Luciano Hiriart-Bertrand
Other projects
28 Feb 2014
Using Scientific-Based Approaches to Promote the Establishment of a Marine Protected Area for Threatened Humboldt and Magellanic Penguins in Southern Chile
27 Aug 2019
Marine and Coastal Areas of Indigenous Peoples: A Novel Approach to Scaling Up Marine Biodiversity Conservation Efforts in Chile
Marine and Coastal Areas for Indigenous Peoples (MCAIP) represents a novel instrument for scaling up marine conservation in Chile. In essence, penguins’ colonies usually occur within areas where indigenous communities have requested its administration. Considering that this regulation allows participatory initiatives based on community approaches, targeting key species such as penguins may results on a first-based conservation implication. This project aims to raise knowledge about penguins´ conservation in the Mahui Dantu MCAIP, south of Chile, through the combination of traditional knowledge with the biology, ecology and conservation information in order to promote good practices to improve tourism operations recently established.
Magellanic penguin and two chicks.
This project represents the first initiative to conserve target marine species through indigenous communities in Chile. As penguins’ colonies occur in several areas where Marine and Coastal Areas for Indigenous Peoples (MCAIP) are requested and begun to establish, identified specific criteria to promote the improvement of populations are key. In effect, raising knowledge and building capacity oriented to manage natural populations of charismatic species has been identified as a main target. Additionally, indigenous communities in Chile have not been recognized as First Nations´ yet, nonetheless all international agreements that Chile signed critics its lack of participation. By demonstrating that MCAIP are a complementary instrument to improve marine biodiversity conservation, as well as a strong community needs, we believe that this regulation will be recognized as a powerful tool to preserve, conserve and manage coastal marine ecosystems. Therefore, indigenous communities have the rights to implement local regulations in order to eradicate threats and to improve population rate recovery of marine species such as penguins.