Empowering Fishing Communities in the MAR Reef

As part of the fish recovery sites initiative in Guatemala, the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) has held important meetings with all actors, institutions, organizations and the representatives from the three communities where the refuges are stablished (La Graciosa, Punta Gruesa and Santa Isabel), involved with the initiative.

So far five meetings have been held in 2016 and a final meeting was developed on December 13-2016. In each meeting important topics are discussed such as, the legal process to approve the Fish Recovery Sites, involvement of the community members in the process of water quality monitoring and fish recovery sites monitoring, fishing closed season, control and surveillance, among others. All this information is shared so every representative is well informed of the activities under taken in the sites.

For the final meeting, CONAP presented the results obtained from each monitoring done to evaluate the fish stock in the fish recovery sites, this monitoring have proven an increase in fish stock, size and the presence of larvae within the sites. Helping the community members and fishermen understand the value this sites have for the sustainability of the resource. As well as, the final report was delivered to each institution and community leaders.

The importance of developing this meetings and keeping everyone informed is a best practice that, not only provides information to all actors involved, but also demonstrates the progress and benefits the fish recovery sites have had on the resources health and stock.

Being able to develop said meetings and promote the importance of this initiative has been possible thanks to your support.

So thank you, for taking the time on being part of this extraordinary initiative and helping us boost community participation and understanding of our natural resources.

We also want to take the time and wish a Happy Holidays, may this New Year bring blessings your way.

All the best

The MAR Fund Team

As you all know, the first initiative to create fish recovery sites in Guatemala was driven by three communities of fishermen of Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge: La Graciosa, Santa Isabel and Punta Gruesa, working together with the Gillnetters and Manjueros Fishermen Committee of Puerto Barrios. Together with the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP), three sites where created two in La Graciosa Bay, Mono Rojo and Punta Gruesa, and the other one including the entire area of Santa Isabel Lagoon.

To be able to make the fish recovery sites sustainable and have them achieve their purpose, Ana Giró, Guatemalan Coordinator for the Healthy Reefs Initiative (HRI) and Dr. Luios Bourillon, Mesoamerican Reef Program Director for Community and Biodiversity (CoBi), experts on the topic helped the National Council of Protected Areas (CONAP) by creating a Training Plan for community members.

The training is an important factor that seeks efficiency and higher productivity in the development of activities within the project "Establishing of the baseline and training for monitoring the three Zones of Fisheries Recovery Sites located in La Graciosa Bay and Laguna Santa Isabel, Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge”. The training plan is part of a process which highlights various activities such as appropriate management and importance, strengths and weaknesses as well as the steps to take for the sites to be successful, among others, that if worked together with community participation will achieve a positive effect in the population, providing knowledge to the communities of La Graciosa, Santa Isabel and Punta Gruesa on topics of importance on the Fish Recovery Sites.

Involving the communities in the process and sharing the how’s and why´s of the initiative will only help them get empowered and see it as their own, hence protecting the sites and following fishing regulations.

All of this has been possible because of the help you have provided, for this we are more than grateful.

Thank you for your support

The MAR Fund Team.