Sin ttulo de diapositiva

1
Gaps in the decision process of the use and
management of coastal resources in Yucatan,
Mexico
Acknowledgments We thank to local authorities
that provided information in the interview and
reports. To Dr. Capurro who leads the Costal
Erosion Project at CINVESTAV (CONACYT G34709-T).
S. Palacios, A. Cuevas and A. Guzmán Ph D.
students at CINVESTAV. The first author thanks to
CONACYT for a Ph. D. scholarship.
Laura Vidal Silvia Salas CINVESTAV Unidad
Mérida. Levidal_at_kin.mda.cinvestav.mx
ssalas_at_kin.mda.cinvestav.mx
THE PROBLEM Environmental legislation cover a
wide range of resources protection, however
interpretation and application depends on a
political and administrative structure many times
with unclear vinculation at different levels of
government. The question is who has to be
fully responsible of coastal ecosytem
management?, some cynical replay said the most
powerful one within the governmental hyerarchy.
This paper attempts to bring some ligth to this
problem using examples from Mexico.
THE STUDY We provide a synopsis of the land use
in Yucatan coast based on different sources of
information including a survey undertaken in 10
coastal municipalities in the summer of 2001, in
order to understand the institutional
arrangements operating at local level in coastal
communities. The interview was undertaken with
local authorities based on a semi-structured
questionnarie.
INTRODUCTION Scientific advice on ecosystem
management has improved in the last 20 years. The
potential of numerical models and progress in
ecology theory gives confidence of reaching the
goal of sustainable management at some stage.
However, in spite of these improvements, there is
a step in the management exercise which may
reduce the effectiveness of environmental
legislation. There may exist aspects of the
ecosystem to be legislated that are relevant to
various government bodies, so each one will
discharge its responsibility througn their proper
interest. This is an invitation to confussion and
conflict of interest.
1 Celestún 2 Hunucmá 3 Progreso 4 Ixil 5
Sinanché 6 Yobain 7 Dzidzantún 8 Dzilam de
Bravo 9 San Felipe 10 Río Lagartos
RESULTS MAIN COASTAL PROBLEMS IN YUCATAN
INSTITUTIONAL ARRANGEMENTS Authority on the
natural resource management is assigned at
Federal, Provincial (State) and Municipal (local)
levels. Diversity of institutions are in charge
of regulation in terms of water quality, resource
protection, fisheries, ports and harbours,
independent one of each other. No integrated
coastal management plan exists. The flow of
information among institutions goes mainly from
Federal to Provincial level, were impact
assessment of coastal activities are evaluated
(in pink) while important decisions are taken
mostly at local level with limited information.
Question marks show the gaps.
Urban and tourist expansion
Increase in deck facilities
Overfishing
BEACH PROFILE Levels of authority of different
regulation bodies of coastal zones in the
Peninsula are unclear. Zones as the federal
terrestrial-sea, are excluded from most entities.
At local level, municipal affairs concentrates
mainly on the hinterlands, while territorial sea,
federal zone and wetlands are managed at federal
level. Because of that, for areas with special
protection not consistent rules apply, in some
cases the protected areas include a segment of
territorial sea in others starts in the wetlands
which complicates the jurisdiction of different
body authorities.
Garbage pollution
Water quality reduced
Problems
Erosion

• LEGISLATION PROBLEMS
• No rules exist in the application of ecology
  laws at local level, common sense is mostly
  applied in the decision process.
• Limited impact assessment is required for new
  development programs.
• There is limited or null participation of people
  in the coastal communities in the definition of
  regulations.
• Limited or nule communication exist between
  different levels of authority for definition and
  implementation of regulations.
• Land use criteria is not clear in some areas.
• There is imprecision in the way to implement
  laws.
• There is limited or null enforcement of the law.

TAKE HOME MESSAGE Coastal areas face the impact
of multiple users over limited resources. The
multidimensional nature of the coastal problems
makes it difficult to evaluate all impacts taking
place and their interactions. Authorities need to
acknowledge the identified gaps and support the
work developed by interdiciplinary groups done in
this direction. We are working towards a new
vision to integrate social, economic, ecological,
oceanographic and legal aspects to create a
useful framework in the definition of sustainable
policies. International participation has been
and will be welcome.