Mexico Plans Controls for the Sea of Cortez and its Bordering Land Areas
Monday, July 3, 2006
Mexico Plans Controls for the Sea of Cortez and its Bordering Land Areas
By Barnard R. Thompson
The Mexican Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), onJune 21, 2006 published a notice in the Official Daily (Diario Oficial de laFederación) of not just national but too international interest andimportance. Notice that a law that better manages Mexicos Gulf ofCalifornia (Sea of Cortez) and its contiguous coastal areas is to go intoeffect, plus a call for comments on the draft proposals a publicopportunity that will end 60 days from the publication date.
The Notification of the Proposal of the Marine Ecological Ordinance of theGulf of California refers to a 168-page Spanish language document that isnow available for review and comment, part of a Mexican government publicconsultation mechanism. A link to the draft document can be found on theSEMARNAT Internet site, plus print copies are available at sites listed inthe published notice. Information on an English language synopsis of thedocument and its attachments, and the public comment process, is obtainablevia mexintel@ix.netcom.com.
*The Proposal of the Marine Ecological Ordinance of the Gulf of California,hereafter referred to as the Proposal, is divided first into sections thatin turn are subdivided and indexed to deal with 15 Coastal Management Units(UGC), and seven Oceanic Management Units. The coastal and land zones canbe described as starting at Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur; running upthe Gulf of California to its northernmost Baja California- Sonora terminus;and back down mainland Mexico to Punta Mita, Nayarit, which is justnorthwest of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. And then the southern demarcation isan oceanic line drawn straight between Punta Mita and Cabo San Lucas.
The Oceanic Management Units, or UGOs, include the islands and everythingelse within the greater marine limits.Environmental protection and natural history interests heavily influencedthe draft Proposal it would seem, especially when hearing participant andworking group member lists are also taken into consideration. To the degreethat developers, landowners, tourism interests, recreation and sportsenthusiasts, and some entrepreneurial sectors seem to have gotten the shortend of the stick. Yet maybe this is necessary considering the fragility ofthe region, and the exploitation of certain areas therein.
From the very beginning, the Proposal states that the ordinance is designedto be an environmental planning and policy instrument. A management planimplemented due to need, and a working program that will be kept currentthrough the continuous work and involvement of all levels of government,along with civil and sectoral interests.
This plus regular reviews in orderto make changes or adjustments when deemed necessary, and to enforce thecode and principles.To theoretically insure a balance between environmental protection andproductive activities, with the goal of a regional development vision basedon sustainability, a large Marine Ecological Ordinance of the Gulf ofCalifornia Committee was formed, and work began on June 5, 2004.According to the draft document, this two-part committee consists of anexecutive section and a technical division. A committee of the whole thatwill govern and direct processes to institutionalize a plural participationmechanism in order to prevent and attend to environmental conflicts in theregion, and thus legalize decision making around regional development, the document states.
So work began, divided into four basic categories: characterization;diagnostic; prognosis; and proposal. And this last point called for thedraft Proposal now completed and under final review, the model of ecologicordinance and ecological strategies.Information and concerns regarding each of the 22 UGC and UGO units areoutlined in the Models chapter, whereas the recommendations and plans fornot only marine areas and insular properties, but too for adjacent coastallands, are found in the Ecological Strategies chapter of the Proposal.
Among the items addressed, especially within the Ecological Strategies, arepoints and matters anyone interested in the Gulf of California, its coastalenvirons, and its flora and fauna might want to review and maybe submitcomments.The Ecological Strategies are discussed in nine subtitles: regional trends;general sustainability actions; interaction between marine and coastalenvironments; inter-sectoral; social participation; inter-cultural;follow-up process; precautionary focus; and research agenda.Commercial fishing is a concern, as are aquaculture sites.
It goes into coastal area land problems, especially agricultural runoff areas. And itmentions energy exploration and exploitation.The Proposal addresses tourism and land developments, plus urban growthproblems in vulnerable locations. Among other things, marinas are aconcern, recreational boating (and commercial shipping) are worries, and itasserts pleasure activities such as sportfishing must be controlled.
