Vision, Mission, Goals, and Strategy It is the Vision of the Laguna San Ignacio ecosystem science program to support the maintenance of a marine protected area that hosts sustained, low-impact, environmentally friendly eco-tourism and fishing operations for the economic and social benefit of the local communities, Mexico, and to benefit the wildlife that depend on this unique coastal marine ecosystem. Achieving this vision requires a scientific basis for management. It is the Mission and long-term Goal of the Laguna San Ignacio ecosystem science program to develop and implement a multi-year, sustained ecosystem science program that will continue to provide wildlife and land managers and developers with information on the status and trends of the Laguna San Ignacio Wetlands Complex (LSIWC). Research and monitoring projects will provide information to address complex ecosystem issues at scales appropriate to management questions, and that recognize the natural and human-related mechanisms affecting the ecosystem. Such science based information is fundamental to evaluate development and conservation alternatives and options, and to assess the outcome of management and conservation measures implemented to determine if they achieve their intended purposes. The Strategy for the Laguna San Ignacio ecosystem science program is to begins with pilot studies that build on the results of former and existing research and monitoring programs (e.g., gray whale monitoring) and to expand those projects to include other biological and physical components of the ecosystem (e.g., turtles, fisheries, whale-watching, water quality & productivity, etc.). The program provides academic employment and training for graduate students interested in careers in wildlife conservation science. It provides a forum for local fishermen, businesses, and residents to contribute their observations and information to the overall knowledge base for the lagoon and surrounding region. Research findings and information are made available in published reports, at workshops and symposia, and on the Program's internet web-site.
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