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Management of the Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem

GEF/UNDP Humboldt Current LME

By IW:LEARN

February 25^th, 2019

The Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem (HCLME) encompasses the coastal Exclusive Economic Zones belonging to Peru and Chile. The current brings cold water from around 40 degrees south to the equatorial zone. It also represents some of the world’s most productive ecological components and niches, including approximately 10% of the global fish catch. Therefore, it has been designated as a priority ecoregion for global conservation. A variety of economic, social and cultural activities depend on this ecosystem and the goods and services delivered are of global importance, amounting to more than 20 billion dollars per annum.

In order to ensure a management that preserves the ecosystem’s resilience, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) together with the governments of Peru and Chile, agreed to implement the GEF-UNDP-Humboldt Project “Towards Ecosystem Management of the Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem” (the Project) with funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF), co-funding from both countries and financial administration by the UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS). The Project aims to assist the governments in the development of public policies and management instruments to advance towards an ecosystem-based management of the HCLME. This will be implemented through a coordinated framework that strengthens the governance and the sustainable use of marine resources and ecosystem services.

The Project has identified five important fisheries for certification, including the Juan Fernandez lobster fishery which is now Marine Stewardship Council – MSC certified. In addition to this, nine studies on coastal marine ecosystems and five on artisanal fishing communities have been completed. More than 3,000 stakeholders and 40 civil society associations have been strengthened through technical and scientific training courses and meetings. Over 40 workshops have reinforced the planning and regulatory processes for the setting up, conservation and sustainable use of marine coastal protected areas.

The Project is being implemented in marine protected priority areas where training is given to different stakeholders with the intention of developing a participatory approach for marine coastal management, artisanal fishery management, tourism, maritime transportation and effluent control, among other areas.

The Project ended in December 2016 and on completion had delivered all its objectives including the central Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis and subsequent Strategic Action Programme (TDA-SAP). In addition, important Marine Protected Areas (MPA) were approved with associated multiple use management plans. In the Juan Fernandez Archipelago, a 11,000 square kilometre MPA set up around the Islands of Robinson Crusoe and Selkirk was approved in 2016. Two years later the area was more than doubled in size to 24,000 square kilometers by expanding the area to include important seamounts surveyed by the Project in 2015. Subsequently a 262,00square kilometer Marine Park was established in a wider area around the Juan Fernandez Archipelago.

In Peru, The Guano Islands and Capes National Reserve was established at the start of the Project. The Project was then instrumental in getting a management plan approved for the 22 islands and 11 capes.

During the six-year project implementation, the Project worked with a number of community groups living in association with the national parks and reserves in both countries. In particular, this work focused on three pilot sites in Peru (Lobos de Tierra Island in the north, Ballestas Islands and San Juan cape in the south) and the Juan Fernandez Islands and O’Higgins seamount in Chile.

Management of the Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem

ARTISANAL FISHERY COMMUNITY OF MARCONA (COPMAR)

At the southern end of the Guano Islands and Capes national reserve in Peru, an artisanal fishing community recognized the need to form an association to protect the natural resources they depend upon. The Artisanal Fishery Community of Marcona (COPMAR) consists of 16 associations, including a group of 600 fishermen, who work from shore and from boats. COPMAR represents these associations on issues related to conservation and the sustainable use of natural resources.

Before the arrival of the Project in 2003, COPMAR initiated the development of the Demonstration Pilot Program (PPD) in order to recover the aquatic ecosystem and sustainable use of Marcona’s biodiversity. As a result, an advising commission was put in place and in 2005 five objectives were identified that would be under COPMAR’s responsibility. Eleven projects have been developed aiming an integrated management of the resources along 23 km of the coastal marine strip in San Juan de Marcona.

The social component is vital for achieving natural resource use sustainability. The PPD was created by the artisanal fisherfolk after a development process and responsibility which started in 1991, with 80 using boat using and 120 shore based. For this reason, they are in charge of the challenge to develop this pilot experience.

Furthermore, it is important to highlight their capacity to be flexible and carry out different economic activities. They are not only dedicated to fisheries, but also to algae collecting. Through this practice they are adapting their community to climate change events: spending less time at sea, causing less pressure to the ecosystem and resources (while allowing ecosystem recovery) and finally, they dedicate their time to algae collecting activities. In this way, they are adapting to climate change effects such as stronger waves, turbulence and diminishing of quantity and quality of some hydrobiology resources that are important for the Peruvian cuisine.

Last but not least, COPMAR recognizes the government support through the Peruvian Marine Research Institute and technical support from the Production Ministry, Environment Ministry, the National Service of Natural Protected Areas, and others. Additionally, they recognize the support from the GEF-UNDP Humboldt Project, Punta San Juan UPCH-CSA Project, San Marcos University, La Molina University, and others in the construction of approaches and tools for the sustainable development of the district and region.

GEF-UNDP-HUMBOLDT PROJECT & ARTISANAL FISHERY COMMUNITY OF MARCONA

The Humboldt Current Large Marine Ecosystem Project delivers technical and financial support to the consolidation of the PPD – COPMAR initiative since it is a successful experience of co-management of aquatic resources. Thus, these activities have been executed in this pilot site:

Ecological Risk Analysis for benthic resources and other economic activities.
Guano extraction campaign in Punta San Juan.
Baseline activities: biodiversity studies, benthic resources evaluation, oceanography and studies on top predators in 2013.
Masterplan Workshops, community dialogues and training sessions on Ecosystem based management, and election process for the Management committee of the Punta San Juan Reserve
Sharing Experiences between Chile and Perú about Territorial Use Rights Fisheries (TURFs)

Links for video about Marcona and Punta San Juan:

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCc8xjNAhrM3-oeeqkX3VU3A/videos

Links for photos about Marcona and Punta San Juan:

Other important information for the Project:

In Chile, the artisanal fishing community based on Crusoe Island in the Juan Fernandez Archipelago* have fished the rock lobster for well over a century. Recognizing that the fishery was in danger of over-exploitation, the fishing community put in place a management plan and extraction zones. They were also instrumental in requesting a multiple use MPA. Along with the Chilean national and local government authorities, the Project hired local companies like ECOS and Concepcion University to assist the community with the request for the protected area, its management plan along with marine parks for the seamounts within the large protected area. Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification was also attained and the Project helped with a survey of the Breca fish used as bait for the lobster fishery to ensure that the fishery remains sustainable and can keep its MSC certification.

A sonar survey of the seamounts and surrounding areas was completed by the Project in 2015 leading to the creation of the large 262,00 square kilometer Marine Park in 2018.

The examples from both Chile and Peru demonstrate the importance of actions taken by artisanal fishing communities and the value of catalyst funding from the Humboldt Project to provide background studies to allow areas to be declared as marine parks and multiple use marine protected areas. The addition of approved management plans with their implementation involving the artisanal fisherfolk under co-management agreements together with certified fisheries ensures sustainable resource use over time.

*Islands steeped in history dating back to their discovery by the Spanish sailor Juan Fernández on 22 November 1574 and subsequently a base for British pirates.

For more information on this project, please contact Michael Akester, or visit the project website.

The project will be starting a new phase under the title Catalysing Implementation of a Strategic Action Programme for the Sustainable Management of Shared Living Marine Resources in the Humboldt Current System (HCS).

Footnotes

Header photo: ‘Waiting to land fish’ Artisanal fisherfolk in Ica Peru wait to offload their anchovy catch from the productive waters close to the Guano and Capes National Park. Credit: Michael Akester