Conscious Behavior in reefs environment
A little part of Brazilian reefs is protected by the creation means of Conservation Units. They are areas protected by law, created with the aim of preserving the nature. The conservation units divide into two big category groups:
Total Protection: like the Biological Reserves and the National Parks (Including Abrolhos), where it’s allowed only the indirect use of natural resources;
Sustainable Use: like the Environment Protection Areas and their Extractive Reserves, that allow the sustainable use of part of their natural sources.
The different handling categories reflect the use possibilities of each unit and they’re followed by the Law number 9,985 from July 18th 2000, that institutes the National System of Conservation Units, the SNUC. Just in case of existing the presence of coral reefs in the area, we have the following categories:
Biological Reserve – It’s one of the most restrict categories, where it’s allowed only the scientific research and the visit with educational proposes, obeying a specific regulation;
National Park – Besides the research and the educational visit, it’s also allowed the public visitation obeying, of course, the rules and restrictions established by the proper agency;
Environment Protection Areas – They are areas where the sustainable use of natural sources is allowed, obeying the current environmental rules;
Extractive Reserves – They’re also areas where the sustainable use is allowed but with their use conceded to traditional extractive populations located in there.
