In Conversation with

Carlos Chacon

A Marine Conservation Breakthrough: How Latin America is Leading the Charge to Save Ocean Biodiversity

Amid a deepening ocean crisis, Global Fishing Watch’s Carlos Chacon says Latin American countries are charting a course that the rest of the world should follow

Our ocean is at a crossroads. Waters are warming. Marine species populations are in sharp decline. And the entire ocean ecosystem — from marine environments to the coastal communities that depend on them — is at risk. It is a stark reality that Carlos Chacon, Global Fishing Watch’s biodiversity officer for Latin America, faces as he works with countries across the Latin American region to protect their marine biodiversity and improve the management of their marine protected areas (MPAs).    

As the deadline for the United Nations’ target of protecting at least 30 percent of the ocean by 2030 looms, Carlos is leading Global Fishing Watch’s efforts in seven countries using cutting-edge data and analysis tools to help governments and local partners enhance their ocean stewardship capacities. What he sees is enough to keep him optimistic. 

“The scary news is that our ocean now is in survival mode,” he says. “But the good news is that there is also hope. If we work hard with governments and other relevant stakeholders, we can bring our ocean back to a sustainable state of being. If other governments around the world follow Latin America’s lead, we could confidently achieve the 30 by 30 objectives in time.”  

With less than a month to the 2024 United Nations Biodiversity Conference in Cali, Colombia, we asked Carlos to share his thoughts on Latin America’s role in achieving 30 by 30 and how he envisions the future of ocean biodiversity despite myriad challenges. 

How has Latin America improved in its efforts to protect marine resources and achieve better ocean governance?

The Latin American region is a global leader in marine conservation. This means it’s also very much a trendsetter when it comes to defining sustainable ocean governance. For instance, today we see countries as diverse as Belize, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Panama and Perú driving forward their commitment to transparently sharing vessel tracking data on Global Fishing Watch’s platforms. And we can see these efforts directly translate into better management of fishing and other vessel activities in and adjacent to their national waters and marine protected areas.

At the same time, the coordinated effort behind initiatives such as the Eastern Tropical Pacific Marine Corridor, also known as CMAR, is a key example of how governments are cooperating to preserve biodiversity-rich seascapes while generating social, environmental and economic benefits for coastal communities and national economies. In CMAR’s case, the ongoing commitment of the governments of Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador and Panama has helped nurture CMAR’s growth into an interconnected corridor that now protects 10 MPAs and encompasses an area spanning 2 million square kilometers of ocean. This is an extraordinary achievement.   

Finally, what we are seeing across Latin America is that managers of MPAs are steadily increasing their capacities by setting up cost-efficient technology centers to better leverage next generation online data portals such as Marine Manager. This, in turn, will help them boost their efforts to oversee human activities in their respective marine environments.  

Sometimes we hear of governments receiving pushback from industry and other stakeholders who are fearful of the negative economic impacts MPAs might have on their sectors. We know the environmental benefits of MPAs but what is the economic case for creating them?

There is significant evidence to show the economic benefits generated by creating and effectively managing MPAs. For instance, a study by Bucaram, Hearn et al., published just 10 years after the creation of the Galapagos Marine Reserve, found that fishing productivity of several species of tuna had increased in both the Galapagos exclusive economic zone (EEZ) and inside the marine reserve itself. This is known as the “spillover effect”, and it happens when mobile species migrate outside of an MPA and, in doing so, benefit fisheries and those that depend on them. 

In addition, effective MPAs that are accessible to the public generate billions in tourism revenue and create thousands of jobs. These jobs are usually in poor rural areas where people have few alternatives to making a living. Of course, the key to reaping these benefits is to implement effective MPAs. And by providing free access to cutting edge technology and data, Global Fishing Watch is actively supporting communities throughout the world as they strengthen their capacities to harvest the benefits of MPAs.

Fresh catch is prepared for sale at a fish market on Santa Cruz in the Galápagos Islands. Located in the central business district on the waterfront, this market is a hub for fresh seafood brought in by local fishers.

In July, Costa Rican authorities reported a drop in illegal fishing activity in the Cocos Island National Park and credited Global Fishing Watch tools for being “instrumental in monitoring and preserving” the MPA. Can you tell us a little bit about how our work with Cocos Island is helping Costa Rica enhance marine conservation there? 

