Environmental value systems: Lake Victoria vs Gulf of California

Gulf of California and Lake Victoria

Environmental Value Systems

This is a particular world view or set of paradigms that shapes the way an individual or group of people perceive and evaluate environmental issues. This will be influenced by cultural (including religious), economic and socio-political context

An environmental value system is a system in the sense that it has inputs (for example, education, cultural influences, religious doctrine, media) and outputs (for example, decisions, perspectives, courses of action) determined by processing these inputs.

Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria

Lake Victoria, the largest of all African Lakes, is also the second widest freshwater body in the world. Its extensive surface belongs to the three countries; the northern half to Uganda, the southern half to Tanzania, and part of the northeastern sector to Kenya. It is generally considered to be the source of the Nile River, the world's longest river.

Gulf of California

Characteristics of Gulf of California1,130 km long and 80 to 209 km wide. 

Greatest depth is 2,950 m

Once a rich commerical and sport fishing grounf, the gulf now suffers from overfishing.

Tourits centers developing in the region. This activity highlight the value of the system.  

Economic Importance of the Gulf of California

50% of Mexico's fishing production comes from the gulf. 

 95% of the shrimp production comes from the area. 

 2 billion dollars are made from tourism.

 250 fish processsing plants have been created around the area.

Environmental and Cultural Importance of the Gulf of California

Actions in the Gulf of CaliforniaWWF: Already aid into making the Island of San Pedro Martir into a National Biosphere and seeks making the Island of Espiritu Santo a protected zone also.Greenpeace: Wants to create along with the Mexican government a series of conservation sites and out-of-limit zones in the Gulf of California and various of its smaller islands.Vaquita Marina: Along with the WWF, proposed a strategy of substainable development for the Vaquita to the government.Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación de la Naturaleza A.C. The Gulf of California Conservation Fund (GCCF) is a financial tool for channeling resources to conservation projects that address the most pressing conservation priorities in the region.

Comparison between Environmental Value Systems

Lake Victoria Gulf of California

Political Relevance None.

Social Relevance Lake Victoria ferries have become popular from the 1900's for smooth transportation to Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. Fishing in Lake victoria also represents around 26% of the total fishing in the area.

Thousands of people, and entire communities that live around the coast of the area depend on it in order to subside. 

Economical Relevance The Basin’s population of 35 million (2007) combined with the natural resource base contributes immensely to the National GDPs.

50% of Mexico's fishing production comes from the gulf. 95% of the shrimp production comes from the area. 2 billion dollars are made from tourism . 250 fish processsing plants have been created around the area.

Lake Victoria Gulf of California

Environmental Relevance Lake victoria is considered to be very rich in biodiversity. It is also considered to be a climate modulator by the UNEP.

Considered to be the "World's Aquarium" by marinebiologist Jacques Cousteau. One of the sites with the most abundance of marine divesrsity in the world. Site of migration of whales. The vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is the smallest of all cetaceans and the only porpoise endemic to Mexico. 40% of the country's agricultural production comes from the states around the gulf.

Cultural Relevance Due to recent events, culture around the lake is in a way "crumbling". People were used to a life where they  bought native fish, they fished for their food, to either sell or consume. Their lifestyle is slowly changing.

It is considered by the UNESCO as a World Heritage Site on the Natural category.

Conservation efforts The first plan to conserve the biodiversity of threatened species of Lake Victoria cichlids was to breed them in North American aquaria and zoos with the hope of reintroducing them.

Greenpeace and the WWF along with other NGOs wish to create a web of official conservation areas around the gulf. (Ecocentric)No governmental measures taken at the moment.

Personal viewpoints

We firmly believe that all the conservation efforts that are taking place are something that should be continued. Both Lake victoria and the Gulf of California are ecosystems with a high value (in all aspects mentioned), both are ecosystems that need to be preserved, if not, this will have mostly economical, environmental, and cultural repercussions. 

Bibliography"The Gulf of California." Aquarium of the Pacific. Aquarium of the Pacific, 2011. Web. 13 Mar 2011. <http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/conservation/the_gulf_of_california/>.

Vaquita Marina." Vaquita Marina, 2011. Web. 13 Mar 2011. <http://www.vaquitamarina.org/portal/>.

"Protecting the world’s aquarium." Gulf of California. World Wildlife Fund, 2010. Web. 13 Mar 2011. <http://www.worldwildlife.org/what/wherewework/gulfofca/>. "Importancia económica del Golfo de California." Greenpeace. Greenpeace, 28 Nov 2006. Web. 13 Mar 2011. <http://www.greenpeace.org/mexico/es/Footer/Descargas/reports/Oceanos-y-costas/importancia-econ-mica-del-golf/>"

Fondo Mexicano Para La Conservación De La Naturaleza. "Fondo Mexicano Para La Conservación De La Naturaleza - Fondo Para El Golfo De California." Fondo Mexicano Para La Conservación De La Naturaleza - Inicio. 2011. Web. 13 Mar. 2011. <http://www.fmcn.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=58&Itemid=93>.

IB Syllabus http://teachers.saschina.org/csmith/files/2010/08/TOPIC-7-SUMMARY-OUTLINE.pdf