2005 PROARCA/APM, Regional Environmental · MARN Ministerio de Ambiente y Recursos Naturales...

2005 PROARCA/APM, Regional EnvironmentalProgram for Central America / Protected Areas andEnvironmental Marketing Components, a USAID-CCAD project, The Nature Conservancy (TNC). 12Avenida 14-41, Zona 10 Colonia OaklandGuatemala 01010, Guatemala

Regional Environmental Program for CentralAmerica / Protected Areas and EnvironmentalMarketing Components Fundación Mario Dary. SiteConservation Planning Gulf of Honduras: Belize,Guatemala and Honduras /PROARCA/APM,Guatemala, Guatemala, 2005. 60 p. ; 8,5 X 11 c.m.

Designations used in this publication, and themanner in which this publication presents its data,do not imply any judgment by the members of thePROARCA/APM consortium, USAID, nor CCAD on thelegal status of countries, territories, cities, or zones,nor of their authorities, nor the disposition of theirborders.

This publication was made possible through supportprovided by the Office of Regional SustainableDevelopment, Bureau for Latin America and theCaribbean, United States Agency for InternationalDevelopment and The Nature Conservancy, underthe terms of Award No. 596-A-00-01-00116-00. Theopinions expressed herein are those of the authorsand do not necessarily reflect the views of the USAgency for International Development.

Editors: Jean-Luc Betoulle andAstrid Alvarado (FUNDARY)

CollaboratorsandReviewers: Juan Carlos Villagrán

Lenín CorralesIngrid Arias (TRIGOH)

Graphic Design: María del Rosario Calderón

Photography: Fundary

Site Conservation PlanningGulf of Honduras: Belize, Guatemala and

Honduras

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Site Conservation Planning Gulf of Honduras


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TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF ACRONYMS.............................................................................................................................................. 6PRESENTATION .................................................................................................................................................... 10EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................................................................................ 11

I. INTRODUCTION..................................................................................................................... 121.1 Background and Plan Objectives ............................................................................................. 121.2 Site Description .............................................................................................................................. 13

II. ELEMENTS OF CONSERVATION AND THREATS ................................................................... 162.1 Coral Reefs ..................................................................................................................................... 162.2 Mangrove Forests .......................................................................................................................... 192.3 Marine grasslands .......................................................................................................................... 222.4 Beach Systems ................................................................................................................................ 252.5 Estuaries and Coastal Lagoons ................................................................................................... 282.6 Herbaceous Wetlands, Flood forests, and their supporting Aquatic Systems ................... 31

III. CONSERVATION STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS .................................................................... 33Strategy # 1: Complete the protected areas system, and improve protected area man-agement and protection ................................................................................................................... 34Strategy # 2: Create mechanisms for the financial sustainability of protected area man-agement ................................................................................................................................................ 35Strategy # 3: Develop and implement Land Use Regulation Plans and Sector Plans ........... 36Strategy # 4: Make and execute protection plans for endangered, and economicallyimportant species ................................................................................................................................ 37Strategy # 5: Support the regulation of fisheries and sustainable fishing ................................. 38Strategy # 6: Revise, develop, and enforce, in a participative manner, norms and mecha-nisms to regulate the sustainable use of natural resources ......................................................... 39Strategy # 7: Promote alternate economic activities in the local communities .................... 40Strategy # 8: Implement education, sensitizing, awareness-raising, and divulgation pro-grams about the environmental problems and their solutions with inhabitants, resourceusers, and governments ...................................................................................................................... 41Strategy # 9: Implement institutional strengthening programs, and coordination and citizenparticipation mechanisms, for the protection of natural systems .............................................. 42

IV. MEASURES OF SUCCESS .................................................................................................... 43

V. BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................... 46

VI. ANEXES .............................................................................................................................. 49The Site Conservation Planning method ......................................................................................... 50Map 1. Base map of the Gulf of Honduras .................................................................................... 55Map 2. Ecoregions .............................................................................................................................. 56Map 3. Life Zones, according to Holdridge.................................................................................... 57Map 4. Conservation Elements ......................................................................................................... 58Map 5. Stresses ..................................................................................................................................... 59Map 6. Sources of stress ..................................................................................................................... 60

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LIST OF ACRONYMS

APE Área de Protección EspecialSpecial Protection AreaBTB Belize Tourism BoardCCAD Comisión Centroamericana de Ambiente y Desarrollo

