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Conservation of Marine and Coastal Biodiversity in Brazil

ANTONIA CEC ILIA Z. AMARAL AND S ILVIO JABLONSKI


Departamento de Zoologia, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Caixa Postal 6109, Campinas 13083-970, S ao Paulo, Brasil, email ceamaral@unicamp.br Departamento de Oceanografia, Instituto de Geoci encias, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua S ao Francisco Xavier 524, Maracan a, 20550-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil

Abstract: The invertebrate benthos, especially the micro- and mesofaunal components, of the Brazilian seas is still poorly known. Relatively few species have been recorded, reflecting the lack of research in this field. The intertidal zone, to depths of about 20 m, has been studied the most, and there the numbers of endemic species are relatively high. The diversity of demersal and pelagic fishes is similar among the major marine regions, and endemism is typically low (<5%) and restricted to reef species. Surveys in southeastern Brazil (depths of up to 2000 m) have recorded more than 1300 species of benthic animals, of which the Porifera, Cnidaria, Sipuncula, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Scaphopoda, Polychaeta, Crustacea, Ophiuroidea, Bryozoa, and Brachiopoda were the most abundant or frequent. Excepting the molluscs, decapods (brachiurans), cirripeds, and echinoderms, the faunas of salt marshes, coral reefs, and islands remain poorly known. Marine and estuarine demersal teleosts include 617 species in 26 orders and 118 families. Just over half the species (337) are Perciformes. Overexploitation, for food and by the aquarium fish trade, habitat degradation and destruction, alien species introductions, pernicious tourism, and pollution are the principal threats to Brazils marine biodiversity. The Ministry of the Environment lists 34 threatened and 10 overexploited or at risk of being overexploited benthic species. Fishes officially listed as threatened include 15 species of sharks and rays and 7 teleosts. Another six elasmobranchs and 27 teleosts are currently or potentially being overexploited. Conservation of marine biodiversity in Brazil is still broadly inadequate despite existing legislation and several protected areas. The number and size of marine protected areas are insufficient, and some still lack management plans or have yet to receive the appropriate measures and infrastructure to make them effective. Fisheries administration and management is still precarious and in many areas lacks effective participation of local communities. Major conservation initiatives include the identification of keys areas for biodiversity conservation, surveys, intensified monitoring of fisheries, environmental education, and the creation and improved management of protected areas.
Conservaci on de la Biodiversidad Marina y Costera en Brasil

Resumen: Los invertebrados bent onicos, especialmente los componentes micro y mesofa unicos, de los mares
brasile nos son poco conocidos. Se han registrado pocas especies relativamente, lo que refleja la carencia de investigaci on en este campo. La zona intermareas hasta profundidades de casi 20 m es la m as estudiada, y el n umero de especies end emicas es relativamente alto. La diversidad de peces demersales y pel agicos es similar en las regiones marinas principales, y el endemismo es t picamente bajo (<5%) y est a restringido a especies arrecifales. En muestreos en el sureste de Brasil (profundidades hasta 2000 m) se han registrado m as de 1300 especies de animales bent onicos, de las cuales fueron m as abundantes y frecuentes Porifera, Cnidaria, Sipuncula, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Scaphopoda, Polychaeta, Crustacea, Ophiuroidea, Bryozoa y Brachiopoda. Las faunas de marismas, arrecifes coralinos e islas permanecen poco conocidas, excepto por los moluscos, dec apodos (braquiuros) cirripedios y equinodermos. Los telesoteos demersales marinos y estuarinos incluyen 617 especies en 26 o as de la mitad de especies (337) son Perciformes. Las prin rdenes y 118 familias. Un poco m cipales amenazas a la biodiversidad marina brasile na son la sobreexplotaci on, para alimento y el comercio

Paper submitted November 4, 2004; revised manuscript accepted January 17, 2005.

