Marine Protected Dramas: The Flaws of the Brazilian National System of Marine Protected Areas

This article discusses the current problems and issues associated with the implementation of a National System of Marine Protected Areas in Brazil. MPA managers and higher governmental level authorities were interviewed about their perceptions of the implementation of a national MPA strategy and the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental management (New York) 2011-04, Vol.47 (4), p.630-643
Main Authors: Gerhardinger, Leopoldo C., Godoy, Eduardo A. S., Jones, Peter J. S., Sales, Gilberto, Ferreira, Beatrice P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic Pollution
Atlantic Ocean
Atmospheric Protection/Air Quality Control/Air Pollution
Biodiversity
Brazil
Coastal zone management
Conservation
Conservation of Natural Resources - economics
Conservation of Natural Resources - legislation & jurisprudence
Conservation of Natural Resources - methods
Conventions
Defects
Drama
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecology
Efficiency, Organizational
Environment
Environmental Management
Environmental policy
Fisheries - economics
Fisheries - legislation & jurisprudence
Fisheries - methods
Forestry Management
Government Regulation
Leadership
Management
Marine
Marine conservation
Marine protected areas
Nature Conservation
Networks
Organizational Objectives
Politics
Social-ecological systems
Strategic planning
Waste Water Technology
Water Management
Water Pollution Control
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Summary:This article discusses the current problems and issues associated with the implementation of a National System of Marine Protected Areas in Brazil. MPA managers and higher governmental level authorities were interviewed about their perceptions of the implementation of a national MPA strategy and the recent changes in the institutional arrangement of government marine conservation agencies. Interviewees’ narratives were generally pessimistic and the National System was perceived as weak, with few recognizable marine conservation outcomes on the ground. The following major flaws were identified: poor inter-institutional coordination of coastal and ocean governance; institutional crisis faced by the national government marine conservation agency; poor management within individual MPAs; problems with regional networks of marine protected areas; an overly bureaucratic management and administrative system; financial shortages creating structural problems and a disconnect between MPA policy and its delivery. Furthermore, a lack of professional motivation and a pessimistic atmosphere was encountered during many interviews, a malaise which we believe affects how the entire system is able to respond to crises. Our findings highlight the need for a better understanding of the role of ‘leadership’ in the performance of socio-ecological systems (such as MPA networks), more effective official evaluation mechanisms, more localized audits of (and reforms if necessary to) Brazil’s federal biodiversity conservation agency (ICMBio), and the need for political measures to promote state leadership and support. Continuing to focus on the designation of more MPAs whilst not fully addressing these issues will achieve little beyond fulfilling, on paper, Brazil’s international marine biodiversity commitments.
ISSN:0364-152X
1432-1009
DOI:10.1007/s00267-010-9554-7