For years, Costa Rica has been rightly lauded as a global conservation leader due to its extensive areas of protected land. However, until 2021, the country still had less than three percent of its marine territory designated as an MPA. That changed when, in 2021, Costa Rican authorities expanded the Cocos Island National Park and created the new Bicentennial Marine Management Area, instantly achieving Target 3 of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), which calls for governments to commit to protecting 30 percent of terrestrial, inland water, coastal and marine areas by 2030.

The two MPAs are enormous, covering more than 160,000 square kilometers of ocean and with a combined area three times that of all of terrestrial Costa Rica. But it is one thing to designate MPAs and another to manage them effectively. Indeed, effective management of MPAs can be highly resource intensive, frequently requiring sizable fleets to patrol and monitor waters. The Costa Rican government, however, turned to technology. By developing a new monitoring, control and surveillance center and leveraging Global Fishing Watch platforms such as Marine Manager and Vessel Viewer, Costa Rican authorities can now successfully monitor their precious marine resources in Cocos Island National Park and the Bicentennial Marine Management Area.

Moreover, through their partnership with Global Fishing Watch, Costa Rican park rangers and MPA managers have been receiving targeted training to better understand and use our tools for day-to-day management. Marine Manager’s ability to assess satellite data over time and monitor vessel activity in the MPAs has been game changing. In fact, analysis of the available data in our platform shows a reduction of over 98 percent of fishing activities in Cocos Island National Park during 2024, providing yet another example of technology increasing the monitoring capacities of managers and marine users, and of transparency delivering tangible results.

Carlos Chacon leads a session during two-day workshop on Marine Manager held at Parque Nacional Galápagos, bringing together staff from the national park and members from other local organizations to enhance marine management practices.

We are just six years away from 2030 when the international community will need to deliver on the 30 by 30 objectives. How are governments in Latin America faring at this juncture and what more would you like to see?

The implementation of Target 3 is a very important step for the sustainability of the ocean and the well-being of humanity. It is also a monumental task. But, in Latin America, we see that many countries have already achieved this goal. Chile and Panama have gone even further, designating over 40 percent of their EEZs as MPAs, and others are working to match this target. In many instances, Global Fishing Watch supports these efforts by providing technological tools and data, tailored analysis and expert advice.

As we approach 2030, I would like to see more countries committing to transparency around human activities at sea, so that they can increase their capacities to manage and protect their EEZs and the high seas. I would also like to see countries engage with all stakeholders to designate additional MPAs and other effective area-based conservation measures (OECMs) to protect more key marine territories, using the best available technology and data to make informed decisions.

Ultimately, the 30 by 30 target is not just about designation. It’s essential that designated areas are also effectively protected and managed. Countries must therefore dedicate resources to designing participatory management plans and work with all affected stakeholders to implement them. 

From the Summit of the Future and Climate Week in New York to COP16 in Cali, the international community has a busy schedule the next few months to discuss the future of our planet’s biodiversity and environment. What are some key issues you would like to see spotlighted in these international fora for governments to carry forward?

Our ocean covers more than 70 percent of our planet. It sustains life on Earth and produces roughly half of the oxygen we need to survive. It is also the main source of protein for over one billion people. And yet, its very survival is in question. During the last year alone, multiple scientific studies have warned about increasing sea surface temperatures and other anomalies affecting our ocean and the life in it. Studies are also showing an accelerated decline of marine species crucial for both commercial fishing and ocean biodiversity. It is increasingly common to hear local fishers say it is now harder for them to make a living at sea.

We need to reverse course, with governments and policymakers placing transparency at the heart of efforts to address global marine use and conservation. We cannot manage the ocean appropriately if we don’t have a clear understanding of all human activities at sea. Governments must also emphasize the crucial links between healthy fish populations, socioeconomic well-being and the effective implementation of the 30 by 30 target.

And, finally, it is critical that they place cost-effective, cutting-edge technologies at the forefront of ocean sustainability efforts. I firmly believe that humanity is taking long strides toward achieving a healthy ocean that will continue to nurture humanity. Global Fishing Watch will continue to play a critical role in helping governments achieve that goal.  

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