Empowering Fishing Communities in the MAR Reef

In 2009, with your support, we began our Community Fisheries Program in the Mesoamerican Reef region.  Now, after six years of good results, we decided to develop a document to let everybody know about the efforts fishers, NGOs and protected areas and fisheries authorities have done to accomplish what we have.

With the support of an expert, we are currently developing this document and will soon share it with you so you can visualize the progress your support has had in time.

While the report is finished, we can go ahead an tell you that, only in the Gulf of Honduras, which includes a portion of the Caribbean coast of Belize and Honduras, and the entire Caribbean coast of Guatemala, we have supported the proposal/maintenance of twelve fish recovery sites: one in Belize, six in Guatemala and five in Honduras.  These twelve initiatives have covered the following protected areas:

• Port Honduras Marine Reserve, Belize
• Río Sarstún Multiple use Area, Guatemala
• Punta de Manabique Wildlife Refuge, Guatemala
• Cuyamel Omoa National Park, Honduras
• Barras de Cuero y Salado Wildlife Refuge, Honduras

Out of these twelve fish recovery sites, nine have been legally/oficially declared by the authorities, and the remaining three are pending of their declaration.  

Although there are still some proposed areas pending to be declared as recovery sites, the most important achievement of these initiatives is the commitment and involvement of the fishers, who are already respecting and protecting these sites, as they recognize the importance of preserving the natural and fish resources.

We wanted to share this information with you, as you have been a key part for this Program to become what it is today.

Thank you!

The MAR Fund Team

As a strategy to move forward on a sustainable way with the network of fish refuges in the Gulf of Honduras, the Tri National Alliance for the Development of the Gulf of Honduras, with the support of the MAR Fund, is carrying out a project that will formally invlove youth in better fishing practices in the Gulf of Honduras.

Some of the activities developed so far are:

• The four targeted fishing communities were visited and the young participants were selected.
• A diagnostic of the communities to determine their current involvement in the development and support of the network of fish refuges has been carried out with the designed methodology.
• The training modules in environmental education and natural resources, and in fishing regulations for youth have been prepared jointly with San Carlos University students, who will provide support and follow up during the training process.

As the youth represent the future for the natural resources, we are certain that this project will have great results that will reflect on the improvement and enlargement of the network.

We will keep you posted!