Parque Nacional Archipielago Los Roques

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Samuel McCormick
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and between 66Â 57' 26" and 66Â 36' 25" W; 160 km north off the central coast of

1 Parque Nacional Archipielago Los Roques Short Name Los Roques Country Venezuela Ecoregion location SCaribbean Boundaries The park is located between 11Â 58' 36" and 11Â 44' 26" N, and between 66Â 57' 26" and 66Â 36' 25" W; 160 km north off the central coast of Venezuela's mainland. Map URL Total Surface area Sea Surface area 300 Shoreline area Los Roques - Page 1/5

2 1218 Site national category National Park Site international designation RAMSAR Site 856 (since 1996) IUCN category none Designation none Date established Legal citation Decreto NÂ 1.069, August ; Gaceta Oficial NÂ August 18, Citation reference URL Other legal designations Decreto NÂ 1.213for Management Plan (Plan de Ordenamiento y Reglamento de Uso del PN ArchipiÃ lago los Roques) nov. 2, 1990; Decreto NÂ 1.214, Autoridad Ãšnica de Ã rea del Parque Nacional ArchipiÃ lago Los Roques, Nov 2, 1990 (Gaceta Oficial NÂ extraordinaria January 18, 1991). URL: Primary responsible institution 1) Instituto Nacional de Parques (INPARQUES) (environmental management authority); 2- Autoridad Ãšnica de Ã rea -AUA- (administrative and coordination authority) Primary contact Jesus Duran Address INPARQUES, Parque Nacional ArchipiÃ lago Los Roques, Gran Roque,Venezuela Phone number (58) ; (58) Fax number rrpp@inparques.gob.ve Web site Climate Annual average temperature: 27.8 Â C; annual average rainfall: 270 mm (480 mm maximum); warmest months: September and October. Average annual evaporation of 1841 mm. Air humidity is 84%. Dominant winds from East, except for February (E-NE), June (E-SE) Geological features cliffs, beaches, rocky shores, islands, keys Hydrological features Los Roques - Page 2/5

3 Other hydrological features Terrestrial habitats â Mangrove Forrest: cover more than 70% land area; located in the central and southeast keys; â The cactus in a few keys â Grasslands in some keys. â Limestone terraces in the east coast of some keys Terrestrial flora and fauna species Terrestrial flora: 8 plant species, including 4 mangrove species (Rhizophora mangle, Avicennia nitida, Laguncularia racemosa, and Conocarpus erectus). Halophilic plants - Sesuvium portulacastrum and Sporobolus pyramidatus; 3 cypress species (Cyperus sp.), and shrubs (Batis maritima and Tournefortia gnaphalodes); grass Setaria submacrostachya and some species of cactus (Stenocereus griseus, Melocactus caesius, and Opuntia wentiana). Terrestrial fauna: 6 reptiles (e.g. Gynmnodactylus antillensis, Cnemidophorus lemmiscatus nigricolor, Gonatodes vitattus roquensis (endemic to the archipelago), and Iguana iguana). Some insects and spiders. Only one native mammal: the natfishing bat (Noctilio leporinus) Marine habitats Thalassia testudinum and Syringodium filiformes. Marine flora Siringodium filiforme, Thalassia testudinum; Algae checklist not available Marine invertebrates and fishes Crustacean- 200 species; mollusks- 140 species; echinoderm 45 species; sponges- 60 species. fishes- 304 catalogued species (41 genera and 31 families). Snappers, including yellow tailed snappers (Lutjanidae), and groupers (Escombridae and Serranidae) are of high economic value. The most representative fauna include the spiny lobster, queen conch, starfish, reef fishes such as parrotfish, grunts as well as sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus, etc). Sponges as Aplysina lacunosa, Callispongia vaginalis and Cliona ssp. Marine mammals, birds and sea turtles Birds: 92 species, 50 of which are migratory and come from North America. Seabirds: 62 species. Shore and terrestrial birds:30 species. 24 species (5 terrestrial and 19 seabirds) nest in Los Roques. Six endemic subspecies: Columbina passerina tortuguensi Endangered species Strombus gigas (fishery prohibited since 1994, althouhg ther is ilegal fishing). Four sea turtle species: loggerhead (Caretta caretta), green (Chelonia mydas), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea), and hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata). Special aggregation sites Reproductive and nursery areas: Invertebrate: queen conch mostly in the NE of Cayo Grande; major spiny lobster recruitment areas: Maria Uespen and the lagoon SW of Isla Larga; Fish: groupers have reproductive aggregations near of W of Cayo Sal; b Primary management institution INPARQUES Other institutions that participate in management Personnel INPARQUES:Superintendent (1), education coordinator (1), administrative (1), warden (6); Autoridad Ãšnica de Ã rea: approx. 15 persons for public services; Armada and Guardia Los Roques - Page 3/5

4 Nacional: military personnel (25-30) ; Fundacion Cientifica Los Roques: biologi Management objectives Other management objectives Management framework Yes Date of establishment of management framework Last update of management framework 2003/07/06 Zoning Other zone types Funding sources Entry fees 42%; boats and airplanes taxes 13%; tourist operators tax 20%; public services 14%; other incomes of AUA 11%; World Bank (just once); International CooperatiÃ³n Spain Agency (just once); eventual national/international private sources (NGO's, Cultural resources At 4 archaeological sites were found ca. 400 pre-columbian pottery human figurines from Amerindian groups from the adjacent Venezuela mainland, between 1200 AD and the European contact period they temporarily occupied the islands. The zoning plan includ Fisheries resources Lobsters, fishes. The park produces 75% of lobster national producction. There is a conservation and hatchery private program since Fisheries regulations Conchs fishery legally prohibit in entire park since 1994; Lobster closed season- May to November.Lobster minimum size - 12 cm. CL or 1 kg.; all trawling nets prohibited. Sea turtles harvesting prohibited. Coastal development Beach management Monitoring programmes Other monitoring programmes Issues or threats for accomplishing management objectives Los Roques is the best managed park in the country, with strong communmity involvement which make it easier to resolve conflicts, however, there is still lack of adequate personnel and infrastructure, solid waste contamination, wastewater management, and Role of site in network Los Roques - Page 4/5

5 Areas of special expertise for knowledge transfer Zoning, fishing regulations, taxes collection, some public services (government), scientific research and partnership with private NGO and uiniversities. Los Roques - Page 5/5

Terrestrial Protected Area Nomination: Central Mangrove Wetland South-West, Grand Cayman

Terrestrial Protected Area Nomination: Central Mangrove Wetland South-West, Grand Cayman The attached nomination, proposing that a parcel of land in the Central Mangrove Wetland be made a Protected Area