Introduction
An effective way of attending the different problems that threaten the Mesoamerican Reef is through the development of an interconnected and functional regional network of coastal and marine protected areas (MPAs). If properly managed, the resulting network, the reef’s backbone, will protect fish populations, diverse habitats, spawning aggregation sites, aquatic resources, forest resources, recreation opportunities and development and growth possibilities for the ecoregion.
Well-managed protected areas regulate access to fisheries, protecting both target and non-target species and allowing populations to either recover or, at a minimum, maintain sustainable levels required to support community livelihoods. Additionally, the inclusion of coastal areas within a regional network preserves sea grass beds and mangroves, providing critical reproductive habitat for endangered manatees, turtles, and other species. This coastal habitat also curbs land erosion and filters incoming water, serving as an effective buffer zone between the watershed and the reef. Finally, within the framework of protected areas we are able to reduce the impacts of climate change by applying proper management practices and protecting resilient reefs.
Objective
The objective of the program is the establishment and strengthening of a functional network of priority coastal and marine protected areas in the MAR Region to promote adaptation to climate change, conservation of natural resources and ecological processes, permanence of connectivity functions and ecosystem services, and sustainable use of resources.
To select the priority areas, MAR Fund facilitated a process that included the participation of different actors from the four countries. The methodology that was designed for this purpose was applied initially through four workshops to obtain the national priorities. These results were then analyzed at a regional workshop, in which the number one priorities for the region were defined. The initial network of 14 areas are included in the map below.
Phase I - Project “Conservation of Marine Resources in Central America”
This project is supported by the German Government, through KfW, for a total amount of €5 million that will be invested in four priority coastal and marine protected areas within a five-year period.
The main objective of the Project is to contribute to the consolidation of the coastal and marine protected areas, the protection of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components, while increasing the economic well-being and improving the quality of life of the resident populations.
The area of the Project is the Mesoamerican Reef System, shared by Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. The following priority coastal and marine areas (CMPAs) are the focus of the main Project investments:
- Yum Balam Flora and Fauna Protection Area, México.
- Port Honduras Marine Reserve, Belize.
- Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge, Guatemala.
- Sandy Bay West End Special Marine Protection Zone, Honduras.
The Project focuses on implementing effective, long-term conservation mechanisms in the four areas. Support will be provided for planning, monitoring, updated management plans, control and surveillance systems, infrastructure and equipment, among others, in order to optimise the work performed by the administrators of the areas in accordance to the highest standards.
Support will also be provided for a series of activities to be defined by each protected area, with the aim of achieving sustainable use of the areas’ resources, assets and services. These may, for example, include the following: codes of conduct for various extractive activities, incentive programs to involve communities in conservation, co-management of conservation zones together with users, strategies for recycling solid waste, mangrove reforestation, environmental education campaigns, sustainable fisheries and responsible tourism.
The intervention logic of the Project focuses on improving the conservation and sustainable use of the biological diversity found in the four selected CMPAs.
This approach combines three strategies:
- Conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems.
- Better management and sustainable use practices of coastal and marine resources; and
- Small grants and Implementation of mechanisms for the exchange of knowledge and experience among the Project groups, for example administrators of the CMPAs, or among users of the resources.
Project Objective Indicators:
- Indicator 1: There is no increase in the financial gap in all of the CMPAs included in the Program.
- Indicator 2: The Management Plans are updated and are being implemented in all of the CMPAs included in the Program.
- Indicator 3: The MCPAs included in the Programme are implementing natural resource exploitation plans.
Agenda Project implementers meeting agenda
Participants List
Meeting Participants List, August 2013
General presentations
Introduction of the Project “Conservation of Marine Resources en Central America”
Rapid Evaluation of Management Effectiveness in the marine coastal protected areas of the MAR
Monitoring and Evaluation Manual of the Project
Yum Balam Flora and Fauna Protection Area, México.
Protected areas presentations
MANAHOLCHI para Livingstone
Community Group for Manatee Protection
Port Honduras Marine Reserve, Belize.
Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge, Guatemala.
Sandy Bay West End Special Marine Protection Zone, Honduras.
