| There exists a few national and state marine parks | | | | they caught 36 fishing vessels, fishing illegally within |
| protecting off-shore islands. But most of its more | | | | the park boundaries. Last year they could finally |
| than 7.300 kilometers of coastline remains | | | | require a 38 foot boat to properly control the park |
| unprotected. As in many other nations there are | | | | and other non-fishing areas along their stretch of the |
| conflicts between coastal settlement, tourism, | | | | Brazilian coast. |
| commercial fishing, the petroleum industry and the | | | | A good example on lack of protecting the marine |
| need to protect the marine environment. We had an | | | | environment is the coast of São Paulo state in |
| opportunity to go out with the Secretario Meio | | | | southern Brazil. |
| Ambiental's boat «Sterna» on one of | | | | - Just 0,5 % of the coastal waters of the state of |
| their patrols. Their main task is to enforce fishing | | | | São Paulo is protected, says Vellardi. |
| regulations along the coast of São Paulo in | | | | Today there is a good cooperation between the |
| south eastern Brazil. The state marine park Laje de | | | | state government and private entrepreneurs in the |
| Santos which protects a couple of islets not far from | | | | region. Together with a group of local dive operators, |
| the states main port Santos, was created in 1993. | | | | they have set up an organization called AOM |
| But it wasn't really properly controlled before the local | | | | (Association of Dive Operators) to work together in |
| environment agency got an inflatable in 2005. Up to | | | | protecting the marine environment. |
| then the marine park was more or less in the hands | | | | MARINE PARKS IN BRAZIL |
| of the fishing industry. At least during the week days. | | | | National parks |
| - In principle the control of the non-fishing zone was | | | | Bahia:: National marine park Abrolhos, created in 06/04 |
| relying on dive operators, the fire department, the | | | | 1983 with 91.300 ha. protected. |
| police or even the navy whenever they had some | | | | Rio Grande do Norte: National marine park Fernando |
| vessels in the region, says Julio Vellardi, director of | | | | de Noronha, created in 14/09/1988 with 11.270 ha. |
| the Laje de Santos marine park. | | | | protected. |
| The first few trips with their hard fought for RIB | | | | |