Scientists Study the Riches of the Mexican Pacific
Emilio Godoy - Tierramérica
go to original
July 02, 2009
10,000 hectares of mangroves - a forest ecosystem typical to coastal wetlands - disappear each year, according to official figures.
Mexico City - Mexico’s Pacific coast, one of the world's richest seaboards in terms of biodiversity, has been the focus of very few scientific
studies. A new observatory aims to fill that void.
The coastline includes nature preserves and protected areas that are home to an unknown number of plant and animal species, many of them unique to
Mexico.
The Jacques Cousteau Observatory will explore the physical, chemical, biological, climate and socioeconomic characteristics of the area, which will
serve as the basis for diagnosis and policies for sustainable management.
The Observatory, the product of scientific cooperation between Mexico and France, was inaugurated Jun. 23 and will involve some 30 scientists in its
operations.
The Northwest Centre for Biological Research, which is part of the National Science and Technology Council's system, serves as its initial
headquarters. Located in La Paz, in the state of Baja California Sur, it was chosen for its ongoing academic exchanges with scientific institutions in
France.
The Observatory was named in honour of the famous French sea explorer Cousteau (1910-1997), who referred to the Gulf of California (also known as the
Sea of Cortez) - the waters between the Baja peninsula and the Mexican mainland - as the "world's aquarium."
"The Sea of Cortez has drawn much attention in recent years. The mangroves there serve as true nurseries for marine species," Sofía Cortina, attorney
for the non-governmental Inter-American Association for Environmental Defence (AIDA), told Tierramérica.
Further, "the Pacific here is among the most important fishing waters and has some species that are unique, like the vaquita (Phocoena sinus), a
small, rare type of porpoise that is on the verge of extinction," said Leila Monroe, oceans policy analyst with the U.S.-based Natural Resources
Defence Council.
Eleven of the world's 232 marine eco-regions are found in Mexico. Of those, eight are located along the Pacific coast. The government's National
Commission for Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity established around 30 priority marine areas along the seaboard from the southern state of Chiapas to
the U.S. border.
"That area has great environmental value. In states like Guerrero and Oaxaca there are internationally important beaches for some species of sea
turtle, like the leatherback," biologist Ana Barragán, a specialist with the national sea turtle programme of Mexico's National Commission for
Protected Areas, told Tierramérica.
Mexico has six native sea turtle species, with three found along the Pacific: the black (Chelonia agassizii), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) and
Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) turtles. Today, the population of female leatherbacks is believed to be just 2,000.
Another important habitat is the Upper Gulf of California and Colorado River Delta Biosphere Reserve, a protected area of 934,756 hectares, created in
1993.
The area is home to 39 endangered marine species, according to the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List.
Mexico's mangroves cover about 800,000 hectares (62 percent on the Atlantic coast and the rest on the Pacific coast). Some 10,000 hectares of
mangroves - a forest ecosystem typical to coastal wetlands - disappear each year, according to official figures.
A 2008 study of Gulf of California mangroves by Mexican, U.S. and Spanish scientists concluded that the destruction of this ecosystem was causing
serious harm to local fishing industries.
According to the report, more than 26 fisheries of high economic value, which provide annual benefits of about 700,000 dollars per hectare, are
sustained by the Gulf's mangroves.
The area "is a huge cradle of biodiversity," said Barragán.
Mexico registered 113 wetlands, considered to be of global importance, with the Ramsar Convention. The 1971 treaty serves as a framework for national
action and international cooperation for the conservation and sustainable use of wetlands.
In Monroe's opinion, "one of the most important tasks of the Observatory will be to educate about the importance of marine species and habitat."
Cortina noted that there is a great deal of research yet to be done. "The Observatory is going to help, by providing objective elements about the
area's situation, which will help the government and non-governmental organisations."
Environmental groups warn that the states of Baja California, Chiapas and Jalisco, along the Pacific, are among the most vulnerable areas to the
effects of climate change in Mexico.