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de peces de acuario, la degradaci on y destrucci on del h abitat, la introducci on de especies ex oticas, el turismo pernicioso y la contaminaci on. El Ministerio del Ambiente enlista a 34 especies bent onicas amenazadas y 10 sobreexplotadas o en riesgo de serlo. Los peces enlistados oficialmente como amenazados incluyen 15 especies de tiburones y rayas y 7 de tele osteos. Otras seis especies de elasmobranquios y 27 de tele osteos est an siendo sobreexplotados actual o potencialmente. La conservaci on de la biodiversidad marina en Brasil a un es considerablemente inadecuada a pesar de la legislaci on existente y varias a umero y tama no de reas protegidas. El n a un carecen de planes de manejo o no han recibido las me reas marinas protegidas es insuficiente, algunas a didas e infraestructura adecuadas para hacerlas efectivas. La administraci on y gesti on de pesquer as todav a es precaria y carece de la participaci on efectiva de comunidades locales en muchas a reas. Las principales iniciativas de conservaci on incluyen la identificaci on de a on de biodiversidad, reas clave para la conservaci muestreos, monitoreo intensivo de pesquer as, educaci on ambiental y la creaci on y mejor administraci on de a reas protegidas.

Species Diversity in Brazil


Tropical and subtropical characteristics dominate the entire Brazilian coast, although regional phenomena define climatic and oceanographic conditions that leave distinct impressions on the biodiversity, such as at the mouth of the Rio Amazonas and in the Marajoara and Maranhense gulfs. Coral reefs extend for about 3000 km along the northeast, from Maranh ao to southern Bahia, and are the only reef ecosystems in the South Atlantic. In the southeast and south, the presence of the South Atlantic Central Water over the continental shelf and its occasional upwelling along the coast contribute to increased productivity. Farther south, the northward winter shift of the subtropical convergenceformed by the meeting of the Brazil Current with the Malvinas (Falklands) Current confers more temperate climatic characteristics, which profoundly influence the composition of the local fauna. Cabo Frio marks the transition between the northern tropical and the southern subtropical and temperate environments (Rocha et al. 1975). Benthos Although some records date from the mid-seventeenth century (Marcgrave 1942), knowledge of the benthic invertebrates of Brazil is still unsatisfactory, especially with regard to the micro- and mesofauna. Zoological knowledge increased substantially from the 1970s, although some phyla have never been recorded, evidently for lack of studies, including the Placozoa, Mesozoa, Gnathostomulida, Loricifera, and Cycliophora. The northern states of Piau , Maranh ao, Par a, and Amap a are bordered by an extensive estuarine area (about 50% of the total estuaries along our coast). In spite of the enormous area involved, the local benthic fauna is among the least known. Basic references on the benthic macrofauna consist of the studies of Kempf et al. (1967), Kempf (1970), and Aller and Aller (1986). Among the betterstudied groups are the Foraminifera, Porifera, Octocorallia, Sipuncula, Echinodermata, Crustacea, Mollusca, and

algae. The presence of Callianassa sp. galleries is notable in sandy-mud sediments, where their density may reach 3915 individuals/m2 (Lana et al. 1996). Estuaries, coastal lagoons and mangrove forests are abundant along the northeast coast, from the Parna ba delta to the BahiaEsp rito Santo border. The descriptions of the fauna and flora by Kempf (1970) are the standard references. Gorgonians, scaphopods, bivalves, polychaetes, and ophiuroids are abundant, and the vagile fauna is well represented by the shrimps Xiphopenaeus kroyeri and Farfantepenaeus subtilis. Prominent reefdwellers include the hydrocorals Millepora alcicornis and M. braziliensis and several species of Madreporaria (Lana et al. 1996). The fauna characteristic of the northeast shelf gradually disappears farther north because of the enormous terrigenous input from the Amazon River. The reef and hermatypic corals are progressively replaced by ahermatypic species, such as Madraeis asperula and M. acatiae, which apparently have uninterrupted distributions (Kempf 1970). The benthos in the southeast and south (excepting Esp rito Santo) is the best known of the Brazilian coast. This is due to well-established research groups and the large number of samples taken during oceanographic expeditions. Quantitative studies on the biomass and/or density of the benthic fauna have been carried out mainly off the coasts of S ao Paulo (Pires-Vanin 1993; Amaral et al. 2003) and Rio Grande do Sul (Seeliger et al. 1998). The known total numbers of phyla and some of their main subdivisions are presented in Table 1. Catalogues or guides are available for the poriferans, cnidarians, molluscs, polychaetes, crustaceans, echinoderms, and ascidians, but there are no Brazilian checklists for the remaining groups. For our analysis, the principal sources of information were Migotto and Tiago (1999), Lewinsohn and Prado (2002), and Amaral and Rossi-Wongtschowski (2004) and recent reports from two multidisciplinary programs: Assessment of the Sustainable Yield of the Living Resources in the Exclusive Economic Zone (Avalia c ao do Potencial Sustent avel de Recursos Vivos na Zona Econ omica Exclusiva [REVIZEE]) and the marine benthic biodiversity

