Parke Marino Aruba 2019-2021 Preliminary Management Plan

In 2016 the Government of Aruba in partnership with TNO Caribbean was awarded the BEST 2.0 Program grant to establish Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) on Aruba, thereby entering the process of establishing a national marine park. Parke Marino Aruba was officially established by law AB 2018 no. 77 on 21 December 2018 (see Appendix E) and brought under the management of Fundacion Parke Nacional Aruba (FPNA) on 16 April 2019. 

This marine park management plan delineates the key goals, objectives and priorities which have been agreed upon with Ministry of Spatial Development, Infrastructure and Environment (MinROIM) and the Directorate for Nature and Environment (DNM) for a two-year transition phase of the marine park. This management plan should serve to provide guidance during the two- year transition phase for establishing a practical and concise management plan that can be executed accordingly. The provision of this for Aruba’s first- ever marine park management plan is therefore a critical element in the future protection, management and restoration of the different marine protected areas as one of the key elements within the natural heritage of Aruba.

This document is intended as a reference for the staff of the Aruba National Park Foundation (FPNA) and will additionally assist government, key stakeholders and potential funders in their planning and thinking in relation to the management of Parke Marino Aruba. It is also intended for any other interested parties and the community at large. This management plan focuses on critical management issues for the short and medium term, based on identified management measures, focussing on habitats, species and stakeholders involved for the initial 4 marine protected areas (MPAs), together forming Parke Marino Aruba:
> MPA Arikok

>  MPA Sero Colorado
>  MPA Mangel Halto
>  MPA Oranjestad Reef Islands

The MPAs will be managed as multi-use MPAs similar to existing marine parks in the Dutch Caribbean. Ecosystem-based management (EBM) and other relevant emerging marine management approaches will be applied, allowing wise use of MPAs, while promoting non-destructive and sustainable activities, minimizing negative human impact on the environment and identifying research priorities to benefit the conservation of natural ecosystems and their ecosystem services.

Communication to build awareness, as well as developing a sense of ownership for the specific MPAs, will form a crucial part of these management, restoration and climate change adaptation activities and will be of utmost importance during the two-year transition phase of the marine park.

FPNA will manage Parke Marino Aruba, on behalf of the Aruban government, within the framework of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Blue Economy concept and in accordance with national and international laws, treaties and conventions, standards and policies. FPNA aims to work together with expert partner-organizations such as the Dutch Caribbean Nature Alliance (DCNA), the Dutch national committee of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN-NL), the United Nations Environment Programme - Caribbean Environment Programme (UNEP-CEP), the Caribbean Marine Protected Areas Management (CaMPAM), the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI), the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), the Dutch office of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF-NL) and the Aruban Directorate of Nature and Environment (DNM).

The management of the four MPAs will commence with a two-year transition phase during which the plan will be tweaked and established for consecutive years. This definite marine park management plan will be evaluated and adjusted annually as well as comprehensively evaluated every 4 years, followed by a revision or new management plan. Evaluation of the management organization and results will be based on annual (financial) reports.