Field Actions Science Reports (Dec 2012)
Abrolhos: challenges for the conservation and sustainable development of the area that encompasses the largest marine biodiversity in the southern Atlantic
Abstract
The Abrolhos Region, located between the south of Bahia state and the north of Espírito Santo state, harbours the largest known marine biodiversity in the entire South Atlantic. The two main economic activities in the region are fishing and tourism, both clearly dependent on the environment. In this context, social, economic, and environmental aspects are non dissociable and together should be the basis for sustainable development policies in the region. This article presents the most important experiences linking conservation and sustainable development in Abrolhos since the 1990’s. Among those, we highlight the creation of protected areas, notably the Parque Nacional Marinho dos Abrolhos (Abrolhos Marine National Park), created in 1983, and the Corumbau and Canavieiras Marine Extractive Reserves, created in 2000 and 2006 respectively; the successful experience of sustainable use of fishing resources - through implementation of no take zones, among other management actions - in the Corumbau Extractive Reserve; and the social achievements for local communities in the Canavieiras Extractive Reserve, stimulated by the establishment of a network of community organizations. Despite of these positive experiences, the Abrolhos Region still faces great threats, overfishing probably being the most visible. In order to strengthen the conservation actions in the region, the planned initiatives for the future include, among others, a large expansion of the marine protected areas network of the region and the creation of a Marine Conservation Fund to assure the continuity of the main conservation and sustainable development actions in the region.
