Bárbara Galletti
Alfaguara Project: Conservation and Management of Blue and Sei Whales in Northwestern Chiloe Island, Southern Chile
Three Blue whales off Northwestern Chiloe Island - © Elsa Cabrera / CCC.
| Town/Region | Country | Categories | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Chiloe Island | Chile | Central and Latin America, Community, Ecotourism, Marine | 17 Jan 2005 |
The Northwestern area of Chiloé Island was described by Centro de Conservacion Cetacea as an important feeding ground for blue (Balaenoptera musculus) and sei (Balaenoptera borealis) whales. Nevertheless, the growth of unregulated and unplanned marine tourism activities could pose a threat to the conservation of this critical habitat for whales.
Alfaguara Project is aimed to educate and create awareness in two main communities of the area, regarding the development of responsible marine ecotourism and to design, in cooperation with the community, a comprehensive proposal for a management plan of the area that will be presented to national authorities.
To do so, the project includes the development of a scientific research program that will help monitor the populations of blue and sei whales present in the northwestern area of Chiloé Island. As a result, we expect to determine the potential impacts of whale watching activities and to establish the scientific basis for developing whale watching codes of conduct and/or regulations in the area. The program will also allow us to design a proposal to establish a Marine Protected Area for great whales.
However, the effectiveness of nature conservation and management of these areas depend substantially in local involvement. The educational strategies included in the project are oriented to enhance the understanding of nature processes and human impacts, and are aimed at tourist operators and visitors. We expect to prepare the basis for the development of marine ecotourism activities that promote the conservation of natural area, raise awareness in general public and create an identity in local communities with their cultural and natural patrimony.
The pilot project focuses in two coastal communities (Punihuil and Pumillahue) that are already starting to develop nature based tourism in the area. The results of the project will help improve and replicate the experience in other coastal communities of the country in the future.
For more information contact barbara@ccc-chile.org or go to www.ccc-chile.org