Unfortunately, there are many problems on the Ilha do Mel. I will only list the most importants and wont't enter deeply on it, since here is not the right place for this. I'd only like to stimulate the reader's consciousness, visiting this island or another destination with similar caracteristics.

The touristic exploration takes place in a totally disorganized manner. There was and is no appropriate planning, and because of lacking supervision many illegal actions happen, mainly in connection with the sale of properties.

A bulk of the native population was and is completely without preparation for the new lifestyle, caused by the intensive tourism. Many inhabitants, ex-fishers, have given up their earlier occupation to earn easy money in subordinated jobs. They have completely lost their cultural identity and old customs.

The tourism on the island is highly dependent on the season. This lasts from December until March, and during the rest of the year a higher turnout happens only at weekends and holidays. Permanent sources of income must be created for the inhabitants of the island.

The infrastructure of the island is completely overburdened during the main-season. The number of visitors must be restricted during this time. One has fixed a burden-capacity of 4000 visitors per day, but only approximately 2200 beds exist on the island.

Garbage and sewage-elimination are a serious problem. There isn't sufficient infrastructure for the treatment/elimination and that leads to several illnesses.

Health-care is practically missing , mainly the continuous presence of a doctor.

There is only one school for the first 4 primary-school years. The other children must visit daily the school on the continent.

Because of the worse education, the native population is in disadvantage to the " foreigners ". It is mainly the foreigners, who install commercial institutions, and that in big number.

The inhabitants of the single settlements and natives and foreigners are quarreled among each other.

A sensitization of the tourists is missing. Certainly many have a certain green attitude, but on the other side are many, that come only to party, and who have no interest at all for the environmental and social problems of the island, they even contribute to their aggravation.

The power supply is also a problem. During the high-season, at peaks, energy is missing, and from 2 a.m to 10 a.m. there is no energy at all.

The island suffers from a natural problem, erosion. This will probably cause a separation of the island between "Nova Brasília" and the "Praia do Farol". Many houses and properties were already lost by it.

These are only some of the problems of the island. It seems that the organization of the inhabitants has improved and they have gotten more rights. The IAP (environment-institute of Paraná) has worked out plans of administration and management. Thers is only missing the political will to realize these.

Such things like the construction of the pier and the visitor-center in the last year (1996) may not happen. That pier was built at a completely inappropriate place, although alternative-plans were available. The visitor-center doesn't combine with the style of the island at all, one has used artificial materials and the roofs type of Arabic tents have nothing to do with the culture of the island.