ENVIRONMENT-ARGENTINA: The Neglected Sea

By Marcela Valente Reprint | | Print |

Marcela Valente

BUENOS AIRES, Feb 2 2006 (IPS) - Unlike forests and mountains inhabited by indigenous people or small farmers who watch over natural resources, the sea has no one to defend it, at least not in Argentina. Although this South American nation has 4,000 km of coastline, no ocean reserves have been set up to protect the waters in its exclusive economic zone.

It’s not that the waters are short of resources. One of the world’s greatest hake and squid fisheries is to be found in the South Atlantic, and thousands of tourists a year come to Argentina’s south coast to enjoy the beaches, see the whales, and visit the many natural sanctuaries where penguins, seals and elephant seals abound.

So the Wildlife Foundation (FVS), a local environmental organisation, launched a nationwide radio broadcasting campaign Wednesday in an attempt to raise awareness about the importance of looking after the sea.

“We want to raise awareness about something that is not generally known, but that impinges on daily life when people go to the beach, or eat fish or shellfish,” Marcelo Acerbi, FVS conservation director, told IPS.

There are 40 protected areas of coastline in Argentina, under municipal, provincial or private jurisdiction, and most of them function poorly or not at all. There is only one reserve belonging to the state, but it is not strictly a marine one, and it was not delimited on the initiative of the state, but because of action by FVS.

This is the Monte León National Park in the southern province of Santa Cruz, which has 32 km of coastline. However, the protected zone is not a marine area, but a coastal- marine area.

This is not the case in neighbouring countries. Brazil has two protected ocean areas and another in the process of being created. Chile also has a marine reserve and a second in the works.

In fact, Chile’s protected area is cited as an example in one of the publicity spots put out by the Foundation as part of its campaign.

“At sea, protected areas are an insurance policy for fishing because they ensure the breeding cycles of fish and shellfish,” states the ad. In Chile, the creation of the Punto El Lacho reserve four years ago has increased the yield of “loco” (abalone) in that part of the Pacific Ocean ten times over, the broadcast continues.

Similar examples can be seen in the United States, Japan, or South Africa, where the value placed on the sea and its resources is shown by the creation of protected marine areas administered by the national governments. In every case, their demarcation and operation has led to improvements in the quantity and quality of resources.

“We want fishing to go on forever. A network of protected marine areas is needed, and not just at the provincial but at the federal level,” the broadcast concludes. It was produced jointly by the environmental organisation and the Argentine Association of Private Radio Broadcasters.

FVS is aiming its campaign not only at conservation, but also at sustainable uses of marine areas, especially in terms of tourism and fishing. But how can an ocean area be marked out and preserved?

“Undoubtedly, it’s more difficult than on land,” Acerbi admitted. First, the resources to be preserved must be determined, and then the area is defined using geographical coordinates, the expert explained.

The degree of vulnerability is established on the basis of the presence of endangered species or the need to preserve feeding grounds. Preservation of typical coastal landscapes in regions with a massive influx of tourists, like the beaches of the eastern province of Buenos Aires, must also be considered.

Once the scientific description of the reserve has been established, the area can be demarcated. The most vulnerable zones are set aside for strict conservation, others for sustainable use, with close monitoring, and others for continuing scientific research into the secrets of the sea, Acerbi explained.

Management of ocean reserves depends on whose jurisdiction they fall under, but FVS believes that it is best to involve all stakeholders: national, provincial and city authorities, coast guards, scientists, environmentalists, fishermen and tourist operators.

“Modern, participative management systems are needed,” said Acerbi. “For instance, it’s impossible to exclude the fishing industry from management of a reserve, because preserving fishing resources guarantees the sustainability of their business.”

Protected areas would enable setting limits to where fishing boats can go, how many can remain in the area, and in what season. The same is true for whale watching, which should be regulated by fixing maximum tourist numbers, and setting prudent approach distances so that the whales’ breeding areas are not invaded.

“The whale-watching operators are essential allies in protecting the sea, and many of them are already working in this direction,” the expert added.