[Coral-List] Atlas of Coral Reefs MPAs Brazil

[Ana Paula Leite Prates]

Dear coral collegues, 

It is with great pleasure that we lanched the "Atlas of Coral Reef Protected 
Areas in Brazil",  the result of three years' integrated work, which included 
important partnerships with the National Space Research Institute (INPE) 
and the Coastal Reefs Project (IDB/UFPE/IBAMA/FMA).

In Brazil they are distributed along approximately 3,000 km on the 
northeastern coast, from the State of Maranhão to the south of the State of 
Bahia. In this area we have nine protected areas there were mapping.

Given the importance of the brazilian reef environments and concerned with 
the current state of degradation of these environments, the National 
Protected Areas Program Office (DAP) began to work, in 1999, specifically 
on this ecosystem. Several initiatives were undertaken to establish a 
Protection Network in the Coral Reefs. 

One of the initiatives was to develop a project, with the partnership of the 
National Space Research Institute (INPE) and the Coastal Reefs Project, to 
map the reefs existing within the various Brazilian protected areas. The 
Project "STUDIES INTHE BRAZILIAN CORAL REEFS: TRAINING AND 
APPLICATION OF REMOTE SENSING MAPPING TECHNIQUES" was 
developed, which received external financing from the Ramsar Convention, 
the Wetlands for the future fund. This project provided capacity building for 
14 managers and technical personnel in the use of remote sensing for 
mapping and management of coralline areas. It also generated, as its main 
output, the "Atlas of Coral Reefs Protected Areas in Brazil", wherein for the 
very first time maps of the Brazilian reef environments are published.  

Eleven authors worked on the Atlas and it contains 39 maps of the nine 
protected areas included in the project. These maps are already being used 
to provide inputs for developing/updating the management plans of these 
protected areas, as well as being useful for future studies and projects.

Thus, it is with very great pleasure that we lauched this publication. 
Unfortunally we made a few copies but if it interesting for your institution, 
please send a message for us. For further information please contact us at 
dap at mma.gov.br.


Sincerely,
Ana Paula Leite Prates
Fisheries Engineer, PhD.
Edition of Atlas
Techical Adviser of Director of the National Protected Areas Program
Phone: 55 - 61 - 224.1696
Fax: 55 - 61 - 317.1174
ana-paula.prates at mma.gov.br





Ana Paula Leite Prates
Engenheira de Pesca, MSc.
Ministério do Meio Ambiente
Diretoria de Áreas Protegidas
Esplanada dos Ministérios, Bloco B, Sala 731
Brasilia/DF Cep: 70.068-900 - Brasil
Tel: 61 2241696 fax: 61 323 7936
E-mail:ana-paula.prates at mma.gov.br