The task of both commissions is to adopt and coordinate plans and measures aimed at protecting the aquatic environments and their fauna, promoting research.

1. CARP-COFREMAR CONSORTIUM
Comisión Administradora del
Río de la Plata (CARP)
Administrative Commission for the
Rio de la Plata (CARP)
Comisión Técnica Mixta del
Frente Marítimo (COFREMAR)
Technical Commission for the
Maritime Front (COFREMAR)
INVOLVED COUNTRIES
Argentina and Uruguay
FINANCIAL RESOURCES
GEF, GOVERNMENTS
Others (FFEM, IFREMER, IADB, IMO)
IMPLEMENTATION AGENCY
UNDP
OBJECTIVES
Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis
(TDA) Elaboration
SAP Preparation
SAP Implementation
POLLUTION PREVENTION AND CONTROL AND
HABITAT RESTORATION
ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF THE RIO DE LA
PLATA AND ITS MARITIME FRONT:

2. GEOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT OF THE PROJECT
PLATA BASIN
PARANA RIVER
URUGUAY RIVER
MARITIME FRONT
SOUTH ATLANTIC OCEAN
STUDY AREA

3. INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Administrative Commission
for the Rio de la Plata
(CARP)
Technical Commission
for the Maritime Front
(COFREMAR)
There are two
bi-national
commissions both
established in 1976
The task of both
commissions is to adopt
and coordinate plans and
measures aimed at
protecting the aquatic
environments and their
fauna, promoting research
The Rio de la Plata and its Maritime Front Treaty signed in 1973 by
Argentina and Uruguay is the legal framework for the bi-national
management.

4. ENVIRONMENTAL CONTEXT
• Transition zone between warm, cold and temperate waters.
• High biodiversity with few endemic species.
• Area of ecological importance.
• Presence of endemic species and migratory fishes.
• Very important fisheries.
• Pinniped populations.

5. IN THIS CONTEXT THERE ARE SOME IMPORTANT STOCKS OF RIVERINE AND
MARINE SPECIES.
Outer River and Maritime Front
FISHERIES
Upper River
Croaker Hake Squid
• In 2001 catches were of about 150,000 tons: 29,000 of
Croaker, 50,000 of Hake, 32,000 of squid and 30,000 of other
species

6. KEY TRANSBOUNDARY ISSUES
•Pollution of waters and sediments.
•Urban, agricultural and industrial waste.
•Pesticides, hydrocarbons and heavy
metals in water, sediments and organisms
in the lower river, reflecting proximity to
urban and industrialized areas.
•System is of medium to high productivity,
with risk of moving into eutrophic
conditions.
•Altered hydrological processes by the
construction of numerous dams in the
basin.
•There are no traffic segregation systems,
neither obligatory navigation routes.
• There is a navigation channel which runs
near important habitats of spawning,
feeding and hatcheries of fishery
resources.
•Sensitive areas for hydrocarbons spills,
effects of maritime transportation, harbors
and tourism.
COASTAL
DISCHARGES
CHRONIC
POLLUTION
EXOTIC
SPECIES
(Bivalves)
RED
TIDES

7. Summary of the Project’s Targets
• RESEARCH
1. Transboundary Diagnostic
Analysis.
• ACTION
2. Preparation and approval of
the Strategic Action
Programme (SAP).
• PARTICIPATION OTHER ACTORS
3. Strengthening and Sustaining
the SAP Implementation
Framework.

8. THEMATIC AREAS OF THE PROJECT
LEGAL AND INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES
BIOLOGY, ECOLOGY
ECOSYSTEM CONSERVATION
SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC ISSUES
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
SYSTEM

9. TRANSBOUNDARY DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSIS: TDA
ENVIRONMENTAL
AGENCIES
NATURAL SCIENCES
AND ENGINEERING
FACULTIES
SOCIAL,
ECONOMIC
AND LAW
FACULTIES
INTERNATIONAL
INSTITUTIONS
FISHERIES
DEVELOPMENT
AND RESEARCH
INSTITUTES
OCEANOGRAPHIC
AND
HYDROGRAPHIC
SERVICES
ENVIRONMENTAL
RESEARCH
INSTITUTES
EXECUTION
UNIT
TDA
RESEARCH is designed
to be:
• DEEP
• INTERDISCIPLINARY
• COORDINATE
• COOPERATIVE
• INTER-INSTITUTIONAL
• BASED ON SECONDARY
INFORMATION
• COMPREHENSIVE AND
CONVINCING
GOALS: identifying
• KEY ISSUES
•“HOT SPOTS”
• LINKAGES WITH THE
FRESH WATERS BASINS
• PRIORITIES
Strengthening
• INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITIES
Environmental Information
System (EIS)RESEARCH NETWORK FOR THE KEY ISSUES

10. INSTITUTIONAL NETWORK FOR RESEARCH AND
EXECUTION OF TDA ACTIVITIES
17 COOPERATION AGREEMENTS:
• Fisheries institute.
• Navy hydrographic centers.
• Environmental control centers.
• Meteorological institute.
• Water quality control centers
and institutes.
• University colleges of natural
sciences, engineering, social
and economic sciences.
33 SPECIFIC ACCORDS ON KEY ISSUES:
• Circulation patterns and models of
the Rio de la Plata and Maritime Front.
• Water and sediments pollution.
• Pollutants accumulation in the
trophic chains.
• Wetlands destruction.
• Aquatic biodiversity assessments.
• Biology of species of commercial value.
• Red tides and cholera.
• Exotic species.
• Economic valuation of water resources.
• Satellite images catalogue for the
Rio de la Plata and its Maritime Front.
TECHNICAL ADVISORY GROUPS
FOR TDA
• Physical oceanography.
• Chemical oceanography.
• Marine biology.
• Legal and institutional issues.
• Bio-essays.