Agenda Project Implementers Meeting Agenda 2015
Participants List
Meeting Participants List, August 2015
Good Practices Presentations
Communication as a management tool in APFF Yum Balam, Mexico
Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE), PHMR, Belize
Setting up a support committee for the management of the area, RVSPM Guatemala
Water Quality Monitoring and its dissemination to the Local Water Authorities, BICA Honduras
Marine Infraestructure, RMP Honduras
Regional Presentations
CEMEC_Monitoring and Evaluation Center, CONAP
Connectivity in the Mesoamerican Reef
MAR_ECOME Fish Cataloge
Healthy Reef Initiative
MAR Fund Small Grants Program
Fisheries restoration zone PAMUCH_CCO, Omoa
10-Year Anniversary Presentation
Agenda
Participant List
General Presentations
001_PPT 001 MAR Fund General_FINAL
002_PPT 002 Memoria Institucional Fondo SAM
003_PPT 003 10-year Anniversary Update Feb 2016
004_PPT 004 Ejercicio de Priorización de Áreas
005_PPT 005 Project General
006_Doc PPT 006 Evaluaciones y Monitoreo
007_PPT 007 Management Efectiveness
008_PPT 008 Technical Tools
009_PPT Administrativa Encuentro Feb 2016
010_PPT 010 Coordination Meetings and visits
011_Doc PPT 011 Sostenibilidad
012_PPT 012 Communication lines
013_Doc 013 Project Closure
014_PPT 014 Small Grants
Retiro Estratégico MAR Fund Agreement Final Espanol
Founding Members Presentations
Brecha Financiera – PFP
Indicator Table PACT
Informe Intermedio Fun Biosfera
Presentación FB
Presentación Monitoreo FCG
I. Management documents
Project Text
Operations Manual
Administrative Management System
Informative brochure
Monitoring and Evaluation Manual
II. Annual Work Plan
a) Yum Balam Flora and Fauna Protection Area, Mexico.
2012
2013
2014
2015-2016
b) Port Honduras Marine Reserve, Belize.
2012
2013
2014
2015-2016
c) Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge, Guatemala.
2012
2013
2014
2015-2016
d) Sandy Bay-West End Special Protection Area, Honduras.
2012
2013
2014
2015-2016
III. Activities Reports
General Concepts
Reports
2012
November 2012
December 2012
Annual Report 2012
2013
January 2013
February 2013
Annex I (Approved projects table)
March 2013
April 2013
May 2013
June 2013
July 2013
August 2013
September 2013
October 2013
November 2013
December 2013
Annual Report 2013
2014
January 2014
February 2014
March 2014
April 2014
May 2014
June 2014
July 2014
August 2014
September 2014
October 2014
November 2014
December 2014
Annual Report 2014
2015
January 2015
February 2015
March 2015
April 2015
May 2015
June 2015
July 2015
August 2015
September 2015
October 2015
November 2015
December 2015
Annual Report 2015
2016
January 2016
February 2016
March 2016
Abril 2016
May 2016
June 2016
July 2016
August 2016
September 2016
October 2016
November 2016
December 2016
Annual Report 2016
2017
January 2017
February 2017
March 2017
April 2017
May 2017
June 2017
July 2017
August 2017
September 2017
October 2017
November 2017
December 2017
IV. Project Deliverables
a) Rapid Assessment of Management Effectiveness in the four protected areas of the project
b) Developing a baseline for establishing the existing financial gap in the protected areas of intervention of the project.
c) Support for the assessment of systems of physical and biological indicators implemented in the marine and coastal protected areas of the Project Conservation of Marine Resources in Central America.
d) Establishing the baseline for seagrass and mangrove area cover in four Marine and Coastal Priority Protected Areas within the Meso-American Reef area:
– Port Honduras Marine Reserve, Belize
– Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge, Guatemala
– Sandy Bay-West End Special Protection Area, Honduras
– Yum Balam Protection Area for Flora and Fauna, Mexico
V. Consultancies Final Reports of the Protected Areas
1) Port Honduras Marine Reserve, Belize
The Rising TIDE Annual Report 2014
2) Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge, Guatemala
3) Sandy Bay-West End Special Protection Area, Honduras
Systematization of experiences related to the Marine Infrastructure Program in the Sandy Bay West End Special Marine Protection Zone, Roatan, Honduras.
This document discloses the marine infrastructure program implemented by the Roatan Marine Park (RMP) in the protected area. It focuses on the process of site selection, method of buoys installation and use and knowledge of the project by users. It also describes the difficulties encountered, the steps to solve problems and recommendations, not only to improve the process, but also to replicate the experience in other places that have coral reef sites with tourist visitation. Consultant Ian Drysdale.
Systematization of experiences related to the Marine Water Quality Monitoring Program in Sandy Bay West End Special Marine Protection Zone, Roatan, Honduras.
