Mexico´s Ocean Policy, Strategies and Actions

in the Gulf of Mexico

GCOOS-RA Board of Directors Meeting

Porfirio Alvarez Torres, PhDDirector for Regional and Sectoral Integration

Secretariat of Environment and Natural ResourcesSEMARNAT

Orlando, Florida, 25-26 Feb 2009

Ocupación del espacio costero

ENVIRONMENTAL OCEAN POLICY BACKGROUND

1992Rio de Janeiro, Agenda 21 (Chapter 17)

2001-2003World Ocean Conference

2002Johannesburg Summit

2004Environmental Evaluation (coastal areas integrated management)

2004National Consultative Council for Sustainable Development recommended to build an environmental ocean policy

2005Federal Fiscal Authority, called for an integrated policy on ocean and coastal areas

Ocean Management

EU Maritime Policy

Oct. 2007

An Ocean Blueprint for the Century

Ocean Commission, Sep. 2004

Sustainable Development

Strategy for the Seas of East Asia,

Dec. 2003

National Environmental Policy

for the Sustianble Development of

Oceans and Coasts Mexico,

Oct. 2006

Steps to develop a National Policy for Oceans and Coasts

“NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY FOR THE

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE OCEANS AND

COASTS OF MEXICO”

Provides the strategic framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and coasts.

Includes the guidelines to articulate public and sectorial policies.

Build on ecosystem based management and ecosystem based approach.

Proximidad a línea costeraProximidad a línea costeraPlanicie costeraPlanicie costera

Vegetación costeraVegetación costera

ENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIAENVIRONMENTAL CRITERIA

Perfil hipsográfico (200 msnm)Perfil hipsográfico (200 msnm)

Cuencas costerasCuencas costeras

SIG`s & MULTICRITERIA ANALYSISSIG`s & MULTICRITERIA ANALYSIS

EXPERT CONSULTATIONEXPERT CONSULTATION

MARINE PORTION.- Continental PlataformMARINE PORTION.- Continental PlataformMARINE PORTION.- Continental PlataformMARINE PORTION.- Continental Plataform

ISLAND PORTION.- Federal jurisdictionISLAND PORTION.- Federal jurisdictionISLAND PORTION.- Federal jurisdictionISLAND PORTION.- Federal jurisdiction

CONTINENTAL PORTION.- 263 municipalities in the littoral CONTINENTAL PORTION.- 263 municipalities in the littoral with a high and medium coastal nfluence indexwith a high and medium coastal nfluence indexCONTINENTAL PORTION.- 263 municipalities in the littoral CONTINENTAL PORTION.- 263 municipalities in the littoral with a high and medium coastal nfluence indexwith a high and medium coastal nfluence index

COASTAL ZONE BOUNDARIES DEFINITION

The President mandates to: 1. Elaborate the General Land Use Planning Physical Model

for the Territory

2. Elaborate a National Ocean Policy

3. Strengthen the Strategy for conservation of coastal

wetlands, particularly mangrove ecosystems

4. Enhance the Strategy for the Protection of Coastal and

Marine Biodiversity

5. “… build inmediately the Interministerial

Commission for the Sustainable Management

of Oceans and Coasts (CIMARES). This

Commission will be encharged to formulate at

the national level the necesary policies and

strategies”

NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE LAND AND SEA USE PLANNING OF THE TERRITORY IN OCEANS AND COASTS

Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Feb 21 2007

• Integrated vision and nation wide coverageIntegrated vision and nation wide coverage

• Strengthen federal coordination mechanisms Strengthen federal coordination mechanisms

• Mainstreaming and crosscutingMainstreaming and crosscuting

• Optimize current capacitiesOptimize current capacities

• Enhance social participation and adaptive managementEnhance social participation and adaptive management

• Enhance communication, extension, transparency and Enhance communication, extension, transparency and

accountabilityaccountability

• GovernanceGovernance

• Integrated vision and nation wide coverageIntegrated vision and nation wide coverage

• Strengthen federal coordination mechanisms Strengthen federal coordination mechanisms

• Mainstreaming and crosscutingMainstreaming and crosscuting

• Optimize current capacitiesOptimize current capacities

• Enhance social participation and adaptive managementEnhance social participation and adaptive management

