Management of transboundary estuaries in Latin America and the Caribbean

- Transboundary estuaries are local representations of shared river basin and coastal zone management.
- The bilateral relations between countries in the shared space and resources co-management can identify the key elements for decision-makers in different scales.
- Exists river basin management initiatives, a few in coastal management initiatives, and absence in shared estuaries management.
- There are 17 transboundary estuaries of 26 coastal borders in Latin America and the Caribbean, involving 14 countries in the region.

The need for integrated resource management in coastal and marine areas is increasingly urgent. Estuaries, as a representation of the relationship between river basins and coastal areas are spaces of convergence due to their natural characteristics. Transboundary estuaries also historically represent divisions between regions and countries, often presenting overlaid administrative domains and a complex situation to manage. This paper makes a meta-analysis of the main geographical and managerial characteristics of 17 cases of transboundary estuaries in Latin America and the Caribbean region (LAC). These cases are presented as examples of bilateral relations of cooperation and co-management of shared systems (fluvial, coastal and marine). The analysis of these estuaries in LAC demonstrated that there is an inadequate integration between River Basin Management and Coastal Areas Management, not considering the scope of a management based in ecosystems. It was also exposed that the articulation of international and national policies and the land and sea domains that take place at these locations determine the system management, as well as the use and distribution of shared resources.