The Environmental Engineer Virginia Mosquera conducted this consultancy, systematizing marine water quality monitoring implemented by the Bay Island Conservation Association (BICA – Roatan) from 2013 to 2016 with the financial support of the Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL) and the Project “Conservation of Marine Resources in Central America”. The water quality monitoring objectives were analyzed, as well as the results obtained up to date. The document also includes technical recommendations to improving the monitoring and the perception the different actors of the island have regarding it.
4) Yum Balam Protection Area for Flora and Fauna, Mexico
Systematization of the Formation and strengthening of community brigades against forest fires in the Yum Balam Flora and Fauna Protection Area, Mexico.
The systematization process describes the three phases of the brigade’s operation cycle, the activities that are carried out in each phase, the obstacles faced by the brigade members and the perception they have of the work they perform. This systematization was worked by two professionals with experience in forest fires, from the Pronatura Península de Yucatán (PPY).
Download the book “Written with blue ink, stories of conservation in the Mesoamerican Reef”
Phase II - Project “Conservation of Marine Resources in Central America”
Just as in Phase I, the German Government through KfW, also supports this phase for a total amount of €5 million that will be invested in five priority coastal and marine protected areas within a five-year period.
This phase of the Project will also contribute to the consolidation of the coastal and marine protected areas, the protection of biological diversity and the sustainable use of its components, while increasing the economic well-being and improving the quality of life of the resident populations.
The area of the Project is the Mesoamerican Reef System, shared by Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. The following priority coastal and marine protected areas (CMPAs) are the main areas of investment for the Project at this phase:
- Manatee Sanctuary State Reserve, Bahía de Chetumal, Mexico.
- Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize.
- South Water Caye Marine Reserve, Belize
- Sarstun River Multiple Use Area, Guatemala.
- Turtle Harbour Rock Harbour Special Marine Protection Zone, Honduras.
The Project focuses on implementing effective, long-term conservation mechanisms in the five areas. Support will be provided for planning, monitoring, updated management plans, control and surveillance systems, infrastructure and equipment, among others, in order to optimize the work performed by the administrators of the areas in accordance to the highest standards.
Support will also be provided for a series of activities to be defined by each protected area, with the aim of achieving sustainable use of the areas’ resources, assets and services. These may, include, for example, the following: codes of conduct for various extractive activities, incentive programs to involve communities in conservation, co-management of conservation zones together with users, strategies for recycling solid waste, mangrove reforestation, environmental education campaigns, sustainable fisheries and responsible tourism.
The intervention logic of the Project focuses on improving the conservation and sustainable use of the biological diversity found in the five selected CMPAs.
This approach combines three strategies:
- Conservation of coastal and marine ecosystems.
- Better management and sustainable use practices of coastal and marine resources; and Small grants and implementation of mechanisms for the exchange of knowledge and experience among the Project groups, for example administrators of the CMPAs, or among users of the resources.
Project Objective Indicators:
- Indicator 1: There is no increase in the financial gap in all of the CMPAs included in the Program.
- Indicator 2: Management Plans are updated and under implementation in 100% of the CMPAs included in the Program.
- Indicator 3: The CMPAs included in the Program have natural resource used plans under implementation.
I. Management documents
Project Text
Operations Manual
Administrative Management System
II. Annual Work Plan
a) Manatee Sanctuary State Reserve, Bahía de Chetumal, Mexico
2015
2016-2017
2018-2019
b) Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Belize
2015
2016-2017
2018-2019
c) South Water Caye Marine Reserve, Belize
2015
2016-2017
2018-2019
d) Sarstun River Multiple Use Area, Guatemala
2015
2016-2017
2018-2019
e) Turtle Harbour Rock Harbour Special Marine Protection Zone, Honduras
2015
2016-2017
2018-2019
III. Activities Reports
General Concepts
Reports
2015
January 2015
February 2015
March 2015
April 2015
May 2015
June 2015
July 2015
August 2015
September 2015
October 2015
November 2015
December 2015
Annual Report 2015
2016
January 2016
February 2016
March 2016
Abril 2016
May 2016
June 2016
July 2016
August 2016
September 2016
October 2016
November 2016
December 2016
Annual Report 2016
2017
January 2017
February 2017
March 2017
April 2017
May 2017
June 2017
July 2017
August 2017
September 2017
October 2017
November 2017
December 2017
2018
January 2018
February -April 2018
IV. Consultancies Final Reports
Rapid Assessment of Management Effectiveness in the four protected areas of the project