Mexico Plans Controls for the Sea of Cortez and its Bordering Land Areas
By Barnard R. Thompson
The Mexican Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), onJune 21, 2006 published a notice in the Official Daily (Diario Oficial de laFederación) of not just national but too international interest andimportance. Notice that a law that better manages Mexicos Gulf ofCalifornia (Sea of Cortez) and its contiguous coastal areas is to go intoeffect, plus a call for comments on the draft proposals a publicopportunity that will end 60 days from the publication date.
The Notification of the Proposal of the Marine Ecological Ordinance of theGulf of California refers to a 168-page Spanish language document that isnow available for review and comment, part of a Mexican government publicconsultation mechanism. A link to the draft document can be found on theSEMARNAT Internet site, plus print copies are available at sites listed inthe published notice. Information on an English language synopsis of thedocument and its attachments, and the public comment process, is obtainablevia mexintel@ix.netcom.com.
*The Proposal of the Marine Ecological Ordinance of the Gulf of California,hereafter referred to as the Proposal, is divided first into sections thatin turn are subdivided and indexed to deal with 15 Coastal Management Units(UGC), and seven Oceanic Management Units. The coastal and land zones canbe described as starting at Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur; running upthe Gulf of California to its northernmost Baja California- Sonora terminus;and back down mainland Mexico to Punta Mita, Nayarit, which is justnorthwest of Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco. And then the southern demarcation isan oceanic line drawn straight between Punta Mita and Cabo San Lucas.
The Oceanic Management Units, or UGOs, include the islands and everythingelse within the greater marine limits.Environmental protection and natural history interests heavily influencedthe draft Proposal it would seem, especially when hearing participant andworking group member lists are also taken into consideration. To the degreethat developers, landowners, tourism interests, recreation and sportsenthusiasts, and some entrepreneurial sectors seem to have gotten the shortend of the stick. Yet maybe this is necessary considering the fragility ofthe region, and the exploitation of certain areas therein.
From the very beginning, the Proposal states that the ordinance is designedto be an environmental planning and policy instrument. A management planimplemented due to need, and a working program that will be kept currentthrough the continuous work and involvement of all levels of government,along with civil and sectoral interests.
This plus regular reviews in orderto make changes or adjustments when deemed necessary, and to enforce thecode and principles.To theoretically insure a balance between environmental protection andproductive activities, with the goal of a regional development vision basedon sustainability, a large Marine Ecological Ordinance of the Gulf ofCalifornia Committee was formed, and work began on June 5, 2004.According to the draft document, this two-part committee consists of anexecutive section and a technical division. A committee of the whole thatwill govern and direct processes to institutionalize a plural participationmechanism in order to prevent and attend to environmental conflicts in theregion, and thus legalize decision making around regional development, the document states.
So work began, divided into four basic categories: characterization;diagnostic; prognosis; and proposal. And this last point called for thedraft Proposal now completed and under final review, the model of ecologicordinance and ecological strategies.Information and concerns regarding each of the 22 UGC and UGO units areoutlined in the Models chapter, whereas the recommendations and plans fornot only marine areas and insular properties, but too for adjacent coastallands, are found in the Ecological Strategies chapter of the Proposal.
Among the items addressed, especially within the Ecological Strategies, arepoints and matters anyone interested in the Gulf of California, its coastalenvirons, and its flora and fauna might want to review and maybe submitcomments.The Ecological Strategies are discussed in nine subtitles: regional trends;general sustainability actions; interaction between marine and coastalenvironments; inter-sectoral; social participation; inter-cultural;follow-up process; precautionary focus; and research agenda.Commercial fishing is a concern, as are aquaculture sites.
It goes into coastal area land problems, especially agricultural runoff areas. And itmentions energy exploration and exploitation.The Proposal addresses tourism and land developments, plus urban growthproblems in vulnerable locations. Among other things, marinas are aconcern, recreational boating (and commercial shipping) are worries, and itasserts pleasure activities such as sportfishing must be controlled.
posted by La Punta Realty at 3:17:00 PM
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