(Central American Commission on the Environment andDevelopment)

CCO Cuerpo de Conservación Omoa Baracoa (Omoa BaracoaConservation Corps, Honduras)

CEMA Centro de Estudios del Mar y Acuicultura, Universidad de San Carlosde Guatemala(Center for Sea and Aquaculture Studies of theGuatemalan state university)

CISP Comitato Internazionale per lo Sviluppo dei Popoli(International Committee for the Development of Peoples, based inItaly)

CITES Convention on the Illegal Trade of Endangered SpeciesCOCODES Comité Comunitario de Desarrollo(Community Development

Committee, Guatemala)COHDEFOR Corporación Hondureña de Desarrollo Forestal

(Honduran Forestry Development Corporation, = Honduran forestservice)

CONAMA Comisión Nacional del Medio Ambiente(National Commission on the Environment, forerunner of MARN,Guatemala)

CONAP Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas(National Protected Areas Council, Guatemala)

CZMA/I Coastal Zone Management Authority / Institute (Belize)DIGEPESCA Dirección General de Pesca y Acuicultura

(General Directorate of Fishing and Aquaculture, Honduras)EMPORNAC Empresa Portuaria Nacional de Santo Tomás de Castilla

(Santo Tomás de Castilla National Port Company, Guatemala)ENP Empresa Nacional Porturaria

(National Port Company, Honduras)FOPECO Foro Permanente de Ecoturismo y Conservación de

Guatemala(Guatemala Permanent Ecotourism and Conservation Forum)

FUNDAECO Fundación para el Ecodesarrollo y la Conservación(Foundation for Eco-Development and Conservation, Guatemala)

FUNDARY Fundación para la Conservación del Medio Ambiente y de losRecursos Naturales “Mario Dary Rivera(“Mario Dary Rivera” Foundation for Conservation of the Environmentand Natural Resources, Guatemala)

GIS Geographic Information SystemGO Government OrganizationGOH Gulf of HondurasICSED Inter-American Center for Sustainable Ecosystems Development

(Chile)IDEADS Instituto de Derecho Ambiental y Desarrollo Sustentable

(Environmental Law and Sustainable Development Institute,Guatemala)

IHT Instituto Hondureño de Turismo(Honduran Tourism Institute)INAB Instituto Nacional de Bosques (National Forest Institute,

Guatemala)INGUAT Instituto Guatemalteco de Turismo(Guatemalan Tourism

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INTECAP Instituto Técnico de Capacitación(Capacity-Building Technical Institute, Guatemala)

MARN Ministerio de Ambiente y Recursos Naturales(Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Guatemala)

MARPOL International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution fromShips

MBC Mesoamerican Biological CorridorMBRS Mesoamerican Barrier Reef SystemMINUGUA Misión de Verificación de las Naciones Unidas en Guatemala

(United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala)MoES Ministry of Education and Sports (Belize)NGC/TDC National Garifuna Council / Toledo Development Corporation

(Belize)IMO International Maritime OrganizationPA Protected AreaPDO Private Development OrganizationPROARCA/APM Programa Ambiental Regional para Centro América / Áreas

Protegidas y Mercadeo Ambiental (Regional EnvironmentalProgram for Central America / Protected Areas andEnvironmental Marketing)

PROARCA/CAPAS Programa Ambiental Regional para Centro América / SistemaCentroamericano de Áreas Protegidas (Regional EnvironmentalProgram for Central America / Central American ProtectedAreas System)

PROARCA/Costas Programa Ambiental Regional para Centro América / Manejode Zonas Costeras (Regional Environmental Program for CentralAmerica / Coastal Zones Management)

PROECO Programa Ecológico de Centroamérica (Central AmericanEcologic Program. A Swiss Contact program based inHonduras)

PROLANSATE Fundación para la Protección de Lancetilla, Punta Sal, yTexiguat (Foundation for the Protection of Lancetilla, Punta Sal,and Texiguat, Honduras)

SCP Site Conservation PlanningSERNA Secretaría de Estado en el Despacho de Recursos Naturales y

Ambiente (State Secretariat for Natural Resources andEnvironment, Honduras)

SOLAS International Convention for the Safety Of Lives At SeaTASTE Toledo Association for Sustainable Tourism and Empowerment

