‘Park for underwater scenery just as important as Christoffel Park’

WILLEMSTAD — The demand and necessity for a marine park could best be described if compared with the example of the Christoffel Park, according to Managing-institute Carmabi. Protection and the possibility to enjoy nature are at the center.

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"The original nature is being protected in the park. The local population and interested visitors may enjoy whatever nature has to offer. In particular, peace and beauty, which are increasingly difficult to find in urbanized areas." This is more or less the case regarding underwater, according to Carmabi. "One is often more surprised about marine or underwater parks than rural parks."

The reason for Carmabi’s media offensive is the draft regulation for coastal management, which seems to be attributed to Carmabi as the manager. A number of persons and organizations had reacted very negative after these plans had been announced. Unique Curaçao, Willy Maal, the institute Project Development, and Flamingo Exploitation Company had lodged an official protest against placing the entire coastal management in the hands of Carmabi. In particular, the power (monopoly) and the levying policy form an obstacle.

Carmabi, "In first instance, the forming of such a park is nothing more than a statement of the island that the continued existence of reeves, mangroves and sea grass is endangered if we choose not to act wisely. The park will not compete with other activities such as coastal development. By supporting the marine nature of this island, such a park, aims to stimulate all stakeholders to search for wiser solutions so that the wishes of involved parties could be realized, but without endangering the nature unnecessarily."

The research and managing institute believes in a collective cooperation in the extension of measures and rules in the park if such is necessary for the continual existence of the nature. "In principle, the reason to establish a marine park does not differ from that of the Christoffel Park, namely to express that we care about our exceptional (underwater) nature as an island."

Worldwide, the condition of coral reeves is increasingly deteriorating. The balance is not recovering naturally due to overfishing and slow coral growth. "These systems require a helping hand." That ‘helping’ could occur in various ways, according to Carmabi, for example, through new legislation, agreeing on a fishing quota, or a park where one could simply acknowledge that the marine nature requires protection in order to secure the existence thereof."

Marine parks have existed much longer elsewhere in the world and offer proven advantages. The attractiveness for tourism is increasing, more fish is being caught, healthy coral reeves protect the coast against erosion, the reeves have regained their beauty, there are organisms that produce substances which could be used as medication and they form a piece of the island’s inheritance. "As not everyone is interested in the biological arguments for establishing a park, the decision was made to express the value of such parks in money. The estimations rather depend on where you are, but if one kilometer of reef is destroyed, this will cost approx. 350.000 guilder on lost income per year for diving schools, the tourism industry and fishermen."