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Table 1. Approximate numbers of species of invertebrates with representative marine species in Brazil and in the world.
Number of speciesa Taxa Phylum Porifera Phylum Cnidaria Phylum Ctenophora Phylum Platyhelminthes Class Turbellaria Class Cestoidea Phylum Nemertea Phylum Rotifera Phylum Gastrotricha Phylum Kinorhyncha Phylum Nemata Phylum Nematomorpha Phylum Acanthocephala Phylum Entoprocta Phylum Priapula Phylum Sipuncula Phylum Echiura Phylum Annelida Class Polychaeta Class Clitellata Phylum Tardigrada Phylum Arthropoda, Subphylum Crustacea Order Decapoda Infraorder Penaeida Infraorder Caridea Infraorder Anomura Infraorder Brachyura Superorder Peracarida Order Isopoda Order Amphipoda Class Maxillopoda Subclass Thecostraca Subclass Copepoda Subphylum Cheliceriformes Subphylum Hexapoda Phylum Mollusca Class Aplacophora Class Polyplacophora Class Gastropoda Class Bivalvia Class Scaphopoda Class Cephalopoda Phylum Phoronida Phylum Ectoprocta Phylum Brachiopoda Phylum Echinodermata Phylum Chaetognatha Phylum Hemichordata Subphylum Urochordata Class Ascidiacea Class Thaliacea Class Appendicularia Subphylum Cephalochordata
a b

Brazil 350 477 2 400 350 (187 mar) 30 (mar) 43 467 103 (40 mar) 1 230 (mar) 11 (1 mar) 3050 10 1 40 9 1,150 (818 mar) 800 (mar) 92 (18 mar) 67 (6 mar) 2,040 566 61 63 117 302 500 120 139 512 79 714 70 (mar) 1 3,900 4 25 1,125 410 30 45 6 300 4 342 230 7 146 118 27 25 2

world 7,000 11,000 100 20,000 (4,200 mara ) 4,500 3,400 1,149 2,000 (50 mar) 500 (240 mar) 150 25,000 (4,000 mar) 320 (4 mar) 1.150 150 16 320 135 16,500 (mar) 10,000 (mar) 360 (mar) 800 (136 mar) 68,200 10

Principal collectionsb MCN-FZB, MN-UFRJ, MZUSP, UFBA CEBIMar-USP, IBUSP, UFPE, MN-UFRJ nonexistent FIOCRUZ, MZUSP FIOCRUZ, MZUSP FIOCRUZ, MZUSP IBUSP UEM, UFPE, INPA IBUSP nonexistent IOUSP, IBUSP nonexistent nonexistent nonexistent nonexistent IBUSP IBUSP IOUSP, MHN-UNICAMP, CEM-UFPR, IBUSP, IB-UFRJ IOUSP, MHN-UNICAMP, CEM-UFPR, IBUSP, IB-UFRJ IBUSP MZUSP MZUSP, MN-UFRJ, FURG, UFPE, UFPB, IOUSP, UFPE, FZB-RS MZUSP, MN-UFRJ, FURG, UFPE MZUSP MZUSP MZUSP MZUSP MZUSP, IOUSP MZUSP, UFPE MZUSP, IOUSP IBUSP, MN-UFRJ, IOUSP, FURG, UFRPE, UFPB, FZB-RS MN-UFRJ, MZUSP, UFPB, FZB-RS IBUSP, MZUSP, MN-UFRJ, FURG, UFPB MZUSP MZUSP, IOUSP MZUSP, MN-UFRJ, MOFURG, IB-UFRJ, FIOCRUZ, MCN-FZB, UFRPE MZUSP MZUSP, MN-UFRJ, MO-FURG, IB-UFRJ, MCN-FZB MZUSP, MN-UFRJ, MO-FURG, IB-UFRJ, FIOCRUZ, MCN-FZB MZUSP, MN-UFRJ, MO-FURG, IB-UFRJ, MCN-FZB MZUSP, MN-UFRJ, MO-FURG, IB-UFRJ, MCN-FZB MZUSP, MN-UFRJ, MO-FURG, MCN-FZB nonexistent UFPR, IBUSP IB-UNESP MZUSP, IOUSP, MNH-UNICAMP, MN-UFRJ IOUSP IBUSP IBUSP, MZUSP, UFPR, UFCE IBUSP,MZUSP, UFPR, UFCE nonexistent IBUSP nonexistent

