CHAPTER 10 • Developing and Strategy for an ICZM in Cuba: Bases and Principles
201
• a very large number of exploited species,
• the artisanal character of the fishing arts,
• the use of fishing boats that rarely exceed 20m in length, typical of local fisheries.
The Decree-Law N° 164 "Fishing Regulations" (Gaceta Oficial de la Republica de
Cuba 1996) is the main legal document that regulates exploitation of fisheries resources
and preservation of the environment. This Decree-Law came in effect in September
1996 and its main characteristics are the following:
1. It establishes a system for granting fishing licenses or permits to any person,
natural or juridical, that wishes to practice commercial, sporting or recreative fishing.
2. It creates a national consultation organ with a wide representation to advice the Ministry Of Fisheries regarding management and administration of fisheries resources.
3. It forbids fishing, shipment, transportation, industrial processing and commercializing a group of endangered or threatened species (sea turtles, manatee, black coral, etc.).
4. It establishes a set of fines and severe penalties to any person that does not practice
a responsible fishing.
In an institutional manner, the Ministry of Fisheries has created the national Office
for Fisheries Inspection, charged with enforcing all the regulations stipulated for the
conservation, fostering, and rational use of aquatic resources that live in the economical zone, territorial waters, and aquatic ecosystems.
The environmental policy for the fishing sector is based on the "Sustainable use
of aquatic resources and the creation of conditions for establishing clean productions in
the Cuban fishing industry with the aim of increasing economic efficiency, maintaining biological diversity, protect the aquatic ecosystem and insure consumer protection".
For over 30 years studies and actions to preserve coastal zones and oceans have been
carried out, and although they were not integrated in a national strategy of integral
coastal management, 'they allowed to accumulate a wide experience and information,
train scientific personnel, carry out important rehabilitation tasks and establish the
bases for the elaboration of the strategy and the legal frame where the strategy will be
based for its implementation.
10.3.2 . .
Scientific Research in Coastal Areas
At a national level, the country has 8 scientific institutions in charge of research and
development of marine science. To deal with the problems on this sphere, these institutions count with highly qualified human resources. There are delegations of these
institutions in the East, Center and West of the country, working in marine and coastal
environmental problems.
The institutions at the national level are:
• Institute of Oceanology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment;
• Centre for Fisheries Research, of the Ministry of Fisheries;
• Centre of Marine Research, Havana University;
• Geomar Enterprise, Ministry of Heavy Industri~s;
201
• a very large number of exploited species,
• the artisanal character of the fishing arts,
• the use of fishing boats that rarely exceed 20m in length, typical of local fisheries.
The Decree-Law N° 164 "Fishing Regulations" (Gaceta Oficial de la Republica de
Cuba 1996) is the main legal document that regulates exploitation of fisheries resources
and preservation of the environment. This Decree-Law came in effect in September
1996 and its main characteristics are the following:
1. It establishes a system for granting fishing licenses or permits to any person,
natural or juridical, that wishes to practice commercial, sporting or recreative fishing.
2. It creates a national consultation organ with a wide representation to advice the Ministry Of Fisheries regarding management and administration of fisheries resources.
3. It forbids fishing, shipment, transportation, industrial processing and commercializing a group of endangered or threatened species (sea turtles, manatee, black coral, etc.).
4. It establishes a set of fines and severe penalties to any person that does not practice
a responsible fishing.
In an institutional manner, the Ministry of Fisheries has created the national Office
for Fisheries Inspection, charged with enforcing all the regulations stipulated for the
conservation, fostering, and rational use of aquatic resources that live in the economical zone, territorial waters, and aquatic ecosystems.
The environmental policy for the fishing sector is based on the "Sustainable use
of aquatic resources and the creation of conditions for establishing clean productions in
the Cuban fishing industry with the aim of increasing economic efficiency, maintaining biological diversity, protect the aquatic ecosystem and insure consumer protection".
For over 30 years studies and actions to preserve coastal zones and oceans have been
carried out, and although they were not integrated in a national strategy of integral
coastal management, 'they allowed to accumulate a wide experience and information,
train scientific personnel, carry out important rehabilitation tasks and establish the
bases for the elaboration of the strategy and the legal frame where the strategy will be
based for its implementation.
10.3.2 . .
Scientific Research in Coastal Areas
At a national level, the country has 8 scientific institutions in charge of research and
development of marine science. To deal with the problems on this sphere, these institutions count with highly qualified human resources. There are delegations of these
institutions in the East, Center and West of the country, working in marine and coastal
environmental problems.
The institutions at the national level are:
• Institute of Oceanology, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment;
• Centre for Fisheries Research, of the Ministry of Fisheries;
• Centre of Marine Research, Havana University;
• Geomar Enterprise, Ministry of Heavy Industri~s;