(Belize)TIDE Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (Belize)TNC The Nature ConservancyTRIGOH Tri-National Alliance for the Conservation of the Gulf of

HondurasUN United NationsUNDP United Nations Development ProgrammeUNIPESCA Unidad Especial de Pesca y Acuicultura (Special Fishing and

Aquaculture Unit, Guatemala)USAID United States Agency for International DevelopmentUVG Universidad del Valle de Guatemala (University of the Valley of

Guatemala)WB World Bank

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The Protected Areas and Environmental Marketing Component of the RegionalEnvironmental Program for Central America (PROARCA/APM) is an initiative of theCentral American Commission on the Environment and Development (CCAD),funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). TheNature Conservancy (TNC) is implementing this five-year initiative (2001-2006). Itsgeneral objective is to contribute to the improved management of theMesoamerican Biological Corridor (MBC), for which it is structured in two components:

Intermediate Result 1 (IR1): Improved protected areas management. Thiscomponent comprises three fields of action to improve or assure the viability ofbiodiversity in the four MBC key functional landscapes. 1) Development ofeffective alliances for protected areas management supports a legal frameworkand policies oriented to improve management (environmental services,conservation in private lands, and co-management) and strengthen institutions(governments, private development organizations, communities). 2) Improvedfinancial management in protected areas works on financial planning andmanagement, and the increase of complementary investment. 3) Application ofbest management practices adopts and applies methods for ecoregionalplanning, Site Conservation Planning, management effectiveness, and definingindicators for biomonitoring and for the Central American Protected Areas System,among others.

Intermediate Result 2 (IR2): Expanded access to markets for environmentallysound products and service. This component works in two fields of action withinforestry and sustainable tourism, to diminish threats to biodiversity in the four MBCkey functional landscapes: 1) Increased availability of environmentally soundproducts publishes requirements, options, and benefits of adopting betterproduction practices. 2) Effective alliances for the commercialization ofenvironmentally sound products and services publishes information on the offerand demand for products, and strengthens the capacity of producers toparticipate in innovative markets.

PROARCA/APM emphasizes two areas considered key functional landscapes withinthe Mesoamerican Biological Corridor, which represent four priority areas of theCentral American Biodiversity Agreement:

1. Gulf of Honduras (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras)4. Amistad – Cahuita – Río Cañas (Coast Rica, Panamá)

The work PROARCA/APM has done in the functional landscapes will serve for casestudies to systematize methods and experiences, contributing to the development ofregional policies.

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It is a pleasure for me, as Director of the Protected Areas and Environmentally SoundMarketing components of the Regional Environmental Program for Central America(PROARCA/APM) of CCAD, funded by USAID, to present the Site Conservation Plan forthe Gulf of Honduras.

This Site Conservation Plan is the result of an approximately one-year-long processwhich collected information and analyzed strategies to conserve biodiversity in thetri-national area formed by the south of Belize, the Caribbean coast of Guatemala,and part of the north Caribbean coast of Honduras, known as the Gulf of Honduras.The chief virtues of this document are rooted in the following elements:

1. The Site Conservation Plan reflects the effort and cooperation of more than 60persons over several workshops. All of them, concerned for conservation inthis area, were summoned under the leadership of the Tri-National Alliance forthe Conservation of the Gulf of Honduras (TRIGOH), one of the most successfulcoalitions that PROARCA has supported, by means of PROARCA/Costas andPROARCA/CAPAS in the beginning of PROARCA, and by PROARCA/APM at thepresent time.

2. Another important virtue of this work is the identification of conservationelements in the Gulf of Honduras (scored according to their viability) as well asthe principal threats to them in the area. Long work hours were needed toprioritize and establish elements of the area’s biodiversity that will allow anadequate representation of it. Local actors identified the threats and theirsources, to enable the identification of mechanisms and strategies that willallow their attenuation or elimination.

3. Finally, the greatest virtue of the Site Conservation Plan is that it has allowedthe establishment of a series of strategies, which you will find in this document.These establish a criterion of priorities as to what needs to be done urgently inthe Gulf of Honduras to guarantee the main objectives of the SiteConservation Plan: first, achieve the maintenance, and if possible,improvement of the viability of the most important conservation elements, andsecond, the attenuation or elimination of the threats and their sources.

I would like to thank the unnamable list of persons and institutions that participated inthis process, especially the Tri-National Alliance for the Conservation of the Gulf ofHonduras (TRIGOH), which demonstrated its leadership and summoning power,without which it would have been impossible to make this Site Conservation Plan.

