Field investigation training workshop for Quintana Roo's Marine protected areas enforcement

The state of Quintana Roo, in the Mexican Caribbean, is the countrys most important tourism destination.

Unfortunately, the massive growth of the tourism industry has negatively impacted the natural resources in the area, with 50% of coral reefs lost during the last decades.

The Recipient will work with the Ministry of the Environment, the National Commission of Natural Protected Areas, and the Office of the Attorney General for the Environment to test a pilot 7-day training program for 18 marine park rangers and law enforcement inspectors to strengthen their response and follow up capabilities on environmental illicitness in marine natural protected areas.

The following topics will be covered during the workshop: investigation techniques for coral reefs, illegal taking and poaching, destructive fishing, vessel groundings, oil, chemical and sediment spills, pollution events, search and seizure techniques, suspects surveillance in coral reef habitats, handling of underwater evidence, risk assessment, among others.

By the end of the course, participants will be provided with thefollowing materials: coral reef CSI tool kit, field flipbook tool, flash drive accessory tools, underwater investigative tools, waterproof GPS field cameras, and coral reef CSI field forensic field packs.