180 likes | 361 Views
SHARED CONSERVATION, MANAGEMENT AND USE OF SEA TURTLES IN NICARAGUA, COSTA RICA AND PANAMA. Lic. Nikolas Sánchez Espino Paulino Madrigal Rodriques, Lic. Candidato Sekita Grant, LLM Candidate. A Synthesis For Policy Makers. Project Overview. Domestic Law: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama
E N D
SHARED CONSERVATION, MANAGEMENT AND USE OF SEA TURTLES IN NICARAGUA, COSTA RICA AND PANAMA • Lic. Nikolas Sánchez Espino • Paulino Madrigal Rodriques, Lic. Candidato • Sekita Grant, LLM Candidate A Synthesis For Policy Makers
Project Overview • Domestic Law: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama • Local management and protection of nesting and foraging beaches • Regional Laws: The SPAW protocol to the Cartagena Convention, SICA, The Central American Biodiversity Convention, The Western Hemisphere Convention, DR-CAFTA • International Law: CITES, Biodiversity Convention, Bonn Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animal, RAMSAR, Law of the Sea Convention • Recommendations
Species of Significance • Loggerhead • Big Crustaceans • Green Turtle • Sea grass beds • Leatherback • Jelly Fish • Hawksbill Turtle • Sponges on coral
Lifecycle Adult feeding grounds Juvenile Photo:CCC file Photo:CCC file Mating Photo:CCC file Hatchlings Photo:S. Troëng Inter-nesting Egg-laying Photo:CCC file Photo:CCC file
Turtle Grass Species Range (Green Turtles) Caribbean Sea Tortuguero Brazil (one return) Green & Short (2003), Photo/foto Marjo Vierros Bermuda Turtle Project
Green Turtle Tag Returns <20 m Caribbean Sea Tortuguero Brazil (one return) Carr et al. (1978), Troëng et al. (In press, en prensa)
Threats to Sea Turtles • Tourism and Coastal Development • Lighting • Coastal Erosion • Consumption • Beach Mining • Climate Change: sea level rise, elimination of food sources, change in ocean currents • Fishing: direct capture (food, trade), incidental capture
Domestic Law • Nicaragua ~ Costa Rica ~ Panama
Nicaragua • Domestic Law • Constitution - fundamental legal basis for natural resource protection and management • Dichotomy • Article 60 - obliges State preservation, conservation and restoration of the environment and natural resources and to establish the appropriate structures and measurees to fulfill this mandate • Article 89 - recognizes the rights of Caribbean coastal communities to preserve and develop their cultural identity • Ley de Pesca y Acuicultura - requires use of TEDs, establishes penalties, allows non-commercial subsistence fishing • Loggerhead, Leatherback, Hawskbill protected (Green Turtle can be taken for subsistence purposes during an open season) • Others: Ley de Caza, Reglamento de Explotación y Prohibición de la Destrucción de las Tortugas (1958), Decreto Ejecutivo Relativo a la Veda de Tortugas en el Océano Atlántico (1972), Decreto de Prohibición de Aprehensión y Caza de Toda Clase de Animales Silvestres y Exportación de Huevos de Tortugas (1977), Ley N 2 (1983) (prohibits hunting of Loggerheads and Hawksbill Turtles), Ley General del Medio Ambiente y los Recursos Naturales, Ley de Normalización Técnica y Calidad, Resolución Ministerial que Establece el Sistema de Vedas de Especias Silvestres Nicaraguenses, Acuerdo Ministerial para el Uso de los Aparatos Exclusores de Tortugas • Responsible Organizations - MARENA • Local Management
Costa Rica • Domestic Law • Ley de Protección, Conervación y Recuperación de las Poblaciones de Tortugas Marinas (2002) • Applied international commitments into national law • Penalties for takes • Reiterates TED requirements • Ley de Conservación de Vida Silvestre - protects on land • MINAE Decreto Ejecutivo 26435 (1997) - lists all six marine turtle species occurring in Costa Rica as threatened with extinction • MINAE Decreto Ejecutivo 30364 (2002) - revises penalties for wildlife violations provided by the Wildlife Law 7317 • Responsible Organizations - MINAE, SINAC, INCOPESCA, Ministerio de Seguridad Pública and Servicio Nacional de Guardacostas • Local Management
Panama • Kuna Yala People have placed a ban for 5 years on turtle foraging even when they depend on these resource The ban last until november 19, 2011; but according to the resolution it might be extended if necessary.
Significant International Agreements • CITES • CMS • Inter-American Convention On The Protection and Conservation Of Sea Turtles • CBD • Ramsar • DR-CAFTA
Recommendations • Tripartite Agreement: Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama; or if the case, bi-national agreement between CR and PTY due to their demonstrated will to comply with it • Work with local communities • Awareness: development industry and local communities • Implementation of regional management plans based on nesting and foraging sites • Take into account all applicable domestic, regional and international laws • Economical and ecological sea turtle value identified, measured and accounted to developed a base line for resource management and development.