5,000 11,400 4,000 5,700 10,300 1,100 17,500 70,000 45 100,000 250 600 80,000 20,000 350 650 20 5,500 355 7,000 25,000 (4,000 mar) 90 3,000 2,600 40 70 25

Abbreviation: mar, marine. Abbreviations: CEBIMar-USP, Centro de Biologia Marinha, Universidade de S ao Paulo; CEM-UFPR, Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paran a; FIOCRUZ, Fundac a a a anica do Rio Grande do Sul; IB-UFRJ, Instituto de o Oswaldo Cruz; FURG, Fundac o Universidade do Rio Grande; FZB-RS, Fundac o Zoobot Biologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; IB-UNESP, Instituto de Bioci encias, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Campus de Botucatu; IBUSP, Instituto de Bioci encias, Universidade de S ao Paulo; INPA, Instituto Nacional de Pesquisa da Amaz onia; IOUSP, Instituto Oceanogr afico, Universidade de S ao Paulo; MCN-FZB, Museu de Ci encias Naturais, Fundac a anica do Rio Grande do Sul; MHN-UNICAMP, Museu de Hist oria Natural, Universidade Estadual de Campinas; o Zoobot MN-UFRJ, Museu Nacional, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; MO-FURG, Museu Oceanogr afico, Fundac a o Universidade do Rio Grande; MZUSP, Museu de Zoologia, Universidade de S ao Paulo; UEM, Universidade Estadual de Maring a; UFBA, Universidade Federal da Bahia; UFCE, Universidade Federal do Cear a; UFPB, Universidade Federal da Para ba; UFPE, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco; UFPR, Universidade Federal do Paran a; UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; UFRPE, Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco.

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component of a major biotic survey program for the state of S ao Paulo supported by the State of S ao Paulo Research Foundation (Biodiversidade B entica Marinha do Estado de S ao Paulo [Biota]/Funda c ao de Amparo ` a Pesquisa do Estado de S ao Paulo [FAPESP]). Data obtained recently from samples taken at depths of up to 2000 m through these programs revealed more than 1300 species of benthic animals, of which the Porifera, Cnidaria, Sipuncula, Gastropoda, Bivalvia, Scaphopoda, Polychaeta, Crustacea, Ophiuroidea, Bryozoa, and Brachiopoda were the most abundant or frequent groups. Except for the molluscs, decapods ( brachiurans), cirripeds, and echinoderms, the faunas of salt marshes and coral reefs and islands remain poorly known.

Plankton and Pelagic Shellfish Knowledge of the pelagic fauna is also sparse. The beststudied groups are the Copepoda, Chaetognatha, and Dendrobranchia. The plankton, principally along the continental shelf, is insufficiently known with, according to Brandini et al. (1997), the best-studied regions being Rio Grande do Sul (Lagoa dos Patos), Paran a (Paranagu a), S ao Paulo (Canan eia, Ubatuba, and S ao Sebasti ao), Rio de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro and Cabo Frio), and Pernambuco (Recife). Twenty-three species (nine families) of cephalopods and 19 species (three families) of crustaceans have been registered in pelagic environment off the Brazilian coast (Cergole 2002).

