A guide for planners and managers - IUCN

278 MARINE AND COASTAL
PROTECTED AREAS
Update on Laguna de Tacarigua—1999
Laguna de Tacarigua’s management procedures and ecological situation since 1980
have not changed significantly. The need of extending the park’s management decisions
to the surrounding areas is still a must. However, in 1992, the marine boundaries that
ended at the seawater’s edge were extended 5 nautical miles offshore. The tourism
developments toward the eastern part of the area have suffered a more strict control
and the owners require that the park’s authorities monitor any remodeling of the
buildings.
Due to the work of NGO’s on certain endangered species, the management actions
have been rather successful in comparison with other coastal NP’s in Venezuela.
Inside the park’s boundaries some management actions have been successful.
Threatened species such as the Caimán de la Costa and sea turtles have been monitored
constantly and their nesting areas protected. In the surrounding areas outside the park,
INPARQUES has no authority as such control belongs to the Ministerio del Ambiente
y de los Recursos Naturales, of which INPARQUES depends institutionally. On the
marine side, INPARQUES coordinates actions with the Maritime Police of the
Miranda State Government.
In the social aspects, INPARQUES has been conducting an environmental
education campaign aimed at the local schools and, more recently, a voluntary
rangers group is being formed among young local residents.
Regarding the Rio Guapo delta, some limited actions have been taken, mainly
altering the watercourse at the Madre Casañas and directing the sediments to the low
lands. However no data is available on this matter and such appreciation remains to
be a very subjective one, drawn from the opinion collected from the different experts
consulted.
Since some efforts are being done in order to change the fishing behavior of
the local communities, mainly taking the pressure off the Laguna’s resources and
encouraging marine fisheries, the inlet has to be maintained open for the boats to
go in and out of the Laguna.
Source: José Ramón Delgado, Los Chorros—Caracas, Venezuela.
E-Mail Contact: jrdelgadopvzla@hotmail.com