of propagules (eggs, larvae)
• Altered migratory paths

www.panda.org/atlantic_leatherbacks
www.hawksbillwwf.org
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A WWF Case Study The Impact of Climate Change
to Hawksbill Turtles
A simulation of scenarios and their impact on
hawksbills and their habitats in the Wider
Caribbean

• Climate Change Effects
• 1) Increased sand temperatures, which can lead
  to changes in sex ratios or potentially result in
  mortality
• 2) Increased ocean temperatures, which can lead
  to coral bleaching and other damage to turtle
  feeding habitats
• 3) Loss of nesting and feeding habitats due to
  sea-level rise
• 4) Changes in ocean currents, which can modify
  migrations paths and feeding patterns
• 5) Extreme rainfall events cause water tables to
  rise and can flood nests from underneath
• 6) Extreme rainfall events can degrade feeding
  habitats, such as coral reefs and sea pastures,
  through increased sedimentation.

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WASHINGTON --A one-two punch of bleaching from
record hot water followed by disease has killed
ancient and delicate coral in the biggest loss of
reefs that scientists have seen in Caribbean
waters. Associated Press - 31st March 2006

• CORAL BLEACHING DURING FALL 2005
• Early conservative estimates from Puerto Rico and
  the US Virgin Islands about one-third of the
  coral has died recently.
• A NOAA report issued in February calculated that
  96 percent of lettuce coral, 93 percent of the
  star coral, and almost 61 percent of the brain
  coral in St. Croix had bleached.
• New NOAA sea-surface temperature figures have
  found that the sustained heating in the Caribbean
  last summer and fall was by far the worst in 21
  years of satellite monitoring.
• In the past, only some species bleached during
  hot water spells, and the problem occurred only
  at certain depths. But in 2005, bleaching struck
  far more of the region, at all depths and in most
  species.

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What you can do about climate change?
go to the movies on June 2nd in D.C. !
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The resistance and resilience of marine
biodiversity - a look at the past to understand
the future

• Palaeoclimatology - short term fluctuations
• The Earth's climate has fluctuated many times
  between warmer interglacials and colder Ice Ages
  during the last 2 million years, driven by
  changes in the Earth's orbit around the Sun.

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Climate change marine species - added value to
a conservation agenda

• Priority setting long-term perspective
• Conservation amplifiers strategy tailored for
  long-term sustainability, covering biodiversity
  under the umbrella of the flagship species
• Charismatic vehicle powerful communication tool
  for physical and biological impact of climate
  change
• Shared resources, shared responsibility
  migratory nature of species and global scale of
  greenhouse effect calls for coordinated
  adaptation and mitigation action between several
  nations
• Species People Linked Futures advocacy tool
  for the role of healthy environments in local
  development of coastal communities.

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Livelihoods of coastal communities significantly
improved through sustainable benefits from marine
resources.
QUOD ERAT DEMONSTRANDUM
Improved livelihoods
Abundant turtles
Healthy coasts healthy oceans
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species/lac-marineturtles
Contact Carlos Drews LAC
Regional Marine Turtle Coordinator cdrews_at_wwfca.or
g WWF - LAC Program, San José, Costa Rica
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"Generating tools and lessons for poverty
alleviation in coastal communities in LAC - a new
vision for an old relationship between people and
marine turtles" by Carlos Drews, WWF LAC
Regional Marine Turtle Coordinator Abstract Lack
of comprehensive documentation of the
socio-economic impact of our interventions in
coastal communities has hindered progress toward
maximizing our efficiency to address the root
causes of community-driven threats to marine
ecosystems. In addition, the full impact of
species conservation projects and the potential
to alleviate poverty has not been visible and,
therefore, not acknowledged by donors. The
concept of livelihoods and community capitals
accommodates various avenues to catalyze local
development, that should be formally incorporated
into our programs. Community-based marine turtle
conservation and regional bycatch reduction are
vehicles to strengthen governance, build capacity
and fortify the institutional backbone needed for
sustainable fisheries, empowered communities and
healthier oceans.