Integrated Coastal Management Diagnosis in the Dominican Republic

Abstract

Coastal zones have been affected by the inadequate management and use of natural resources, which has caused many countries to implement strategies to modify public policies and generate others that have a sectoral approach towards the coastal zone with the aim of making a sustainable use of the seas and coasts. The Dominican Republic is a country where the main economic activity is tourism, therefore, its coastlines have been affected by environmental problems such as pollution, loss of biodiversity and damage to ecosystems due to construction and infrastructure. In this work, a diagnosis was carried out to know the current situation of the coastal areas in the Dominican Republic, taking as a guide the decalogue of coastal management proposed by Barragán (2012). The results show that the Dominican Republic has policies and regulations that partially include Integrated Coastal Management; However, there are laws and institutions that have taken the initiative to implement integrated management plans, achieving achievements that have been insufficient. On the other hand, groups of professionals with knowledge on the subject were identified, who participate in educational institutions where master’s programs in environmental care are offered that can be windows of opportunity to implement initiatives in coastal management. Finally, regarding knowledge of current laws, the inhabitants of the Dominican Republic are aware of the existing problems in the coastal zone, as well as the need to permeate and instill in users respect for them and the good use of coastal resources. Keywords: Policies and regulations, integrated coastal management, coastal and marine resources, Dominican Republic.