Number and Distribution of Threatened Species


Fish Demersal and pelagic fish faunas are relatively uniform over large regions, and endemism is low (<5%) and restricted to reef species. Overfishing and pollution are the principal threats. The marine and estuarine demersal teleosts in Brazil include 617 species in 26 orders and 118 families. Slightly more than half the species (337) are Perciformes. Adding the Pleuronectiformes, Anguilliformes, and Tetraodontiformes accounts for about 70% (446) of the total (Haimovici & Klippel 2002). Twenty-two species of demersal teleosts are endemic to the Brazilian continental coast, four to the S ao Pedro and S ao Paulo Archipelago, and one to Rocas Atoll (Haimovici & Klippel 2002). With regard to their habitats, 347 are considered demersal, 178 reef-dwellers, 49 benthopelagic, and 43 bathydemersal. Overall 82 species of sharks and 45 rays have been described for Brazil (Lessa et al. 2002). Elasmobranchs can be classified according to their typical macrohabitats during the longest part of their lifecycle: coastal sharks and rays (intertidal zone as far as about 200 m in depth, which usually defines the continental platform, and including estuaries and reef formations); pelagic species; and demersal species of the continental slope. Coastal elasmobranchs include 39 species (10 families) of sharks15 of them strictly coastaland a further 39 species (13 families) of rays. Pelagic elasmobranchs total 30 species in 10 families of sharks and six species (three families) of rays (Lessa et al. 2002). Collecting expeditions for Brazilian elasmobranchs have been restricted to the slopes above deep sea environments from 200 to 2000 m. There, 33 species of sharks and 12 rays have been recorded. A number of species are migratory and widespread, and occur in more than one of these macrohabitats. Our knowledge of coastal elasmobranch diversity is still incipient but better than it is for the slopes and open ocean (Lessa et al. 2002). Small, pelagic fishes recorded in Brazil total 151 species in 37 families (Cergole 2002). Large pelagic species recorded total 41 species in 14 families (Hazin et al. 2002). Inconspicuousness and the lack of population studies and demographic monitoring make it difficult to establish the threatened status of most benthic marine organisms worldwide. Recognizing this limitation, 34 threatened species are currently registered and a further 10 species are overexploited or in danger of overexploitation (Normative Decree No. 5, 21 May 2004, Ministry of the Environment). Besides pollution, the principal cause of threat for these species is excessive or indiscriminate harvesting. However, specialists agree that habitat loss, particularly in coastal areas with a wide diversity of species and most vulnerable to human action, is most serious. For example, a gastropod, the Goliath conch (Strombus goliath), is endemic to the Brazilian coast from Cear a to Esp rito Santo and is especially sensitive to habitat degradation. Its specialized herbivory renders it more vulnerable. S. goliath, moreover, is exploited because of the commercial value of its meat and shell. Nineteen species of coastal echinoderms of the classes Asteroidea (starfishes), Echinoidea (sea urchins), and Holothuroidea (sea cucumbers) are considered threatened. Their peculiar forms (especially the starfishes and sea urchins) fascinate tourists and aquarium hobbyists, who harvest them for commercial purposes or use them for decorative or religious artifacts. Among the cnidarians, the sea anemones, stony corals, fire corals, and gorgonians (sea fans) are indiscriminately and intensively collected for sale in aquarium shops and by tourists. Three species of polychaete are considered potentially threatened: the eunicid Eunice sebastiani (a species described from the Brazilian coast, the adults of which may reach about 3 m in length), the onuphid Diopatra cuprea, and the amphinomid Eurythoe complanata (fire worm), which inhabit the intertidal zone and are used as fishbait. Years of overexploitation have resulted in a continuous decline in the stocks and reduction in the size of individuals of numerous crustaceans, including mangrove crabs ( blue land crab [Cardisoma guanhumi] and

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swamp ghost crabs [Ucides cordatus]), lobsters (Panulirus argus and P. laevicauda), shrimps (Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis, F. paulensis, and F. subtilis, Litopenaeus schmitti, and Xyphopenaeus kroyeri), and a species of small crab ( blue crab [Callinectes sapidus]). All suffer from overfishing and selective harvesting and, especially in the case of the mangrove species, by the destruction of their habitats. In their natural environment, the greatest threats to elasmobranchs are fishing, habitat destruction, coastal development, and pollution of the marine environment. Fishing, in particular, considerably affects shark and ray populations. Globally exploitative fishing is responsible for the inclusion of a large number of species on the IUCN ( World Conservation Union) Red List (Camhi et al. 1998). Studies carried out in Brazil formed the basis for the listing of several species, including some endemics: Brazilian guitarfish (Rhinobatos horkelii), daggernose shark (Isogomphodon oxyrhynchus), striped smooth-hound (Mustelus fasciatus), sawfishes (Pristis spp.), sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus), tope shark (Galeorhinus galeus), and angel sharks (Squatina spp.) (Lessa et al. 2002).The following species are also at risk: whale shark (Rhincodon typus), great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus), narrownose smooth-hound (Mustelus schmitti), scalloped hammerhead (Sphyrna lewini), lesser devil ray (Mobula hypostoma), lesser Guinean devil ray (M. rochebrunei), and manta ray (Manta birostris) (Lessa et al. 2002).

