1. Incofish WP 9 Impacts of Marine Ecotourism

2. WP9 IMPACT OF MARINE ECOTOURISM

3. Description of Work Selected MPAs in the Eastern Tropical Pacific: –Galapagos Marine Reserve (oceanic archipelago) –Sanctuary of Flora and Fauna Malpelo (oceanic island) –Gorgona National Natural Park (continental island) –Machalilla National Park (coastal area) Great differences in size, accessibility, level of studies, tourism infrastructure, number of annual visitors and management. Efforts currently made to regulate marine ecotourism activities Comparison between MPAs will allow to identify and evaluate approaches to sustainable marine ecotourism at local and regional levels

5. Objectives  To provide scientific basis for the management of marine ecotourism in protected areas Determine the most appropriate criteria to evaluate the impact of ecotourism in MPAs based on carrying capacity and/or limits of acceptable change Design and define indicators that respond to those criteria Identify and implement efficient, cost-effective monitoring protocols for the indicators Assess human impacts on biological communities at specific sites through the application of the monitoring protocols Elaborate/improve conservation and management strategies for the conservation and management of the MPAs

6. D9.1 DEFINITIONS ANA CRITERIA Criteria to determine carrying capacity and LACs for ecotourism in the four MPAs under study, including a revision of experiences with ecotourism outside the Eastern Tropical Pacific (report; month 12) D9.2 INDICATORS, STANDARDS AND THRESHOLD VALUES: Indicators to monitor impact of ecotourism in Marine Protected Areas: design, testing and evaluation (report, step-by-step tool, month 21) D9.3 A SCALE OF APPROPRIATE MANAGEMENT RESPONSES: Testing of concepts and indicators with special focus on stakeholder involvement, interactions with WPs, final report (report, month 33) D9.4 SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATIONS AND DISSEMINATION TO STAKEHOLDERS: Dissemination of results to stakeholders, administrators of the protected areas and scientific community. At least five scientific publications to be published or submitted by WP9 members before the end of the project (month 33). WP 9: Deliverables

7. March 06 to Feb 07 –Analize –Select and –Evaluate / test indicators in the 4 MPAs, From and original list proposed during the first WP 9 workshop in Bogota

8. Result of seperate selction and validation processes in the 4 MPAs –9 criteria / 17 indicators Galapagos Marine Reserve –10 criteria / 16 indicators Machlilla National Park –9 criteria / 16 indicators Flora / Fauna Sanctuary Malpelo –9 criteria / 14 indicators Gorgona Natural National Park

9. 2. WP 9 Workshop Galapagos December 2006 –Definition of common criteria and indicators for all MPA’s with (hopefully) utility at a regional and possible broader level (to be validated) –7 criteria y 14 indicators For each indicator –Monitoring protocols created –Threshold values (“acceptable limits”) identifies within LAC concept. Confusion in original plan: protocols delayed

10. WP9 up to date with Deliverables. 2007 application and further testing of all agreed common indicators –Demonstrate viability –Confirm threshold values Essential: work together with MPA administrations –Indicators must be continuously applied –Thresholds accepted –Appropriate management measures and corrective decisions making guaranteed. Indicators not part of regional package, but important for specific MPAs will or can be applied according to the same principles for each specific area..

11. Results A proposal of definition for Marine Ecotourism was developed as a basis for defining indicators Indicators were designed,tested, evaluated and selected for each MPA, separately A regional battery of criteria and indicators was defined from the batteries selected for each MPA The first scientific paper has been finished A technical paper – regional code of conduct- is being produced Solid relationships with administrators have been established LACs and monitoring protocols have been defined

12. Next steps C&I System will be tested in year 2007 basing on MPA batteries The regional battery will be tested at a theoretical level in four LMAs Through new data a second analysis on the criteria and indicators will be made to consolidate the proposed list and the C&I system Monitoring protocols for each indicator will be checked and the ranges of variation proposed will be adjusted Management responses will be defined based on LACs Information will be published under scientific and technical formats and will be shared with key actors in Marine Ecotourism

13. Risks and opportunities Management tools strongly dependant on specific administrations So far no country/wide principles of application Changes in MPA adminstrative staff may introduce insecurities Strong dependance on a small group of technicians so far Ecuador: –CDF: at the moment excellent cooperation and interaction with RMG and GNP technical staff – hopefully stable –ECOLAP : at the moment excellent cooperation with MNP administration. But no local Park staff with appropriate level of education/training availble. Dependance on private stakeholders. Colombia: –Fundación Malpelo: strong link with Park admnsitration through delegation policies within Colombian PNN administration. Continuity guaranteed as long as this situation lasts. –Gorgona: is not formally part of WP 9, but has participated from the beginning throug Colombian PNN invitation within WP 9. Trainign personnel retired.Future particiaption insecure.

14. Opportunities Participation in 2. WP 9 workshop –Panama: Coiba –Costa Rica: Cocos Island Baulas National Parl –Good contacts and keen interest among administrators –Participation of WP 9 in Gorgona workshop of –CMAR project (support by CI) –Participation in CMAR (Marine Corridor) Group of experts on tourism

15. Cooperation with other WP So far limited to correspondence Meeting during this week to explore possibilities for extended application of indicators

16. Management tools VERP, VIM, LAC and ROS analyzed –All are part of the same family of adaptive methods, but are different in stressing different swteps in the procedures, and devolopped one from the other – Galápagos, Malpelo and Machalilla : VERP (Visitor Expereince and Resource Protection) –Gorgona (???) only LAC as the best management alternative (they didn’t get it right yet).

17. Publications First scientific paper derived from WP9: –Contribution to the construction of a concept for management of tourism in marine ecosystems: review of the present scenario through study cases in four marine protected areas of the Eastern Tropical Pacific A regional code of conduct for appropriate behavior during marine ecotourism activities, Information to be provided to Fish Base in relation with target tourism species in the four MPAs. Topics for two additional scientific papers –impact of tourism activities on the behavior of target species –results of the application of indicators and protocols and their value for global use Technical document, –interpretation manual about target species in ecotourism in marine environments for the general public.