This story was originally published by Latin American newspapers that are part of the Tierramérica network. Tierramérica is a specialised news service
produced by IPS with the backing of the United Nations Development Programme, United Nations Environment Programme and the World Bank.vandenberg - 7-20-2009 at 07:37 AM
Larry,
Not everyone is as computer savvy as you, so a little tutorial maybe in order.Cypress - 7-21-2009 at 02:15 PM
Mangroves along the Sea Of Cortez? Must be on the mainland/east side.DianaT - 7-21-2009 at 03:17 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Cypress
Mangroves along the Sea Of Cortez? Must be on the mainland/east side.
???? I thought there were mangroves along the Sea of Cortez on the Baja east coast. Arn't those mangroves by El Requeson on Bahia Conception???Sharksbaja - 7-21-2009 at 03:23 PM
There are many places in Baja where mangroves serve as nursuries and need protection. Very sad that many trees have been destroyed as well for marinas
and development.Cypress - 7-21-2009 at 03:23 PM
jdtrotter, Yes. An acre or two at the most. We're talking about nearly 1,000 miles of coastline.DianaT - 7-21-2009 at 03:35 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by Cypress
jdtrotter, Yes. An acre or two at the most. We're talking about nearly 1,000 miles of coastline.
I remember reading somewhere that there were mangroves from way south up to the islands around Bahia de Los Angeles---will have to look for that
later, or maybe someone else has better information.
Overall, it really sounds like a good project. And where ever they are, I think mangroves are well worth saving---have been in some on the mainland,
and they are incredible places with such a diversity of life.
Diane
[Edited on 7-21-2009 by jdtrotter]Paulclark - 7-21-2009 at 09:06 PM
---There are mangroves on Isla Estritu Santos, Isla San Jose, a few in La Paz Bay, and in the bays towards Pinchilinge, San Bruno, Bahia Concepcion,
Mulege, etc.Sharksbaja - 7-21-2009 at 09:40 PM
Larry,good info for those that do not understand how posting others material impinges on their ability to make a living. It's theft pure and simple. I
know one young man who for whatever possesses him, downloads copywritten(sp?) material, mostly anime and video games. He's been pegged by IPs and
warned off but he still does it.
I am suprised you did not mention "open-source" material and software. That is what my son researches physics and chemistry with.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_source
[edit to add link]
[Edited on 7-22-2009 by Sharksbaja]Osprey - 7-22-2009 at 07:37 AM
Larry, if anybody is out there looking (listening?) you have done us the great and hopefully lasting service of pointing out that members who post
articles they found on search engines are many times just showing off -- they must have forgotten that most of us have keyboards and digits (or any
kind of small supple appendage) and we would much rather hear what members think about things than what they can find on the internet. Of course,
that's just me -- maybe some want others to google up things for them.LOSARIPES - 7-22-2009 at 08:26 AM
There are small spots of mangroves (Mangles) all along Baja..... so now that Mexico has made the French Connection they will "study" these things...
IMHO, what they need to do is what they already know: Protect them from the "human animals"... I have seen the (the animals) :
* Change oil to their cars and pouring the burned oil on the beach- can and all- right there, around the mangroves.
* Machete them down and carry a full truck load away. -mangroves are excellent for fish meat smoking"
* Drive their 4-wheelers around and through the small mangroves, stepping on them and killing them....
* Build fires in the mangrove bushes and burn green leaves to get rid of the mosquitos (jejenes)
* Peeing and pooing on the mangroves.
These "animals" will do anything and the worst part of it all is that nobody seems to care... I've seen police driving their pick-up trucks between
the mangroves and the water, killing the small plants. Sad but true. The animals don't know and they don't want to know.
Rather than Mexico making the now so called Jack Cousteau study, (French Connection) I'd like to see them making a connection with reality and
initiate a program of real protection with honest guards (honest?) and publish awareness programs. That ain't gonna happen.
The PROFEPA animals are more concerned with Gringos and Cactus. That is a money making connection. You touch one, chin-chin... you pay.
Gringo and Construction is another very profitable connection.. chin-chin-chin...(notice this is triple chin)... some Nomads are well aware of this
"Gringo Tax" BS.
One day I hope, the scientists will get out of their desks and apply all that technical knowledge. Studying.. observing... classifying... filing it
away and all will not do any good to those mangroves being -as I type- defecated on by those "animals"
Anyway... nothing against the French/Mexican scientific society. It is just that, it appears, they just make a living out of the dying planet.
