In contrast, an increase in
the protection and sustainable exploitation of this habitat could be reached if scientific articles on mangrove
ecosystem benefits were more prevalent, particularly if research was distributed among many different research
fields. Some other specific technological niches could be exploited including discovery of new molecules or
prototype drugs for pharmaceutical industry, as well as in the field of Biotechnology, Agriculture, Food Sciences
and Energy field, covering the development of alternative foods, discovery of new enzymes and/or a second
generation of enzymes used in biofuel production. As suggested by Barbier et al. (2011), to design an action plan
for the development of this ecosystem, some key elements are required: a) greater collaborative ecological and
economic research on the value of estuarine and coastal ecosystems (ECE); b) improved institutional and legal
frameworks for mangrove forest management; c) better control and regulation of destructive economic activities;
and d) options for ecological restoration.