An Overview Of Our Solution
Managed Access Pilot Program – Communities Protecting Critical Fisheries of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System in Southern Belize
Who is this solution impacting?
Ecosystem
Oceans/Coasts
Community Type
Rural
Additional Information
- Population Impacted:
- Continent: North America
Problem
Describe the problem
In July 2011, the Managed Access Pilot Program (MAPP) was implemented by the Belize Fisheries Department, TIDE, the Wildlife Conservation Society & the Environmental Defense Fund. The goal – to promote long-term fisheries sustainability, and create secured livelihoods for fishers and users of the Port Honduras Marine Reserve (PHMR). MAPP succeeds by community management of the fishery and promotes sustainable fishing techniques. A licensing system gives traditional fishers access within general use zones of PHMR & a monitoring system tracks social, economic & biological data to inform fishers and management decisions. Compliance & enforcement of MAPP & PHMR regulations are key to reducing illegal fishing & to protecting the marine resources for the benefit of Belizeans.
Biodiversity Impact
This strategy decreases fishing pressure in critical areas for finfish, lobster & conch and increases the abundance, diversity, & recruitment of these target species within PHMR. The implementation of MAPP is anticipated to result in a significant increase in these fisheries, a first step to economically viability for the benefit of traditional fishers and other users of PHMR. This project is intended to improve & model fisheries management in PHMR. This will be accomplished through the extension of the reserve’s current ‘no take zone,’ which will improve the recruitment, abundance & diversity of economically important fisheries. Community consultations engage fishers and guide the process while promoting awareness and compliance with the no take zones and best practices in sustainable fishing. Work with the communities will continue toward the extension of PHMR no take zones and evaluation of its effectiveness. Boundaries of this no take zone are demarcated by buoys, and regulatory information is disseminated via community outreach and education strategies. Pre and post-implementation data will be analysed to evaluate the impact and effectiveness of MAPP, both in compliance and biodiversity. The benefits to PHMR are anticipated to be substantial, especially in the spillover effect of the fisheries and increased stewardship amongst the primary users of the reserve. This project is locally & nationally innovative in that the primary users of PHMR will ultimately become its stewards and managers, with data analysis to demonstrate MAPP’s effectiveness.
Solution
Internationally threatened/endangered species are harvested commercially within PHMR. Manatee and turtles are illegally harvested, despite serving as international symbols for conservation, tourist attractions, and indicators of ecosystem health. Overfishing and illegal fishing by foreign nationals highlights the relative richness of the fisheries in Belize compared to those in Guatemala and Honduras. Southern Belize has approximately 4,500 coastal dwellers and 125 fishers whereas the Atlantic Coast of Guatemala alone has 130,000 inhabitants and 5,000 fishers. With a growing population dependent on the fishing industry, Belize's biodiversity and fishersƒ?? livelihoods are increasingly threatened. Through data collected by TIDE, the two major fisheries species of PHMR, queen conch and spiny lobster, showed little improvement in abundance until 2008. Monitoring results from 2009 data indicated a small improvement of ecosystem health and populations within PHMR due to TIDEƒ??s management actions. However, it is evident that the reserve is not functioning as effectively as it could to preserve population numbers and benthic habitats. From 2003 ƒ?? 2009, reef fish density showed a gradual decrease, lobster data indicated a gradual population increase, and there was no increase in the number of conch within the reserve. An increase in the no take zones within PHMR from 5% of the reserve area to 20% was recommended in order to protect and enhance the diversity and functioning of the ecosystems and populations within PHMR. // The Port Honduras Marine Reserve (PHMR) was established in January 2000 by the Belize Fisheries Department and TIDE in order to decrease fishing pressure in Port Honduras and build the long-term sustainability of marine resources for the benefit of traditional fishers and recreational users in southern Toledo. PHMR is a 160 square mile (4,144 hectares) marine reserve of coastal waters recognized for its high biodiversity, with a robust belt of mangroves on the coast that provide the critical link between terrestrial and marine environments. The crystal clear, blue Caribbean waters serve as habitat for various endangered species including the West Indian manatee, the American saltwater crocodile, and the Moreletƒ??s crocodile. The reserve encompasses estuaries near shore communities and extends to protect fringing reefs. There are over one hundred small, mangrove-fringed cayes and benthic habitats comprised of soft-bottom seagrass beds, reef banks and bordering reefs that are unique to Belize. The key goals of TIDE within PHMR are to: Protect physical and biological resources through a preservation plan of zoning Provide educational and interpretive programs Conduct research and monitor fisheries and other resources Protect the habitat through patrols and surveillance Develop sustainable recreational and tourism services Ensure sustainability of conservation activities through user fees, donations, government and private funding
