Monitoreo Comunitario y Participativo de los Manglares bajo Acuerdos de Uso y Custodia de Manglar en Ecuador

Abstract

The regulations on the sustainable use and custody agreements of mangrove forests (SUCAM) proposes the elaboration of semiannual reports as an instrument to inform the MAE about the management of the mangroves, leaving the responsibility of collecting the information and formulating or these reports in the hands of the fishermen organizations with whom these mangrove agreements are signed. This study analyzed; based on the experience of 10 organizations of the Province of El Oro, elements of the regulations, and literature, if this way of reporting can be contemplated within the framework of “Participatory and Community Monitoring of natural resources”. It was concluded that it can be considered as participatory and community monitoring, and if it is complemented by including indicators on the status of mangroves under SUCAM, among others, this monitoring could serve as an input of relevant information for decision-making processes on mangrove conservation.