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Training for Aquaculture and Fishery Activities for the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity

Abstract:

In Cuba, 211 protected natural areas (PNAs) that constitute 20% of the national territory are under eight management categories. This chapter describes “Las Picúas-Cayo Cristo” (LPCC) categorized as a wildlife refuge (55, 970 ha) located in north-central Cuba in the Sabana-Camagüey Archipelago. The management plan of this PNA includes the conservation of mangrove ecosystems, seagrasses and coral reefs, terrestrial species, migratory birds, and marine species of ecological interest (turtle, manatee), among others of commercial interest (fish and lobsters, queen conch, sponges, and oysters). Authorities must be attentive to avoid conflicts of interest between conservationists and fishers, so experimental oyster and sponge aquaculture farms have been established. Native population recognizes that protecting the existing natural resources guarantees a sustainable source of employment, food, and family welfare. In contrast, approximately 700 fishers who live nearby could have a negative impact on the PNA because their families depend economically on extracting marine resources. The short-, medium-, and long-term objectives are linked to aquaculture, conservation, and public use programs. This chapter describes actions of the fisheries sector of the Ministry of Food Industry (MINAL) and the Center for Fisheries Research (CIP) that derived from national and international scientific projects and consultancies, which have contributed to the evaluation and protection of fishery resources of commercial interest, their aquaculture, and environment.