In the last years the establishment of Marine Protected Areas has been intensified worldwide. In South America this phenomenon has highlighted the tension between the expansion of fishery production and the conservation of biodiversity. However, recent experiences have shown some local alternatives for marine conservation which are able to conciliate the use and protection of natural resources. Drawing on an empirical research this paper seeks to analyze the development of an environmental arena for marine conservation in Chile, and discusses the institutional trajectory of exploration and management of small-scale fisheries in Cardenal Caro Province. The results point out that the implementation of a Marine Protected Area in the studied region is part of an institutional framework based on sustainable use of fisheries, social relations of conflict and cooperation, and construction of a municipal environmental arena.
Marine protected areas; Artisanal fishery; Social dimensions; Environmental arena; Chile