I leave this work instrument in your hands, which will surely change over the next yearsas the environmental situation in the Gulf of Honduras changes, hopefully for the best.

I thank any comment that allows improving the information provided here. I remindyou that this plan reflects the information that the participants collected and used toarrive to the conclusions poured into this document. Nothing remains but toencourage the readers and beneficiaries of this Site Conservation Plan to transform itinto living words and deeds, in order to achieve the conservation of the naturalresources of the Gulf of Honduras and to promote their sustainable use.

Very faithfully yours,

Néstor Windevoxhel, M.S.Director

PRESENTATION


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PROARCA, with technical support from TNC, has implemented Site ConservationPlanning as an instrument for regional planning in functional landscapes. Thisdocument presents the work done by members of the Tri-National Alliance for theConservation of the Gulf of Honduras (TRIGOH), diverse actors from governmentaland private development organizations, projects, and diverse initiatives andorganizations to identify the conservation priorities in the Gulf of Honduras tri-nationalsite (Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras).

The Gulf of Honduras is defined as the marine and coastal areas between PuntaIzopo, in the northern coast of Honduras, and Gladden Spit in Belize. It thereforeincludes the southwest end of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. The Gulf coversapproximately 10,000 Km2, which include parts of the Exclusive Economic Zones of thethree countries. Marine productivity within the Gulf is maintained to a large extent bythe contributions of the most important rivers, their estuaries, and the humid coastallands bathed by tides, populated especially by mangroves. The Gulf has populationsof shrimp (Penaeus spp.), lobster (Panulirus argus), queen conch (Strobus gigas), aswell as commercially exploited scale fish and important sport fish populations. TheGulf also provides habitat for several endangered species, including: West Indiesmanatee (Trichechus manatus), Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis),bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncates), whale shark (Rhincodon typus), yellow-headed parrot (Amazona oratrix), and the following sea turtles: green (Cheloniamydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea),and loggerhead (Caretta caretta). The Gulf has half a million inhabitants, mainlyconcentrated in the port cities of Santo Tomás de Castilla and Puerto Barrios(100,000+), Puerto Cortés (100,000), and Livingston (40,000).

Site Conservation Planning has allowed the identification of some of the mostimportant systems that need to be protected to guarantee the conservation of thelargest possible sample of biodiversity in this tri-national site. All the selectedconservation elements are coastal-marine ecosystems: coral reefs, mangrove forests,marine grasslands, beach systems, estuaries and coastal lagoons, and herbaceouswetlands (which include flood forests). The viability of all these conservation elementsis considered good.

The identification of the main conservation elements has in turn allowed theidentification of the main sources of stress acting on the long-term viability of theelements. The greatest stress is “altered composition and structure”, which stronglyaffects 4 conservation elements, and has a medium effect on another. All the coastalelements –mangrove forests, beach systems, and herbaceous wetlands– have highlyfragmented habitat. The greatest threat to them is urban development and theconstruction of access roads, which is very strongly degrading the beach systems,and strongly degrading the mangrove forests, estuaries and coastal lagoons, andherbaceous wetlands. Other threats with a “high” global score include inappropriateagricultural and animal farming practices, tourism development, wildlife poaching,inappropriate fishing practices, and climate change. The threatened state for focalobjects and the site as a whole is very high.

This analysis allowed the identification of institutional capabilities and the strategiesneeded to attack the critical threats and to improve the viability of biodiversity in themedium and long terms. Nine principal strategies were identified, of which “completethe protected areas system”; “support the regulation of fisheries” and “promotealternate economic activities” were defined as the most effective to mitigate thethreats. The effectiveness of efforts to conserve biodiversity associated to theseimportant coastal-marine ecosystems can be evaluated with this information, usingthe “Measures of conservation success” method.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

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1.1 Background and PlanObjectives

The Tri-National Alliance for theConservation of the Gulf of Honduras(TRIGOH) was created in 1996, with thesupport of PROARCA/Costas, byrepresentatives of private developmentorganizations (PDOs) from Belize,Guatemala, and Honduras, whorecognized the Gulf as a sharedecosystem and saw the need tocollaborate in the management of thecoastal-marine resources of the Gulf. Atthis time, there were PDOs working onprotected areas management in eachcountry: TIDE in Port Honduras andPaynes Creek, FUNDAECO in Cerro SanGil and Sarstún, FUNDARY in Punta deManabique, and PROLANSATE in PuntaSal (Jeannette Kawas National Park) andPunta Izopo. Other PDOs were workingon environmental policy in the threecountries. Recognizing that theconservation of the Gulf required a tri-national vision, they decided to beginworking on landscapes.

