National fisheries policy and legislation provide for the participation of fishers in fisheries management regimes, This is consistent with regional and global fisheries policy such as CCRP and SSSF, and promotes the involvement of fishers and their organisations in fisheries governance.
Additionally the strategy directions and objectives of potential/realized partners promote effective relationships for capacity building, technical support, and facilitating a seat at the table.
• Existing policy/legal framework.
• Organisations with converging interest.
• National, regional and global fisheries governance initiatives.
• Focus, effort and teamwork required to benefit from enabling environment.
• Awareness of existing realities and environment is importan.
Use of Information and Communications Technology (ICT)
Promotion of active participation
Governance model
The results of the multi-sectorial dialogues are reflected in agreements regarding implementation plans. These agreements form the basis for establishing the model of governance, or in other words the set of formal and informal rules and their enforcement mechanisms. The agreements document the stakeholders’ understandings of the geographical delimitation of the area, its zoning, and the management category. They also establish the steps to be followed in the process for implementing the management areas, such as the consolidation of a governance model through a Local Council, which is a figure that gives legal support composed of diverse representatives.
Availability of the representatives of the public sector (SINAC) negotiating teams.
Technical and logistical support from the international cooperation.
Approach of collaborative facilitation and alternate resolution of conflicts.
Stakeholders are empowered by the process through participation in developing agreements. These agreements are a starting point and not a point of arrival, since they set the stage for future cooperation and implementation. The role of the facilitator and mediator must be neutral and independent, as it is a technical role in organizing social process. Maintaining a single platform of dialogue is important, but with opportunities for the facilitator to meet separately with each sectors. Other sectors not identified at the start in accordance with the development of the process should be included (e.g. semi-industrial fishing).
To promote voluntary participation and to achieve consensus among the key sectors involved, stakeholders including local authorities, fishermen, local residents among others, are identified through a previous mapping of actors. The different sectors then propose their representatives who are formally committed to the process by signing a document. A multi-sectorial dialogue platform is established and the interests of the stakeholders are discussed using an approach of collaborative facilitation and alternative dispute resolution. This platform addresses the issues of geographical delimitation of the management area, and the governance model with roles and responsibilities by sector and areas of use.
The process is facilitated by a neutral and recognized mediator in the area.
Legitimacy of the process by means of the accreditation of institutional and community representatives.
Mapping of actors as preliminary input
The multi-sectorial dialogue platform promotes social cohesion among sectors. This space allows different groups to clarify about what they want and do not want to achieve in the protected area designation process. The team composed of the accredited stakeholders are the leaders of the process. The new communication dynamic created through the dialogues allows past disharmonies to disappear.
The scientific study identifies coastal and marine areas of Costa Rica that are particularly vulnerable to climate change impacts. The vulnerability analysis combined three factors: exposure, potential impacts and the adaptive capacity of communities to respond to these impacts. Through these three factors the climatic threats of sea level rise, atmospheric temperature rise and changes in precipitation patterns were evaluated to identify vulnerability. The analysis supports the prioritization of climate change adaptation actions for protected areas and districts of local communities. These actions include the recovery of key habitats such as riparian forests, mangrove forests, beach terraces and the relocation of touristic trails close to the beach within the protected areas.
Available scientific information.
Technical and financial support to address the process
Vulnerability to climate change varies widely in the study area and is closely related to human and economic development. The study found that implementation of possible adaptation measures must begin with changes in development patterns and the reduction of existing pressures on the ecosystem, otherwise known as non-climatic threats. The study also found that poor resource extraction practices and the establishment of coastal settlements increase the sensitivity of ecosystems and the exposure of coastal communities.
Three scientific studies provide technical information to identify areas that should be included in the national system of protected areas. An evaluation of marine ecoregions in Mesoamerica was the first step to achieve a marine and coastal biodiversity conservation agenda at the regional level. To meet the targets established for the eco-regional level, gaps in representativeness and integrity for the marine and coastal biodiversity in Costa Rica were identified through a comparison of the national system of marine protected areas with the sites of conservation importance identified during the evaluation. National sites of conservation importance were prioritized in the gap analysis. Additional technical evaluations to elaborate on the state of conservation at a local site level were done. This scientific information helped to build up considerations for local level priorities, and the actual and potential uses along with the use conflicts.
Committed International and national NGOs have technical and financial assistance to develop these scientific studies.
Costa Rica is a signatory country to international biodiversity conventions and agreements, committing them to increasing conservation measures for sites of biological importance.
The gap analyses for biological conservation are a key element for the prioritization of sites of importance for conservation. The information provided in these studies constitutes a baseline to delve into more specific and local aspects. Scientific information enables informed decision making for increased conservation measures.
