Decalogue for Coastal Management in Santa Catarina State, Brazil: an Evaluation of the State Coastal Management Program Arrangement

Brazil has a National Coastal Management Program that was established 25 years ago, extending to the 17 coastal Brazilian states. Santa Catarina was one of the pioneers. However, despite the legal and institutional framework at the national and, more recently, at the state level, Brazilian and Santa Catarina coastal zone have been degrading. Emphasis is given to the increasing damage by storms and flooding in coastal cities; water contamination by poor sanitation, increasing levels of risk to human health; concentration of population and poverty; loss of biodiversity; reduction of critical habitat area and fragmentation of ecosystems; poor access to public use of coastal areas; increased levels of risk of oil spill accidents; reduced diversity of landscapes; erosion of the shoreline; among others. The gap in the implementation of tools provided by the Federal and State Coastal Management Programs combined with almost no evaluation of management processes lead to situations of degradation. This study evaluated the State Coastal Management Program of Santa Catarina: management and financial arrangement and governance system based on 10 pre-established indicators, defined by the Decalogue methodology. We conclude that the management aspects with better advancement in Santa Catarina are: Normative and tools applied to the coast, establishment of responsibilities, as well as information available. On the other hand there is precarious and important aspects that should be given priority to strengthening coastal management: clear definition of Public Policy, Institutions, Education and Training of managers and community, Education for Sustainability, Resources and Public Participation.