• Enhance communication, extension, transparency and Enhance communication, extension, transparency and

accountabilityaccountability

• GovernanceGovernance

PRINCIPLES PRESIDENTIAL DECREED.O.F. 13 DE JUNIO 2008

Interministerial Commission for the Sustainable Management of Oceans and Coasts, CIMARES

INSTALACIÓN DE LA CIMARES1º de diciembre de 2008

ACUERDOS DE LA SESIÓN

• Se declara instalada la Comisión• Se acepta la designación del Secretario Técnico• Se aprueba el Reglamento para la operación de la CIMARES• Se sanciona la estructura de las Subcomisiones y Grupos de Trabajo• Se acepta el programa de trabajo y los 27 temas prioritarios• Se acuerdan las fechas de sesiones ordinarias 2009 que se realizarán el

13 de abril en Mazatlán, Sin. y 12 de octubre en la Ciudad de México.

SUBCOMISIONES Y GRUPOS DE TRABAJO

OE Marino Regional

OE Regional (en zonas costeras)

OE Locales o Municipales

Ordenamiento Ecológico en Mares y

Costas

Esquemas Institucionales para la Administración Integral

y Sustentable de los Mares y Costas

MAPA DE ACTORES E INVITADOS

ACTORES PRODUCTIVOSCÁMARAS SECTORIALES

MIEMBROS DE LA COMISIÓN:

GOBIERNOS DE LOS ESTADOS COSTEROS

ONG´s

GOBIERNOS MUNICIPALES

Únicamente los municipios costeros de la entidad donde se realizará el evento (en su caso) ACADEMIA

UABC, UABCS, CICESE, CIBNOR, USON, CIDESON, UAS, CIAD, UAN,

UDEG, UCOL, UAGRO, UMAR, UNACH, UAT, UV, UJAT, UACAM, UQROO, UADY, CICY, ECOSUR,

UNAM, UAM, IPN

INVITADOS

Consejos Consultivos para el Desarrollo Sustentable

Sea and Land Use Processes

MarinoRegionalLocal

1

2

3

4

6 7 8

9

10

1112

13

14 15 16

17

18

19

20

21

22

5

2324

25

1. Costa de Sonora2. Marino del Golfo de California3. Municipal de Loreto4. Municipal de La Paz5. Municipal de Los Cabos6. Estatal de Durango7. Región Cuenca de Burgos8. Marino y regional del Golfo de México y Mar Caribe9. Estatal de Querétaro10. Cuenca del río Tuxpan11. Region Mariposa Monarca12. Volcán Popocatepetl y su zona de influencia13. Estatal de Yucatán14. Costa de Yucatán

15. Municipal de Lázaro Cárdenas16. Municipal de Isla Mujeres17. Municipal de Benito Juárez18. Isla de Cozumel19. Corredor Cancún -Tulum20. Municipal de Solidaridad21. Región Costa Maya22. Estatal de Chiapas23. Municipal de Ixtapaluca24. Municipal de Chalco25. Municipal de Tlalmanalco

Procesos sin convenio

26. Municipal de La Huerta27. Municipal de Cihuatlán28. Municipal de Tomatlán29. Laguna de Zapotlán30. Cuenca del Valle de México

Estrategia de Mares y Costas

• Mapping all sectoral activities• Reduce environmental and social conflicts• Promotes sustainability in regions• Encourage sectors to prevent and reduce

environmental impacts• Protects natural heritage• Provides certainity for investment• Reconsiders the process of occupation and use of

the territory• Defines the intensity of use of the territory• Promotes alternative solutions to sectoral activities• Supports informed decision making for other

environmental instruments (i.e. EIA, Coastal Federal Areas, Change of Land Use)

Benefits of Land and Sea Use Planning Process

Veracruz

Tabasco

Campeche

Tamaulipas

Quintana Roo

Yucatán

MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING

Land area.-144 coastal countiesMarine area.- EEZ of Gulf of México and Caribbean Sea

Current status of the Land and Sea Use Planning Process in the

Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea

Committee and Environmental Logbook

Formulation

AgreementCoordinatonMOU

Committee

Plan Program

Adoption

Legally bindingDecree

PublicConsultation

Implementation

Linkage to(EIA)