Current Habitat Loss and Present and Future Threats


The greatest threats to marine and coastal biodiversity are the degradation or alteration of habitats, overexploitation for consumption or ornaments, and introduction of exotic species. Unregulated tourism is especially damaging for coral reefs and calcareous bottom sediments. Pollution, mainly from pesticides, chemical products, and industrial effluents, is another major destructive force, but it is difficult to evaluate its extent for lack of understanding of the effects on individual species. The huge quantities of largely untreated organic matter discharged into the oceans, besides wrecking marine environments, constitute a chronic public health problem. The introduction of exotic species not only causes serious problems for some native species, but may, in extreme cases, threaten entire ecosystems. The main vectors in the marine environment are ship ballast water, encrustation (fouling), and the importation of species for aquaculture and the aquarium trade. One of a number of serious cases in Brazil is the introduction of Charybdis hellerii, an IndoPacific crab of no commercial value, which is prejudicial to the fishery of the corresponding native species in the

state of Bahia. It has already spread to the states of Rio de Janeiro and S ao Paulo (Tavares & Mendon ca 2004). Isognomon bicolor, an intertidal Indo-Pacific bivalve mollusc, has been reported along the coast from Bahia to Santa Catarina (Fernandes et al. 2004). Toxic algae native to other parts of the world have also been found. Mostly dinoflagellates, they can be toxic and cause serious problems in areas where oysters and mussels are cultivated (Proen ca & Fernandes 2004). Exploitative fishing, and especially overfishing, threaten many species besides the fishes themselves. The accidental capture of marine birds on long lines causes high mortality of albatrosses and petrels in the worlds oceans. About 10,000 marine birds die annually after swallowing baits on long lines off the Brazilian coast, mainly in the south and southeast (Olmos et al. 2000). Entanglement in fishing nets is the main cause of accidents with harbor porpoises. Administration of the fisheries by traditional techniques is insufficient to avoid overexploitation and declines in harvests. The failure of these procedures is evident in most marine and estuarine environments in Brazil and other parts of the world. The creation of marine reserves, which are sufficiently large to take in the numerous and complex interrelated habitats and allow for the maintenance of their physical and biological dynamics, is a key strategy to assure that biodiversity can be preserved and, where appropriate, serve as breeding grounds and sources of recruitment for species that are exploited or otherwise under pressure in neighboring areas. Marine protected areas have been established at federal, state, and municipal levels in Brazil. Table 2 shows those which are strictly marine (coastal and oceanic islands that include only land are not listed). Funda c ao Bio-Rio et al. (2002) identified the greatest threats to the species of the coastal and shelf ecosystems as follows: deforestation of mangroves and floodplain hardwoods for charcoal; itinerant agriculture; harvesting of native plants; fishing and exploitative capture of crabs; pasturing of cattle and buffalo in salt marshes and swamps; highway and marina construction; dredging in igarap es (side channels) and watercourses; extraction of minerals for direct use in civil construction; uncontrolled urban expansion; domestic solid waste and sewage; industrial effluents; real-estate speculation; ports and oil terminals; aquaculture, including exotic species; and tourism and its accompanying activities.

Major Conservation and Research Initiatives


The Ministry of the Environment has carried out an evaluation of the marine and coastal biological diversity of Brazil, through the Project for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Brazilian Biological Diversity (PROBIO). Culminating in a workshop in 1999, the project resulted in

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Table 2. Principal marine protected areas in Brazil.a Conservation unit b National Marine Park of Fernando de NoronhaPE National Marine Park of AbrolhosBA State Marine Park of Parcel Manuel LuisMA State Marine Park of Laje de SantosSP Municipal Marine Park of Recife de ForaBA Marine Biological Reserve of Atol das RocasRN Marine Biological Reserve of ArvoredoSC Environmental Protection Area of Fernando de NoronhaPE Environmental Protection Area of Costa dos CoraisPE/AL Environmental Protection Area of Baleia FrancaPR State Environmental Protection Area of Recife de CoraisRN State Environmental Protection Area of Ponta da Baleia/AbrolhosBA Marine Extractive Reserve of Ponta do CorumbauBA Marine Extractive Reserve of Ba a de IguapeBA Marine Extractive Reserve of Arraial do CaboRJ Marine Extractive Reserve of Pirajuba eSC
a Those

