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What Should the Policy of the Municipality of Cozumel Be With Regard to More Dolphin Attractions?
Bill Horn Considerations 1. The high mortality of dolphin mammals during their capture, transportation, and confinement has made dolphinariums a controversial subject around the world. 2. In Cozumel, the number one diving destination of the Americas, we need to consider also the effect of dolphinariums on the marine flora and fauna of Cozumel; the original tourist attraction and importance of the island, and supposedly protected by a National Marine Park decreed by the President in 1996. Each dolphin eats tens of kilograms of imported food every day. How much fecal material does a dolphin produce and how does it affect the flora and fauna around it? We are looking for the answer locally here in Cozumel. The nutrients from the fecal material of dolphins promote the production of cyanobacteria; also known as blue-green algae. We have a local example that we ought to use to define appropriate policy. The Chankanaab Park has a dolphinarium. This discussion does not intend to criticize the Foundation of Parks and Museums, because the administration has changed. If it is the responsibility of the Marine Park to approve projects within the National Marine Park; they should have objected to the importation of species foreign to the Marine Park, which is prohibited in the Management Plan. It is the function of the Marine Park to avoid installations that affect the protected ecosystem, but for seven years they have followed approval of damaging projects because of instructions from above. At least we can show the example of the local dolphinarium to observe the effects of confined dolphins on the surrounding corals that are supposedly protected by the Federal Government. We can see the quantity of the algae growing on top of the dolphin enclosures, an afterwards the effects of the algae on other marine species. Figure 1. Dolphinarium fence--August 16 2003 Photo of cyanobacteria; blue-green algae growing on the fence of the Chankanaab Dolphinarium. The wires of the fence were brushed clean at the end of June 2003, they have returned impressively in 45 days. The southern part of the fence was cleaned at the end of June, during the conference which the Marine Park held in Contoy, approximately 45 days before these photographs were taken on August 16.This gives an idea of the speed of growth, the quantity of nutrients introduced, and the quality of the water of the Chankanaab Dolphinarium because of the enclosed dolphins. Figure 2. Dolphinariumn fence -- August 16 2003 Brushing the fence is probably the worst thing that could have been done, because it disperses the algae, and the clean fence permits free release of the nutrients; and the fecal material of the dolphins, without major obstruction or filtration.
Figure 3 ---Dolphinarium fence ---- August 16 2003 The algae are concentrated in the southern part of the dolphin enclosure. There is a counter-current from the north to the south in this area. North of the Dolphinarium, one does not see algae. It is logical to deduce that the nutrients for the algae originate inside the dolphin enclosure. If you do not believe this, go in the water and see with your own eyes. If they think that what is illustrated here is a farce, they simply should go and snorkel or dive in the area and see with their own eyes. What is not counted should not be spoken of (Spanish saying). That seen in Chakanaab, is in general what will occur where they install future dolphinariums; it will happen in Paraiso, the Aquarium, or anyplace else. It is incredible that the Marine Park has approved a project in Paraiso, next to where the protected area began by Presidential Decree. How Much, and How, Does the Presence of the Alge Affect the Corals and Gorgonians? The corals and the gorgonians to the south of the Dolphinarium fence: We note that where the algae are propagating, to the south of the Dolphinarium, the corals are dead or dying. The gray parts of the photos WERE living coral surfaces; now the are dead, having lost their color. The diversity of species living around the corals has been reduced or finished. Now gray limestone structures predominate, created where before there were living corals. The competence or symbiosis between coral and algae is out of equilibrium as the consequence of the level of nutrients in the water; the presence and abundance of the algae confirms the presence of nutrients. the algae are finishing off the corals. EXAMPLES:
Conclusions Cozumel is the diving capital of all the Americas but we are the last to know it. Paraiso is the reef most frequently dived in the diving capital of the Americas, because it is the closest, the most shallow and accessible, and for its biological diversity. How foolish we will be to permit the sacrifice of the major diving attraction in the entire hemisphere. Those from the capital or foreigners are making a fortune fencing in dolphins. How foolish we will be to destroy that which is a paradise with the construction of hotels without including or expanding the network of drainage to carry the sewage of thousands of guests to the treatment plant in the north in order not to affect the future of the reefs. Recently CAPA announced that they would install pipes to sell water to the hotels in the south adjoining the Marine Park; It is MORE important that they collect the sewage so that it does not drain into the ground. What does the 20 Pesos that the thousands of tourists pay to enter the reef area supposedly to protect the Marine Park do, if it does not increase or extend the drainage of all the houses and hotels which are being constructed now and so close to the reefs? Influential people from the capital are easily able to obtain Federal Permits this is why the Marine Park has not worked, because they are following orders from their superiors in the capital. The only defense of our local interests is in our own community administration. The community has the right to reject any project proposed by the Federal Government, but in the past, the policy of the Municipality has not exercised this right, and dared to say, "We don't approve of the project". However, the truth is that if we do not refuse, if we don't act in the designated period, the result is approval through lack of confronting; because of not exercising the right to refuse projects that are not convenient to local interests. Whether the Town Council and the Municipal Administration are honorable or not remains to be seen. If we sacrifice our resources: the resources which will be needed for our children and grandchildren, if we allow the natural beauty which blesses Cozumel to be ruined, if we let force of politics favor influential people from the capital or foreigners, and if we don't defend our municipal administration, we are going to feel hunger in a decade or two, like Acapulco and other tourist destinations. Translation from Spanish by Thomas Goreau |
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Figure
4. The algae are definitely overgrowing the coral formations. The gray parts
are coral already dead, without the polyps of living corals.