Ecosystem based management plan for the Chenkan Santaury, Campeche

Abstract

The objective of this work was to design an ecosystem-based management plan for the Chenkan Beach Sanctuary, located in the municipality of Champoton, state of Campeche, using as methodology the twelve principles of the ecosystem approach mentioned by Shepherd (2006) grouped into the following steps: determination of the main actors, characterization of the structure and function of the ecosystem, identification of the relevant economic aspects that will affect the ecosystems and their inhabitants, determination of the probable impact of the ecosystem on adjacent ecosystems and decision of long-term goals and flexible mechanisms to achieve them. The results obtained indicate that the Chenkan Beach Sanctuary was named a protected natural area due to the great variety of species that are at risk, which are registered in the NOM-059-SEMARNAT-2010 and because it is a nesting site for the hawksbill turtle and the green turtle. It was found that the place has erosion problems that put the nesting sites at risk and that various anthropogenic activities have altered the ecosystems causing the turtles to have to migrate to find a new suitable site to nest. Based on all these problems, proposals are put forward to help mitigate the existing problems in the area.