THE FUTURE CHILEAN MARINE PARK AND PRESER VES NETWORK AND THE CONCEPTS OF CONSERVATION, PRESERVATION AND MANAGEMENT ACCORDING TO THE NATIONAL LEGISLATION

The paper summarizes the Chilean legislation in connection with Marine Protected Areas, mainly regarding Marine Parks and Preserves. Legal d efinitions, focusing on the concepts of conservation, preservation and fishery management, are presented and discussed. The international ex perience in the establishment of Marine Parks and Preserves, aiming to conservation, preservation, research and fishery management is analyz ed. It is stressed that in Chilean continental and insular territories there are not formally established National Marine Parks or Preserves , containing long term plans and objectives formulated within the cont ext of the especial characteristics of marine ecosystems. The country does not possess a distinctive system of national marine preserves. Th e scientific results obtained (1982-1995) at the Preserve of the Marin e Coastal Station, Las Cruces, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chil e, and their effects on the institutionalization of benthic resources Management and Exploitation Areas, MEA (Fishery and Aquaculture Law 19 91) are discussed. The combined roles that Marine Parks and Preserves can play in connection with conservation, preservation, fishery manage ment, education, research and recreation are highlighted. The urgent n eed to establish a Chilean Network of Marine Coastal Protected areas i s stressed. The main elements contained in a working agenda leading to wards such objective are detailed. For instance, the selection of coas tal areas through preliminary macrogeographical and biogeographical ap proaches, the need to analyze coastal fragmentation problems, the stud y of the structure and dynamics of coastal communities; including natu ral re-stocking and over-spilling processes; and the need to undertake base line studies (monitoring schemes) previous to the establishment of protected coastal areas are singled out. Chile is in a position to lead Latin America marine conservation.