Programing…

Evaluation

Indicators:*PoliciesGuidelinesStrategiesPhysical & EnvironCriteria

Report withResults*

X

Modification

Program Review &Update

Challenges to run the processN

1. Scarce and scattered information on the marine environment

2. Higher complexity compared to land use plannning

3. Limited information and geographical coverage

4. Tools for marine analysis limited

5. Need to elaborate a more creative and critical scenarios regardless of the limited tools and information availability

Sea and Land Use Process Analysis

Compilation of existing statistical and

cartographic information in federal agencies

Determine sea and land uses based on wide

participative workshops with sectors and civil

society

Main analysis conducted using multicriteria and

multiobjective approaches

Environmental indexes such as Pressure, Risk,

and Vulnerability play an important role to build

a strong and reliable Diagnostic on the marine

and coastal areas current condition

MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING

CHARACTERIZATION.- Land Area

MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING

Regionalization[Esc 1:250,000]

Region Coastal Land Areas

168,462.4 km2

HidrographySub-Cuenca [INEGI-INE-CNA, 2007]

Curvas de nivel. Hidrología superficial (ríos y cuerpos de agua).

Modelos digitales de elevación MDE.

Geomorphology

Land Use/Vegetation

SERIE III,

ENVIRONMENTAL LAND & COASTAL AREAS UNITS

CHARACTERIZATION.- Land Area

MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING

CHARACTERIZATION.- Marine Area

Regionalization[Esc 1:250,000]

Marine Area827,023.8 km2

GeologyCONABIO/INE/UNAM

Batimetry and Geomorphology

Carta batimétrica INE

HydrodinamicsUNAM

Primary Productivity & Temperature

FC-UABC, 2007

MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL UNITS

FLORA & FAUNACommercial species (CNP, 2006)

Protected speciesNOM-059-SEMARNAT

CHARACTERIZATION.- Marine Area

MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING

Tourism

Ports and Maritime industry

commercial

fishing

touristic

Fisheries Aquacultureindustrial

Energy

Oil

Electric

National Security

Conservation

SECTORIALWORKSHOPS

Sectorial interactions in the region

artisanal

MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING

Fragile Ecosystems

Primary SectorAgriculture, fisheries and livestock

Secondary SectorOil production activities and energy production

Terciary Sector Servicies, harbor storage facilities and oil distribution, Tourism Activities & Maritime transportation.

Coral ReefsIslandsCoastal areasBatimetryCurrent intensity

Pressure

GeomorphologyVegetationClimatePrecipitationSlope

• Main River Runoff • Fisheries

overexploitation• Degradation

processes• Ports and Oil activities

MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING

Hydrometeorological Risk Factors and Climate Change Impacts

Hurricane incidence

Risk of Flooding and sea level rise

Risk for Flooding and Rain

Vulnerability

MARINE ZONING AND COASTAL LAND USE PLANNING

Increasing development, port, tourism and oil exploitation activities

Seawage waters

Domestic and industrial

In coastal areas

Watershed dischargesIncreasing pollution

Increased in biological productivity with signs of euthophication

HABs

HYPOXIA condition in selected coastal areas

Lack of technologyIn mariculture

Ilegal fishing

Overexploitation ofFish stocks

Inestable coastal areas due to sea level rise

Increase in number and frequency of extreme meteorological events Sea floor changes

and coastal erosion

BIODIVERSITY LOSSDUE TO UNSUSTAINABLEFISHING PRACTICES

.

HIGHER

INESTABILITY OF

BENTHOS AND NECTON

POLLUTION

SEAWAGE

WATERS

DOMESTIC AND

INDUSTRIAL

FRAGILE CONDITIONDUE TO

INCREASING NUTRIENT

LOAD .

MARINE AND COASTAL AREAS OF THE GULF OF

MEXICO AND CARIBBEAN SEA

ARE HIGHLY DEGRATED AND

UNDER EXTREME INCREASING PRESSURE

Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea condition…

•Poor urban planning•Inadequate building codes•Inadequate ICZM•Lack of mitigation compensation mechanisms•Weak enforcement of urban regulation

•Poor agricultural practices•Poor planning•Lack of capacity•Lack of wastewater treatment•Weak enforcement•Aerosol Contaminants•Weak enforcement agricultural regulation

•Poor environmental planning/ •lack of assessment of impacts

•Increase fishing Effort

•Increase

technological

capabilities

•Non selective Fishing

Gear

•Uncertainty of

assessments

•Overcapitalizaton

•Deficient fisheries

control policies

Underlying causes

•Historical development planning (TOP-DOWN). Lack of ecosystem approach. Lack of integrated management. Poverty, Policies promoting increasing coastal population.

