The importance of scale, connectivity, and incentives in conservation programs: the case of exotic Salmonids of Patagonia

MIGUEL ALBERTO PASCUAL; LANCELOTTI JULIO LUCIO; BILLY ERNST-ELIZALDE; CIANCIO JAVIER ERNESTO; EDUARDO AEDO-MARCHANT; MARTÍN GARCÍA-ASOREY

FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND THE ENVIRONMENT

ECOLOGICAL SOC AMER

Lugar: Washington EEUU; Año: 2009 p. 533 - 540

1540-9295

Several accidentally introduced species have taken over large areas of the world, producing millions of dollars in damages. The introduction of such pest species is condemned without a trial, while science and management efforts are geared towards eradication, containment, or prevention of future infestations. Meanwhile, another list of organisms is actively traded around the World, for food, fun, or aesthetic reasons, providing text book examples of the conflicts between human development and conservation. Questions arise: Are there win-win situations to be found between production and the integrity of nature? How can science and management help to promote such situations? We attempt to answer some of these questions by analyzing three case studies dealing with exotic Salmonids in Patagonia: trout aquaculture in shallow fishless lakes, trout recreational fisheries, and marine net pen salmon aquaculture. We propose that three interrelated properties of these case studies, scale, connectivity, and incentives for conservation, determine our ability to identify and promote such win-win situations.