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CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
This is a study of how social and economic factors influence perceptions and uses of coastal resources in the village of Mahahual, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
Understanding relationships between socioeconomic factors and activities that negatively affect the environment is useful in managing natural resources because it
can help identify root causes of environmental degradation
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and allow these factors to be incorporated into an integrated management program. There is considerable
literature supporting the theory that social and economic factors influence resource use on community, national, or regional levels Stonich, 1992; Galvez et al., 1989; White,
1994; Pauly, 1990; McManus et al. 1992. However, the precise nature of these relationships, particularly within Mexico, is not well understood on a household level.
Much of the socioeconomic data in Mexico are compiled by independent researchers and Non-Governmental Organizations NGOs, and have yet to be applied to resource
management personal communication. Dr. C. Dyer, 300.
The supposition of this research is that the various ways in which people perceive and use coastal resources are dependent upon socioeconomic variables
including wealth, education, migration, age, and coastal residency. To determine which socioeconomic variables are most influential, this study examines relationships
between household socioeconomic characteristics and the ways in which people perceive and use coastal resources. This information is then incorporated into a
resource management context by recommending interventions that address the underlying factors behind resource degradation.
1.1 Communities Depend Upon Coastal Resources
The coastal environment of the Mexican State of Quintana Roo figure 1.1 supports considerable tourism and fishery industries, upon which many residents
depend for income andor subsistence. Quintana Roo’s diverse coastal environment is characterized by world famous tourist beaches such as Cancun and Cozumel, prolific
mangroves in the Esprito Santo and Ascencion Bays, and part of the second largest coral reef system in the world, the Meso-American Barrier Reef. Though all of
Quintana Roo’s coastal ecosystems are of great economic and social importance, coral reefs, in particular, are crucial because they protect the coastline against hurricane
damage and beach erosion, sustain subsistence and commercial fisheries, provide sand for beaches, and create recreational opportunities such as scuba diving. The social and
economic base of many communities within Quintana Roo has evolved to depend, at least in part, upon the beauty and bounty of coral reef systems.
In southern Quintana Roo, communities utilize a variety of methods to exploit their surrounding resources Basurto, 1996, 1997. However, some activities,
including fishing, farming, and tourism, can alter the delicate balance of coral reefs Jennings and Polunin, 1997; Pauly, 1990; Ruddle, 1996; Dalzel, 1996; Veitayaki et
al., 1995. The nature and intensity of some activities can compromise the very habitat that both animals and humans depend upon for continuation of their livelihood.
Unfortunately, instituting changes in resource use practices which are harmful to coral
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reefs and other coastal resources is often difficult because the various ways in which people utilize their natural resources is invariably related to a multitude of social,
cultural, and economic factors Nazarea et al., 1998; Stonich, 1992; Galvez et al., 1989; White, 1994; Pauly, 1990.
Figure 1.1. Quintana Roo and the Yucatan Peninsula
USA
Mexico Beliz
G l
Pacific Ocean At lantic Oce an
Q u in
t an
a R o o
Y u cat an
C am p
ech e
B el ize
M e x
ic o G
u ate m
a la
Yucatan Campeche
Quintana Roo
Mexico Guatemala
Belize Caribbean Sea
Cancun Cozumel
Tulum Bahia D e La Ascension
Bahia D el E spiritu Santu Costa M aya
Mahahual Chetumal
30 0 30 60 90 Kilometers
N
Quintana Roo, Mexico
Produced by Joshua Cinner. 2000. Source: ESRI
1.2 Perceptions About Resources Can Influence the Ways in Which Resources