The First International Conference on Marine Mammal Protected Areas

Protected Area of Mediterranean Importance essentially encompassing the entire
northern Alborán Sea and Gulf of Vera.
Management planning is regarded as a 7-step process, as follows:
• Establish conservation objectives;
• Define attributes to conserve;
• Establish specific objectives with respect to the attributes;
• Identify threats in relation to the specific objectives;
• Establish targets and indicators;
• Prioritize – bring stakeholders into the discussions at this point;
• Find consensus.
It is difficult to overstate the importance of stakeholder participation. Cooperation with
whale watching tourism can foster goodwill and contribute to data collection. Fishermen
are often both the most important and most difficult group of stakeholders to bring into
the process in a meaningful way. In the Alborán Sea, the fishing sector consists primarily
of a large fleet of small boats. <strong>The</strong> sector is not well organized or well represented, and it
is difficult to win the trust of the fishermen. With its particularities, the fishing sector is
almost impossible to control. Several things can help facilitate engagement. One is to
invite fishermen from other, successful MPAs to function as ambassadors and speak
with local fishermen. Another is for researchers working with the MPA to use the same
types of vessels as those used by the fishermen; this can gain them local respect.
Similarly, researchers working in shipyards can make a strong positive impression on
fishermen. Participation by fishermen in experimental fishing projects and in efforts to
develop measures to mitigate bycatch and depredation is beneficial for a variety of
reasons. Frequent meetings, both formal and informal but especially the latter (often one
on one), are essential. Examples of positive momentum stemming from stakeholder
engagement in the management process are (a) waste management on fishing boats and
(b) implementation of bycatch mitigation measures.
Four meetings have been held with the Spanish merchant navy and a formal presentation
has been made to the <strong>International</strong> Maritime Organization. As a result, an initiative has
been taken to relocate 25% of the world’s maritime traffic some 20 nautical miles (nmi)
south of Sur de Almería, one of Europe’s most valuable, and vulnerable, natural sites of
marine biodiversity. Another initiative has been to advise NATO of regional high-risk
areas for deployment of mid-frequency sonar.
ICMMPA <strong>Conference</strong> Proceedings
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