Central America"s coasts : profiles and an agenda for action

In preparation for the workshop, the Coastal Resources Center of the University of Rhode Island had worked with the seven countries to develop profiles of their coastal resources. These profiles, each some 30 pages long, and including maps, tables, and references, are presented in this document. Also included are recommendations regarding the workshop"s four major themes: watersheds and estuaries, mariculture, fisheries and habitats, and coastal tourism. An opening section presents an agenda for action developed by the Coastal Resources Center on the basis of the profiles and workshop discussions. This agenda describes a coastal ecosystem management strategy which would link national government efforts with community-level Special Area Management (SAM) planning; it is noted that the SAM approach is being used successfully by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for estuary management. The strategy would include two foci: extensive training of environmental specialists, and development of a network of SAM sites as proving grounds for participatory, integrated coastal management. Within this context, priority should be given to improving coastal tourism, mariculture, and estuarine and coral dependent fisheries.