Huinay Marine Protected Area in the Comau Fjord

Under the Decreto Supremo No. 357 on the 8th of November, 2001, a marine protected area (MPA) was created in the Comau Fjord. This bill protects a portion of water extending 15 km along the eastern coastline bordering the Huinay country estate, including the mid-water, bottom, rocks and beaches that are within the borders. The area extends to 75 m from the shore, restricting any pescador or mariscador activity so as to preserve the pristine conditions of this section of the fjord for future research.

This declaration establishes a method of conservation for the biodiversity in the fjord, protecting the ecosystems and natural habitats, which in the long run will hopefully aid population growth of commercially valuable species outside this area.

The declaration was written according to the faculty of the Ministerio de Defensa Nacional. This work compliments other international treaties such as the Convenio sobre Diversidad Biológica, DL No. 1963 from 1994, and the Convenio para la Protección del Medio Marino y la Zona Costera del Pacífico Sudeste y Protocolo para la Conservación y Administación de las Áreas Marinas y Costeras Protegidas del Pacífico Sudeste, DS No. 827 from 1995.

The Comau MPA is temporally limited until November 2006. The Foundation currently is in dialog with the federation of local fishermens’ unions to work out a new administration model combining no-take areas with zones open for rational resource management by mariscadores, comprising a significantly broader zone that includes the fjords of Comau and Reñihué.

MPA_propuesta_2006.pdf