Replicability
How many years has your solution been applied? 1 year // Have others reproduced your solution elsewhere? No // TIDE & the Fisheries Department monitor & analyse the progress made in implementing protective measures intended to contribute to the recovery of the fish stocks and ecosystems within PHMR. Implementing & monitoring the extension of the no take zones is part of TIDE’s work strategy & the extended area will be included in regular patrols & data collection. As the objectives of MAPP are already part of TIDE’s strategic plan, so the infrastructure, administrative & technical support are well established to facilitate this project. Community support continues to grow for MAPP & is key to the implementation of management strategies in PHMR. The following indicators & deliverables are expected of the management of MAPP. Indicators include: 1) changes in catch by fishers through logs and patrol spot-checks, 2) changes in abundance/size of target species through monitoring data, and 3) compliance with regulations through patrol and arrest logs. Deliverables include: 1) demarcated extension of no take zones in PHMR, 2) reports evaluating effectiveness on conservation targets, and 3) reports of fisher catch data and regulatory compliance.
Human Well Being and Livelihood Impact
The importance of the Mesoamerican Reef to livelihoods is well documented and the significance of biodiverse and productive fisheries is undisputed. MAPP decreases fishing pressure by limiting the number of fishers in traditional areas. With these new privileges, fishers directly benefit from their stewardship and compliance with MAPP. The long-term benefits of MAPP are healthy stocks, a healthy ecosystem and economically viable fisheries. Traditional fishers, with sufficient catch, are able to continue providing for their families without having to search for sources of alternative/supplemental income. Communities benefit from 1) food security through greater availability of fish, a staple in coastal diets, 2) improved cash flow to businesses, 3) increased tourism and 4) education and awareness opportunities for students and all users of PHMR. While more than 5,000 coastal inhabitants are direct beneficiaries of MAPP, TIDE works with inland communities whose activities have an impact on the watersheds to promote sustainable development and build local capacity for responsible stakeholder management and sense of ownership of natural resources. These communities are comprised of indigenous Mayan, Garifuna, Creole, Mestizo, and East Indian ethnicities and indirect beneficiaries include over 20,000 individuals. TIDE continues to work with community members and their families to develop sustainable alternative livelihoods, specifically with former fishers to encourage sustainable alternative livelihoods such as fly-fishing, bird/snorkel tours, and kayaking. // MAPP incorporates community involvement and stakeholder monitoring and evaluation. The program relies on this collaboration to determine the success of this pilot program and subsequent Managed Access programs. The benefit of a well-designed managed access and catch share system is that participants have incentive to comply with regulations; they will personally or collectively benefit. Managers will be able to focus their efforts on illegal fishing by non-license holders and illegal trans-boundary fishers. MAPP is based on a licensing system that allows only PHMR’s traditional fishers using sustainable methods. Licenses are issued for life with a small annual fee and are only revoked if regulations of MAPP are violated. When a fisher retires, the license can be passed on to their offspring or to other community-approved fishers. Patrols and weekly catch landing surveys are conducted at the Monkey River and Punta Gorda Fish Markets and the Rio Grande Fishermen Cooperative Facility, as well as on foreign fishing vessels four times per month. Fishers are required to record their catches, reporting this to PHMR Rangers periodically. Because the fishers who use PHMR to derive their livelihoods are invested and crucial to the development, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of MAPP, their ownership, enthusiasm, and guidance will help sustain this project. The project’s flexibility incorporates community and conservation needs to protect and successfully manage the marine resources that shape the environmental, cultural, and economic setting of Belize.