Progress report for
Improving Coral Reefs Protection for Effective Conservation
Achievement at a glance
The Caribbean Hope Spots are the most resilient coral reefs of Colombia. They have been declared within our commitment in coalition with Mission Blue as Hope Spots making a total coverage of protection of coral reefs in Colombia. As our mission is to recommend how to improve coral reef conservation effectiveness is a process to implement the Sustainable Development Goal 14. We have involved fishers, diving operators, ecotouristic sector and communities as well as academia, local, regional and national governments.<br>
<br>Our campaigns can be followed transparently on social media with the Hashtags #OceanAction14819 #GlobalBehaviorChange #GlobalBehaviOURchange
<br>#LeadingByExample
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Challenges faced in implementation
We have had difficulties with financial support to acquire filming gear for Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality. However, in alliances, we have found coral reef material in 3D that we shared with fishers communities to allow them to feel the experience of being underwater seeing, for example, live turtles to influence their changes in feeding those vulnerable species.<br>#VaraderoColombia and #AreaMarinaProtegidaArrecifesCapurganaCaboTiburon
Next Steps
At the moment, we have nominated both Caribbean Hope Spots<br>as World Natural Marine Heritage Sites before UNESCO through the
<br>Colombian Government (Chancellery, Ministry of Environment and National Parks)
<br>Two Coral reefs: Area Marina Protegida Arrecifes Capurgana CaboTiburon and
<br>Varadero Colombia. The Government have told us that their process
<br>takes at least two years to be completed. We will also continue sharing videos and photos of coral reefs in our environmental education campaigns to get the compromise of more enterprises, the fishers communities and the general public to be part of the solution.
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<br>Global coral reef scientists and conservationists as well as coral reef lovers and all the inhabitants of the planet.
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<br>We have developed an international celebration of the #MonthOfTheReef or #MesDelArrecife and participate actively in the Coral Lists and Society for Conservation Biology; as well as other e-lists providing free access to our findings.
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Beneficiaries
Global coral reef scientists and conservationists as well as coral reef lovers
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<br>We have developed an international celebration of the #MonthOfTheReef and #MesDelArrecife and participate actively in the Coral Lists and Society for Conservation Biology as well as other e-lists providing free access to our findings.
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<br>National actions as Colombia is 50% Sea making easier to visualize our marine ecosystems
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<br>Local Communities
<br>Since we are monitoring with Citizen Science the coral reefs of Colombia
Actions
Free online Environmental Education<br>National and local presentation of findings from Citizen Science and good practices to improve coral reef conservation effectiveness.
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<br>We have received for our altruistic and volunteer work acknowledgment in 2019 from UN Compact in Colombia and the Colombian Environmental Summit
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