Keywords
cienaga grande de santa marta, simulation, estuary, system dynamics, policydesign
Start Date
1-7-2010 12:00 AM
Abstract
The Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta is an estuarine lagoon located on theColombian coast. Given the lagoons variability, its connections to adjacent ecosystems, andits biodiversity and anthropogenic activity, it has long been a challenge to managers andpolicy makers to maintain the lagoon for sustainable use. A one-year joint project with theInstituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (INVEMAR) research institute and theUniversidad de los Andes resulted in the development of a system dynamics model to aid inthe design of sustainable policies for fishing control. The study presented here underlinesthe deceiving characteristics of feedback processes like fishing and biological dynamics,which generate unexpected impact on the lagoon. According to environmental variationsand the decision-making processes made by local fishermen, salinity changes and fishabundance scenarios were explored in a simulation model. Various technical tests wereperformed such as structure assessment, behavior analysis and numerical parametersensitivity. We suggest that the interplay among the reproduction loop, effort loop andcatch loop, shows that variations in catches are defined by decision making processes of thefishermen according to the ecosystem and hydrological conditions. Importantly, thesimulation model provided useful and novel approximations to support policy-designprocesses and discussions among local and regional institutions.
Deceiving Feedbacks: The Challenge of Policy- Design for Inshore Fishery Activities in Complex Ecosystems. The Case of the Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta
The Ciénaga Grande de Santa Marta is an estuarine lagoon located on theColombian coast. Given the lagoons variability, its connections to adjacent ecosystems, andits biodiversity and anthropogenic activity, it has long been a challenge to managers andpolicy makers to maintain the lagoon for sustainable use. A one-year joint project with theInstituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (INVEMAR) research institute and theUniversidad de los Andes resulted in the development of a system dynamics model to aid inthe design of sustainable policies for fishing control. The study presented here underlinesthe deceiving characteristics of feedback processes like fishing and biological dynamics,which generate unexpected impact on the lagoon. According to environmental variationsand the decision-making processes made by local fishermen, salinity changes and fishabundance scenarios were explored in a simulation model. Various technical tests wereperformed such as structure assessment, behavior analysis and numerical parametersensitivity. We suggest that the interplay among the reproduction loop, effort loop andcatch loop, shows that variations in catches are defined by decision making processes of thefishermen according to the ecosystem and hydrological conditions. Importantly, thesimulation model provided useful and novel approximations to support policy-designprocesses and discussions among local and regional institutions.
