IDB – Panama

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Published on Friday, 16 December 2011 15:40

Written by Super User

Promoting marine conservation in the Gulf of Chiriquí (Panama)

Over the next three years the coastal communities of the Gulf of Chiriquí will benefit from the proposal for the “development of sustainable economic alternatives and conservation strategies in marine protected areas” that the MarViva Foundation has submitted with support from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

This is a timely project that will contribute to the preservation of marine resources and poverty reduction in eight communities of the Gulf of Chiriquí, specifically, the communities of Malena, Montijo (including Bongo and El Pilón), Santa Catalina in Veraguas province and Hicaco, Puerto Remedios, Boca Chica, Pedregal and Horconcito in Chiriquí.

This carefully formulated proposal is based on three pillars: awareness of the environmental impact that economic and recreational activities can have on the sea; the development of business activities with a focus on sustainability and the dissemination of project results during the three years.

In terms of the creation of opportunities for sustainable business activities, it proposes establishing 15 microenterprise ventures, two ecological trails to be administered by the communities, establishing and strengthening two community organizations for the extraction and commercialization of black conch and lobster, 13 local guides certified in cetacean spotting, implementing a program to socialize regulations for exercising informed participation, and preparing a guide on best practices for maritime transport to marine protected areas.

In addition, information will be generated that will be disseminated region-wide, including: assessments of the current status of black conch and lobster in two communities of the Gulf of Chiriquí, assessment of sport fishing activities in the Gulf of Chiriquí, a manual for park guards in marine protected areas and a manual for promoting citizen participation and access to environmental justice, as well as other public events to disseminate information generated by this project in the next three years.

Description of products:

A program to socialize regulations for environmental impact mitigation: This will be developed to ensure that citizens and community grassroots organizations are prepared to exercise informed participation in entities from which they can promote the conservation and sustainable use of the coastal and marine resources of the Gulf of Chiriquí.

This socialization program aims to provide tools so that everyone can exercise their right to be informed and the right to influence public policy, in a way that citizens participate effectively in the relevant entities to obtain information, participate in public consultations, form their own opinions, participate in public hearings, and to provide basic rules for informing the competent authorities (townships, public ministries, judicial bodies) about deeds that are harmful to a healthy environment and the sustainable use of coastal and marine resources, impacting the community, the region and the country and directly affecting all members of our society equally.

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