11. # Agreements
& accords
Scientists belonging to
institutions participating
in the Project products
Personnel
20
40
60
80
100
120
0
5
10
15
20
25
Feb-01 Jul-01 Nov-01 Feb-02 May-02 Sep-02 Dec-02
Specific accords
Framework Agreements Number
(*10)
Jul-00
SSIC
Personnel
recruitment
TDA Scientific
objectives
Technical Advisory
Groups (TAG)
Starting-up of
each topic
Specific
Institutional
Agreements Starting-up of the
Coordination
Committee for SAP
Coordination Committee

12. STRATEGIC ACTION
PROGRAM (SAP) 1. OBJECTIVES FOR QUALITY OF WATERS
CONTROL.
2. STRATEGIES FOR POLLUTION
CONTROL.
3. BI-NATIONAL PROTOCOLS FOR
ASSESSMENTS OF ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT.
4. FINANCIAL AND ECONOMIC
INSTRUMENTS TO ACHIEVE THE
REDUCTION OF POLLUTANT
CONTRIBUTIONS.
5. COORDINATION STRATEGY TO TAKE
ACTIONS AGAINST POLLUTION.
6. TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION SYSTEM
OF SPECIALISTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT.
7. BI-NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION.
8. PREPARATION OF THE DOCUMENT FOR
THE STRATEGIC ACTION PROGRAM.
PRODUCTS

13. Execution
Unit
Research
Institutions
Consultants
Compilation of
laws and rules
Protocols for
environmental
impact studies
Economic valuation
of aquatic resources
Water quality
standards
Strategies for
biodiversity
Endangered species lists
Reproduction areas
of species
Cartography of
sensitive areas
Economic instruments
for the environmental
protection
B
I
N
A
T
I
O
N
A
L
C
O
M
M
I
S
S
I
O
N
S
Coordination
Committee
Bi-national juridical
recommendations
Environmental
Local
Agencies
EIS-SAP
CONSENSUS
BUILDING FOR
SAP

14. LOCAL ENVIRONMENTAL AUTHORITIES
Coordination Committee
Argentina
• Armada Argentina (Argentinian Navy)
• Prefectura Naval Argentina (Argentinian Coastguard)
• Secretaría de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable (Environment and Sustainable Development
Secretariat)
• Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería, Pesca y Alimentos (Agriculture, Livestock, Fishery and
Foods Secretariat)
• Secretaría de Política Ambiental de la Provincia de Buenos Aires (Environmental Policy
Secretariat of the Province of Buenos Aires)
• Subsecretaría de Puertos y Vías Navegables (Harbors and Navigable Channels Undersecretariat)
Uruguay
• Armada Nacional – Prefectura Nacional Naval (Uruguayan Navy and Coastguard)
• Dirección Nacional de Hidrografía – Ministerio de Transporte y Obras Públicas (National Hydrography
Directorate – Ministry of Transportation and Public Works)
• Dirección Nacional del Medio Ambiente, DINAMA – Ministerio de Vivienda, Ordenamiento Territorial
y
Medio Ambiente (National Directorate for the Environment, DINAMA – Ministry of Housing, Land
Planning and Environment)
• Intendencia de Montevideo, Intendencia de Canelones, Intendencia de Colonia, Intendencia de
Maldonado, Intendencia de Rocha, Intendencia de San José (Municipalities of Montevideo,
Canelones, Colonia, Maldonado, Rocha, San José)
• Oficina de Planeamiento y Presupuesto (Planning and Budget Office)
14 Institutions from both countries have participated in the First Technical Preparatory
Meeting of Institutions of the Coordination Committee (CC). In this meeting, the agenda
for a meeting of these Institutions’ Authorities was prepared.

15. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE STRATEGIC
ACTION PROGRAMME: ISAP
PAE
SAP
Consensus
Building

16. 1. It is necessary to invest a lot of time and effort in the
planning of the institutional arrangements for TDA.
2. Projects should include a commitment of participation, with
agreed deadlines, of key Governmental Agencies, and they
must be integrated at an early stage of its implementation to
obtain the products in order to ensure the execution of the
recommendations.
3. TDA should include proposals for institutional linkages
among the coastal zone of the Rio de la Plata and its
Maritime Front, the South Atlantic oceanic ecosystem, and
their contributing freshwater basins.
4. Activities of the TDA should be carried out by scientific and
technical institutions forming bi-national working groups.
5. Consensus building activities for SAP should begin at an
early stage, together with the activities which are part of the
TDA.
LESSONS LEARNED/GOOD PRACTICES

17. 6. The responsibilities, tasks, priorities and interests of each of those
institutions should be duly addressed in order to bring about that
integration.
7. The sequential approach of activities of the Project should be replaced
by a more complex strategy where a number of activities are being
executed in parallel, between TDA and SAP.
8. The scientists and experts of both countries, belonging to different
disciplines, do not have a considerable experience in multi-disciplinary
and inter-disciplinary work. The best strategy to deal with environmental
issues is the formation of a heterogeneous team of experts working
together.
9. The recruitment process, following UNDP procedures, has proven to be
particularly successful in many respects. This procedure assures
transparency in the composition of the Project's staff and trust in the
scientific and environmental managers.
LESSONS LEARNED/GOOD PRACTICES