Perspectives and limitations regarding participatory monitoring of cetaceans: Use of a Platform of Opportunities approach by the tourism industry at the Anhatomirim Environmental Protection Area

Abstract

The increasing advance of human populations over coastal areas puts the biodiversity associated with local ecosystems at risk. Among the anthropic activities developed in these regions, ecotourism, especially the one associated with the observation of cetaceans (dolphin watching), has presented significant growth over the last decades. Aiming to mitigate the impacts arising from this practice, a series of measures have been adopted, including the creation of protected areas. In 1992, the Anhatomirim Environmental Protection Area (AEPA) was set in Santa Catarina, southern Brazil, with the main objective of protecting the resident population of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis). After the publication of its management plan (2013), a participatory monitoring program for boat-based tourism associated with cetacean watching was launched. The monitoring is carried out by the tourist vessels registered to operate within the AEPA, adopting a platform of opportunities approach. Those in charge must record the sighted species, the geographic coordinates, the size of the groups and the time of the sightings carried out within the AEPA and adjacent areas. This article aimed at systematizing and critically analyzing the data collected in the first five years (from 2014 to 2018) since deployment of the participatory monitoring program. During this period, the vessels made 11,136 departures and recorded 2,022 sightings of cetaceans, with predominance of Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis, n=1,459) and bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus, n=546). 39% of the total Guiana dolphin sightings and 8% of the bottlenose dolphin sightings were made within the protected area limits. The results obtained corroborate previous “traditional science” research carried out in the region, but weaknesses in the implementation of participatory monitoring were evident, affecting data reliability when seen individually. Errors in coordinates were verified, as well as strong indications of errors in identifying species. There is also notable seasonality, with 61% concentration of departures and 71% of sightings in the summer months. On the other hand, participatory monitoring has brought tourism operators closer to the protected area management and has enabled a large number of records, contributing to improving knowledge about the species living in the region.