Management plan approved for the protected area “Mar de Juan Fernández”, the first under SBAP

A historic milestone for the Juan Fernández Archipelago and for Chile took place at the ceremony approving the management plan for the “Mar de Juan Fernández” Multiple Use Conservation Area, the first to come to light under the regime of the new Biodiversity and Protected Areas Service (SBAP).

The Minister (s) of the Environment, Máximo Proaño, stated that this milestone fulfills “a long-requested desire of the Fernandecian community, it is a step forward in effective protection”, adding that this milestone will encourage “continuing to work on the actual implementation of this plan that gives greater certainty and peace of mind to fishermen and the local community”.

This is the culmination of a process that began in 2016, when the State of Chile created the “Mar de Juan Fernández” Multiple-Use Coastal Marine Protected Area, and which continued with an extensive process of collaboration to establish a governance model. The local community, the State of Chile, academics, international donors and the marine conservation organization Oceana participated in it.

Among the most notable achievements of this process was the formation of the Local Management Council, with representative voices from the community, women and older adults, as well as tourism and fishing stakeholders from the Alejandro Selkirk, Robinson Crusoe and Desventuradas islands, an organization that was key to the community validation of the plans and the official approval of the management plan.

Pablo Manríquez, mayor of Juan Fernández, recalled those who decades ago began to propose the idea of ​​having a marine protected area and that today, thanks to the work of different organizations and the community, it has become a reality.

“All of this comes together on this important day in our history that will be remembered by the fishing community and that is the achievement of the management plan for our multi-use marine area,” he said.

In this way, progress is being made in the effective management of one of the most iconic places in the country and with the highest endemicity of marine species worldwide, in addition to continuing to protect the sustainable fishing of the Juan Fernández lobster, an activity that has been developing sustainably for more than 100 years, being an example worldwide.

“It has been scientifically proven that if communities participate and are part of management plans, protected areas will be better managed. We are very proud to have accompanied the community and the Government of Chile during the creation and establishment of management plans that will allow for effective management of the Juan Fernández Sea protected area,” said Liesbeth van der Meer, executive director of Oceana in Chile.

“Creating a protected area is only a small part of the work involved in conserving these biodiversity hotspots,” he concluded.