r provide appropriate technical and legal conditions for


Area (ha) 11,270 88,249 45,238 5,000 1,750 36,249 17,600 93,000 413,563 156,100 32,500 34,600 38,174 8,117 56,769 1,444

r r r r

the implementation of marine protected areas, and create marine reserves; carry out technical and legal studies to mitigate the impact of trawling; intensify environmental education efforts for oceanic and coastal ecosystems, especially reefs and islands with the greatest tourism potential; identify new fishery resources and still-underexploited stocks and introduce appropriate technologies to reduce bycatch; focus exploitation and sustainable use of living marine resources exclusively on the production of food in the form of fisheries resources, but also consider the resource in terms of its biodiversity (genetic patrimony and biotechnology).

of coastal and oceanic islands, which include only land, are not listed. Sources: http://www.ambientebrasil.com.br; http://www. ibama.gov.br; http://www.zee.ma.gov.br; Silva 2004; MMA 2003. b States: AL, Alagoas; BA, Bahia; MA, Maranh ao; PB, Para ba; PE, Pernambuco; PR, Paran a; RJ, Rio de Janeiro; RN, Rio Grande do Norte; SC, Santa Catarina; SP, S ao Paulo.

the delineation of 40 priority areas for the conservation of teleost and elasmobranch fishes, 15 priority areas for the benthos of the continental shelf, and 31 national priority conservation areas overall (Funda c ao Bio Rio et al. 2002). The areas include important sites for the conservation of bony and cartilaginous fishes and fishes for which harvesting is a significant source of environmental pressure and are composed of parts of the coastal area, the continental shelf and slope, coastal and oceanic islands, and banks. The Ministry of the Environment (Edict No. 126, 27 May 2004) mandated the recognition of the areas and the responsibility of the federal government with regard to promoting their conservation and sustainable use. The workshop participants approved several recommendations for the marine zone (Funda c ao Bio-Rio et al. 2002):

r intensify oceanographic studies, faunal and floral surr


veys, studies of population and community dynamics, and stock assessments; intensify studies of artificial habitats and their effects on the marine environment;

More recently, the Ministry of the Environment (Normative Decree No. 5, 21 May 2004) listed a number of aquatic invertebrates and fishes as endangered, overexploited, or threatened with overexploitation. Catching endangered species is prohibited, and the decree instructed that recovery plans should be developed and implemented for all under the coordination of the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) in collaboration with appropriate state-level organizations, the scientific community, and organized civil society, within a maximum of 5 years. The decree also mandated 5 years for the development of management plans for the species overexploited or threatened with overexploitation. Fifteen sharks and rays and eight marine teleosts were listed as endangered, of which only the mutton snapper (Lutjanus analis) is commercially exploited. The others are reef species, some of which are sought after by the aquarium trade. Anthias salmopunctatus is endemic to the S ao Pedro and S ao Paulo Archipelago (Haimovici & Klippel 2002). Six elasmobranchs and 27 marine and estuarine teleosts were included as either overexploited or threatened with overexploitation. The list contains at least two inconsistencies. Lutjanus analis is considered endangered, even though it is common in landings of commercial hand-line fisheries in the Brazilian Northeast. And, the Goliath grouper (Epinephelus itajara) is listed as merely overexploited, whereas IBAMA (Edict No. 121, 20 September 2002) considers it critically endangered and prohibited fishing for 5 years. Effective conservation has yet to become a reality in most of Brazils marine environments in spite of the existing legislation and the marine protected areas. The protected areas of different management categories are insufficient in number and extent, and for some management plans have not been implemented or are lacking altogether. Excessive harvesting is not restricted to industrial fisheries and is commonly found in artisanal fishing. The management and administration of fisheries has

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recently become more complex because of the division of responsibilities between two distinct institutionsthe Special Secretariat for Aquaculture and Fisheries (SEAP) and IBAMA. The first agency is reponsible for promoting aquaculture and fishing and for resources that are considered underexploited, and the second is responsible for stocks that are overexploited. Unification of these attributes and integrated management and administration would be more effective in controlling and reducing fisheries, tackling the major threats, and in establishing an effective protected-area system and strategy for the conservation of marine biodiversity.

Acknowledgments
We thank J. W. Reid for revision of the English text. Literature Cited
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Conservation Biology Volume 19, No. 3, June 2005

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