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Castilla, Juan Carlos

Castilla, Juan Carlos (Juan Carlos Castilla, Chile)

Professor, Marine Ecology, Department of Ecology, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
The MIDORI Prize for Biodiversity 2012 Prize Winner

Dr. Juan Carlos Castilla (b. 1940) started his career in marine preserves and management areas that play an important role in the sustainable use of natural resources. Dr. Castilla who considered to be "the pioneer of South American marine ecology," is a professor in the Department of Ecology at Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile where he teaches marine and community ecology. He also headed for 18 years the Coastal Marine Station, "Estacion Costera de Investigaciones Marineas," in Las Cruces, Chile, which has operated as a research marine preserve for more than 25 years.

In a long-term experiment at the preserve, Dr. Castilla has worked with artisanal fishing communities to test no-take zones, "human exclusion" areas and seasonal closings. He conducted experiments at the small scale Marine Protected Area (MPA) as the experimental facility of the Catolica University. His research results successfully proved that MPA is effective for increasing natural resources and conserving biodiversity in the surrounding sea areas. He proposed the integration of small scale MPA and fishery, and this proposal was disseminated throughout Chile.

Positive results have greatly influenced the new Chilean Fishery and Aquaculture law especially on matters related to the management of benthic resources. These activities and the results identified the role of small sized fishermen toward sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity, realized the institution to conseve artisanal fisheries in Chilien coastal zones, and participated in PISCO (Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans), PEW Foundation Marine Conservation and the Mellon Foundation Coastal Ecosystem projects, with Chilean and US scientists as Profs. Jane Lubchenco, Bruce Menge and Steve Gaines. More than 60 papers have now been published on this unique projects.

Part of the success of his activities is Dr. Castilla's significant theoretical and practical experience in issues related to coastal property rights, management and exploitation areas and co-management. Regarding the integration of conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, his achievements in raising awareness about the role of small sized fishers and proposing a new legal system from a biologist are also influential to the world.

Dr. Castilla has been invited by more than 30 universities to offer lectures and seminars, has publsihed over 250 papers and he has been recognized with a number of awards for his pioneering work on marine parks and reserves, the co-manegmet of coastal resources and conservation of marine biodiversity.

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