MPAtlas » Brazil

Brazil’s 9,000 km coastline -- crucial to a 43 million coastal inhabitants along with countless forms of sea life -- faces threats from rapid population growth, fishing, and oil and gas exploration [1]. Yet, less than 2 percent of the marine and coastal expanse falls within any official system of protection. Brazil’s National Commission on Biodiversity (CONABIO) set a national target of eventually bringing 10 percent of the marine and coastal zones under protection. With funding from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and financial management from the Brazilian Biodiversity Fund (FUNBIO), the Brazilian Ministry of Environment is planning to launch a network of marine and coastal protected areas, joining existing protected areas with newly protected zones, placing at least 5 percent of the total Brazilian marine area under some form of protection [1].

While the use of protected areas as tools in the conservation of biodiversity is not new in Brazil, the use of protected areas in aquatic environments is more recent (Atol das Rocas, the first marine biological reserve, was created in 1979) [2]. The first marine protected areas (MPAs) were created mainly with the goal of conserving biodiversity and protecting essential marine habitats. More recently, protected areas have also been proposed and implemented as tools for managing fisheries, particularly in areas of conflict over the use of coastal and sea spaces. Currently, two categories of terrestrial and marine protected areas are recognized in the legislation: those for total protection, aimed at protecting fragments of ecosystems from any human interference; and those for sustainable use, where the controlled exploitation of resources is permitted. There are examples of both types of protected areas in the marine environment [2].

Pioneer initiative to triple Brazil's marine protected areas project

20 Sept 2014

"Approved by the World Bank Board of Directors, the 18.2 million dollars Marine Protected Areas Project will benefit the 43 million people who live in Brazil’s 514 thousand km2 coast area. Financed by the Global Environmental Fund (GEF), the project will bring far-reaching social and economic benefits, protecting the capacity of coastal ecosystems to produce food, maintain good water quality, and increasing their resilience to and recovery from degradation. It will also increase the wellbeing and opportunities for traditional local communities that directly depend on fishing activities for subsistence

“The coastal zone is currently one of the most environmentally threatened regions in Brazil” said Izabella Teixeira, Brazil’s Minister of Environment. “The creation of conservation areas is fundamental to protect the ocean’s biodiversity and to maintain fisheries activities that currently represent some 800,000 jobs in the Country.”

The Brazilian coastal zone hosts an immense variety of environments and wildlife: from the longest continuous stretches of mangrove ecosystems in the world, to the only coral reefs existing in South America. All of them intensely submitted to human and economic pressure.

Currently, only 1.57% of Brazil’s seaboard territory is under the Marine and Coastal Protection Areas Network (MCPA), instituted by the Federal Government in 2000. For the first time, an initiative will take place not only to expand the existing MCPA, but also to promote its long term financial sustainability by developing innovative financing mechanisms."

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From Wikipedia:

National System of Conservation Units - SNUC

Brazil's 1988 Federal Constitution promotes an "ecologically balanced environment", as defined in article 225 on the environment, and vests the Brazilian government the responsibility of defending and preserving it. From this constitutional prerogative, Brazil has created the National System of Units of Conservation (Sistema Nacional de Unidades de Conservação - SNUC), through the Federal Law No. 9.985/2000 to devise a plan for sustainable development and land conservation.^[37]

Basically, SNUC divides protected areas into two groups: Full protection and sustainable use. Each group contains divers categories of units.^[38]

Units of Integral Protection (full protection): the protection of nature is the main objective of these units, so the rules and norms are more restrictive. In this group only the indirect use of natural resources is allowed; that is, one that does not involve consumption, collection or damage to natural resources. Examples of activities of indirect use of natural resources are: recreation in contact with nature, ecological tourism, scientific research, education and environmental interpretation, among others.

The categories of integral protection are: ecological station, biological reserve, park, natural monument and wildlife refuge.

Sustainable Use Units (sustainable use): these are areas that aim to reconcile nature conservation with the sustainable use of natural resources. In this group, activities involving the collection and use of natural resources are allowed, but provided they are practiced in a way that the permanence of renewable environmental resources and ecological processes is assured.

The categories of sustainable use are: area of relevant ecological interest, national forest, wildlife reserve, sustainable development reserve, extractive reserve, environmental protection area (APA) and private natural heritage reserve (RPPN).

In order to have flexibility on its land use policies, Brazil has created a dynamic system of regulations that promote and require sustainability practices be implemented. These are innovative frameworks as they offer the community the possibility to participate in decision-making and to apply financial mechanisms that make the system viable, as well as encouraging the conservation of natural environments.^[3

More Information:

Conservation Areas in Brazil

[1] Global Partnership for Oceans:http://www.globalpartnershipforoceans.org/marine-protected-areas-vital-restoring-biodiversity

[2] Food and Agriculture Organization: http://www.fao.org/docrep/015/i2191e/i2191e.pdf

204 MPAs:

7 Marine Managed Areas:

Abrolhos Marine National Park Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance
Atlantic Forest Southeast Reserves World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)
Baixada Maranhense Environmental Protection Area Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance
Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)
Discovery Coast Atlantic Forest Reserves World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)
Par.Est.Mar. do Parcel Manoel Luís incl. the Baixios do Mestre Alvaro and Tarol Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance
Reentrancias Maranhenses Ramsar Site, Wetland of International Importance