An Overview Of Our Solution
Kanan Kay Alliance - promoting sustainable fisheries through multisectoral collaboration
Who is this solution impacting?
Ecosystem
Océanos/Costas
Community Type
Rural
Additional Information
- Population Impacted:
- Continent: América del norte
Problem
Describe the problem
The Kanan Kay Alliance (from the Mayan “protect the fishâ€) is a collaborative and inclusive assembly of key actors working in the Mesoamerican Reef to establish a network of fisheries replenishment zones (FRZ) that cover 20% of the territorial waters off Quintana Roo, México by 2015. The Alliance is formed by fishing cooperatives, fisheries and environmental government agencies, national and international marine conservation non-profits, research institutions and philanthropists. The Alliance objective will be met through the development of the following strategies: 1 design and establishment of FRZ; 2 legal and administrative framework; 3 building local capacities for FRZ management; 4 communications and awareness; 5 development of economic alternatives; and 6 financial self-reliance.
Biodiversity Impact
When fishing pressure is reduced in an area, the fish populations (including predators) are eventually reestablished, ensuring healthy trophic cascades and functional ecosystems. From studies conducted in other fisheries replenishment zones (FRZ) around the world, it has been reported that biomass inside FRZ increases an average of 446% and species density approximately 167%. This permits the spillover effect to occur, this means that a percentage of this biomass eventually moves to fishing grounds, maintaining and, in some cases, increasing fisheries production. Therefore, at the Kanan Kay Alliance we believe that the creation of FRZ is an investment for fishers that ensure sustainable fisheries. Besides the benefits to local fishers, the full protection of marine areas also has an array of benefits for marine ecosystems. When trophic cascades are healthy, herbivores populations are maintained healthy as well. It has been proven that the presence of herbivores increase coral reef resilience to climate change by grazing macroalgae and enhancing the process of coral recruitment, at the same time that it fosters the increase in coral cover . On another hand, the FRZ network that we are creating is planned to be multifunctional, meaning that FRZ will be established in different ecosystems (seagrass beds, coral reef, and mangrove forest, among others). This design ensures ecosystem connectivity, which results in the protection of marine species in the different phases of their life cycle.
Solution
Overfishing. The areas that comprise the fisheries replenishment zones (FRZ) network are chosen based on fishersƒ?? knowledge and biological assessment, ensuring that some areas with biological importance are closed to extractive activities, while others remain open. This will diminish significantly fish extraction, without compromising the livelihoods of local fishers. Illegal fishing. We are working with fishers and local authorities to establish community-based vigilance activities. The regular presence and surveillance of FRZ reduces illegal fishing. Invasive species control. The lionfish appeared in the Mesoamerican Reef Region in 2009. This invasive species is able to spawn 30,000 eggs every four days and is capable of eating up to 80% of the recruitment of reef fishes in only 5 weeks. Local non-profits and government agencies are working together with fishers to control lionfish populations through fishing tournaments targeting this species and monitoring abundance changes. These institutions are also promoting the overture of local markets for the meat of this fish. Recovery from natural disasters and human-caused degradation. Members of the Alliance are conducting coral restoration efforts inside the FRZ, cultivating and transplanting Acropora sp. Through these efforts the vertical structure of the coral reef ecosystem is reestablished; creating new habitat for fish and other marine species and providing coastal protection services to local communities. // The territorial waters of Quintana Roo extend over 2,480,803 ha. The Kanan Kay Alliance is seeking to protect as fisheries replenishment zones 20% (aprox 496,160 ha) of this area. So far, the members of the Alliance have achieved the protection of 106,049 ha, which represent 21% of our conservation goal for 2015.
Replicability
How many years has your solution been applied? 4 years // Have others reproduced your solution elsewhere? Yes // Currently, members of the Kanan Kay Alliance are conducting a study to learn more about tourism sector willingness to pay for bringing visitors to the fisheries replenishment zones (FRZ). We envision financial sustainability in the long term by the establishment of a FRZ entrance fee for tourists, as well as other mechanisms such as payment for marine ecosystems. These funds will be used exclusively to guarantee the effective operation of the FRZs through regular monitoring and patrolling activities. Besides financial sustainability it is important to give the FRZ network an official status. Therefore, the FRZ will be decreed as “refugee zone†by the Mexican Fisheries Authorities, this will increase enforcement and regulation activities inside the FRZ network and will ensure its permanence in time. On another hand, the Kanan Kay Alliance is conscious of the importance of having an adaptive management of the decreed zones, this is why the design, management plans and need of decree will be revised every 5 years; this will allow management improvement. The Kanan Kay Alliance also foresees an increase in population and tourism visitation in the region; this represents an increase in fish demand. To be prepared for these changes, one of the Alliance’s strategies (development of economic alternatives) is exploring the introduction of sustainable aquaculture to the region. To be prepared for other inevitable threats such as climate change, we are working with coral restoration and water pollution control to have more resilient reefs.
Human Well Being and Livelihood Impact
As mentioned in the biodiversity impact section, the establishment of fisheries replenishment zones (FRZ) has a positive impact in the condition of fish and other marine species populations. The better the reef health, the most increase in marine life is seen, and vice versa. This virtuous cycle has a indirect impact in the economies of coastal communities through the generation of income and the strengthening of local economies by the maintenance of fisheries and tourism activities, among others. On another hand, the identification and development of economic alternatives is part of the agenda of the Kanan Kay Alliance. We are currently participating in the Marine Stewardship Council certification process for lobster fishery, improving fishing gear (more sustainable methods) to increase the market value of the fisheries and linking fishers’ cooperatives with the tourism sector to avoid middlemen and ensure a higher price for their products. These activities are supposed to compensate the opportunity costs incurred by fishers when a part of the fishing concession is closed for conservation. The approximate total number of fishers operating in Quintana Roo is 1,500 are part of fishing cooperatives and 2,000 operate independently. The Kanan Kay Alliance seeks to work with the 26 fishing cooperatives working in Quintana Roo; so far we are working closely with 7 fishing cooperatives that have around 400 memberships. // The establishment of each fisheries replenishment zone (FRZ) is done with the consensus and approval from the members of the Kanan Kay Alliance; therefore this is an inclusive process that fosters locals’ participation in the management decisions of their natural resources. Since the FRZ are located all through Quintana Roo’s coast, the Alliance has different approaches to conduct their work; passing from community-based management to regional and federal one to one negotiations with authorities. In all cases, the fishers are actively involved in the design of the FRZ; they help researches and non-profits to identify the most suitable areas for this decree and participate conducting biological monitoring once the FRZ has been established. This has increased their ownership and awareness in relation to the natural capital they host in their waters; resulting in a sustainable management of their fisheries. The establishment of FRZ networks has been implemented by our organization (Comunidad y Biodiversidad, A.C.) in other regions of Mexico, as well as in several parts of the world. The innovative component of our effort is the consolidation of a multi-actor Alliance that will ensure that the FRZ network is established and operating efficiently. Normally FRZ establishment process and decree is promoted by government agencies or non-profits; in some cases fishers in alliance with non-profits propose the areas to be protected. Nevertheless, Kanan Kay Alliance is the only example of multi-sector collaboration.