Empowering Fishing Communities in the MAR Reef

During the first week of May, 2010, a workshop was given to evaluate the monitoring techniques learned by the Puerto Morelos Cooperative fishermen and used for the registration of fish, corals, key invertebrates, bottom complex, and substratum type. The workshop was conducted by people from the Natural Protected Areas National Commission (CONANP), the Akumal Ecological Centre, and COBI.

After the workshop, the fishermen went into the water and realized eight monitoring exercises from mid May to early June. They completed satisfactory the data collection in 65 transects.

After the monitoring, people from COBI and CONANP could verify an improvement in the quality of the data. Authorities are considering using this data not only in this project but for management plans, and even including some of the trained fishermen into their monitoring staff.

In Honduras, the Asociación de Pescadores La Rosita, Cuero y Salado (APROCUS) has sent the draft agreement to all the authorities involved: the Forestry Conservation Institute (ICF), which is the protected area head authority; the Fisheries Department (DIGEPESCA), and to FUCSA.

The final document had been revised by the legal department from all three institutions, and is now ready to be signed. The first parties to sign the agreement will be APROCUS and FUCSA.