Root causes

Agricultural/ industrial/

urban pollution

Construction/ development in the coastal zone

PortTourism activities

Global climate change

Eutrophication and HABs

Overexploitation

Immediate causes

Habitat modification,Ecosystem degradation,

Loss of Resilence & Assests

Reduction of Fishery Stocks

Loss of ecosystems/

ecosystem services

Increased risk for endangered speciesImpacts

Municipal non treated seawage water (cubic meters) in 2005

Gulf of Mexico Large Marine EcosystemGulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem

Participant countries: Mexico-US (SEMARNAT- NOAA)The long-term development/environmental goal of the project

is: Sustainable development of the Gulf of Mexico LME enhanced through ecosystem-based management approaches

Project Objective: To rehabilitate marine and coastal ecosystems, recover

depleted fish stocks and to reduce nutrient overloading to the Gulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem based on an assessment and management approach that considers LME productivity, fish and fisheries, pollution and ecosystem health, socioeconomics and governance.

• Main activities

• Joint Integrated Assessment of the Gulf of Mexico• Monitoring ecosystem health and environmental

quality assessment• Conservation and restoration of coastal areas• Recovery of depleted fisheries stocks

Gulf of Mexico Large Marine EcosystemGulf of Mexico Large Marine Ecosystem

Identified Problems during the PDF stageIdentified Problems during the PDF stageP r o b l e m Mean Score Std DevProductivityEutrophication and HABs* 2.63 0.50

Lack of adequate wastewater treatment* 2.44 0.73

Lack of knowledge of productivity driving forces 2.00 0.52

Variability of phytoplankton and zooplankton 2.00 0.73

Lack of knowledge of carrying capacity 1.88 0.81

Oceanographic variability (loop current, eddies)* 1.75 0.86

Pollution and Ecosystem HealthHabitat modification (wetland loss, connectivity, loss of resilience) 2.69 0.60

Lack of information on pollution and ecosystem health 2.38 0.72

Loss of biodiversity 2.33 0.82

Invasive species 2.06 0.68

Impacts of expanded oil and gas development 1.56 0.89

Fish and FisheriesOverfishing of (shared, migratory, connected) stocks 2.63 0.50

Lack of knowledge of (shared, migratory, connected) stocks 2.31 0.60

Lack of understanding of keystone species in the food web 1.81 0.75

Effect of global climate change on fishery stocks* 1.63 0.89

SocioeconomicsInadequate assessment of value of environmental goods and services 2.63 0.62

Lack of data and analysis of current socioeconomic benefits 2.38 0.72

GovernanceMoving from single species to ecosystem-based management* 2.56 0.63

Present lack of mechanism for countries to improve ecosystem conditions 2.25 1.00

Cognizance of multiplicity of stakeholders to improve recovery 2.13 0.72

Lack of forum for considering additive and integrative ecosystem changes 2.00 0.73

Harmonization of institutional activities 1.94 1.06

Multiple-scale issues not well defined 1.93 0.88

Consideration not given to management of resources 1.56 1.03

Problems prioritizedProblems prioritized

Problem Mean Score* Std DevProductivityEutrophication and HABs* 2.63 0.50Pollution and Ecosystem HealthHabitat modification (wetland loss, connectivity, loss of resilience) 2.69 0.60

Fish and FisheriesOverfishing of (shared, migratory, connected) stocks 2.63 0.50SocioeconomicsInadequate assessment of value of environmental goods and services 2.63 0.62GovernanceMoving from single species to ecosystem-based management* 2.56 0.63

Final Remarks

Build a strong GCOOS SEMARNAT parternship

o Sign the MOA

o Data sharing

o Joint Monitoring

o Enhance Communication

o Enhance capabilities

GoM LME, NOAA-SEMARNAT

o Joint Integrated Ecosystem Assessment

o Monitoring

Gracias!