The mission of TRIGOH is to conserve thebiodiversity of the Gulf of Honduras andto improve the quality of life of the localcommunities, through tri-nationalcoordination in the sustainablemanagement of the coastal-marineresources. TRIGOH founds its work on thefollowing values: 1) an ecosystemic andintegral vision of the Gulf of Honduras, 2)the participation of all the actors, withoutany discrimination, 3) tri-nationalcoordination at all levels, 4) theapplication of multidisciplinary scientificinformation, and 5) respect for traditionalvalues and knowledge of the severalethnic and indigenous groups (TRIGOH,1999).

TRIGOH held a series of strategicplanning exercises, and decided tofocus its work on the following sevenobjectives:

1. Develop a tri-national system ofcoastal-marine protected areas,co-managed by public andprivate entities, with the activeparticipation of localcommunities. Have all areasendowed with managementplans, long-term financial plans,and adequate resources.

2. Promote the development of alegislative, regulatory, andinstitutional frameworkcompatible among the threecountries, and a tri-nationalagreement for the sustainablemanagement of fishing in theGulf, based on scientificinformation and theorganizational and participativestructures of local fishermen andother key actors.

3. Promote the development andstrict enforcement ofenvironmental criteria andstandards for the largeeconomic developmentactivities in the Gulf, especiallycoastal development and theenvironmental management ofports and maritime traffic.

4. Promote and consolidateeconomic activities compatiblewith the conservation of nature,especially the establishmentand joint marketing of tri-national sustainable tourismroutes, with high participationand leadership from localinhabitants.

I. INTRODUCTION


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5. Protect endangered species,especially the West Indiesmanatee and sea turtles, in ajoint, coordinated manner.

6. Carry out joint, coordinatedresearch and environmentalmonitoring activities, in support ofthe systematic application ofcoastal zone integratedmanagement processes.

7. Strengthen the coordinationforum by developing acommunications system, periodicmeetings, publications, capacitybuilding, fund raising, exchangeprograms, and the creation ofalliances with internationalinstitutions.

TRIGOH and PROARCA, first throughCostas and now through APM, havecollaborated on the development of thisSite Conservation Plan for the Gulf, withthe active participation of otherinstitutions. The development of this plancomplements the objectives andactivities of TRIGOH, by creating aframework to establish priorities of action.

The purpose of the plan is to define whichecosystems and species are to beconserved, which threats are beingfaced by these ecosystems and species,which strategies and actions can beimplemented to reduce the threats, andhow progress in conservation can bemeasured.

The Site Conservation Plan is a workinstrument that allows the prioritization ofactions, and the efficient focusing of theuse of limited resources available forconservation. This work will have multipleevaluations with the purpose ofmeasuring management effectivenessand new needs that might arise from thedynamic changes caused by the use ofresources and their conservation in theGulf of Honduras tri-national site.

1.2 Site Description

PROARCA/Costas defined the Gulf ofHonduras as the coastal-marine areasbetween Punta Izopo, (N15.9 andW87.6) in the northern coast ofHonduras, and Gladden Spit (N16.5and W88.0), Belize, therefore includingthe southwestern end of theMesoamerican Barrier Reef System (seethe “Base map of the Gulf ofHonduras” in the Annexes).

During the workshops, it was decidedthat it would not be feasible to includethe whole area of the watersheds ofthe Gulf, because the extent of some(Motagua, Ulúa, Dulce-Polochic, andChamelecón) is ample. So, it wasdecided to include only the lower partof the watersheds, up to 500 m abovesea level (Cerro San Gil, Sierra Caral,Sierra de las Minas, and Sierra SantaCruz in Guatemala; Sierra Meledón inHonduras; Maya Mountains in Belize).In Guatemala, it was decided toextend the Gulf to the western limit of ElGolfete, because the seawater of thetides reaches there.

The Gulf covers approximately some10,000 Km2, including parts of theExclusive Economic Zones of the threecountries.

The narrow proximity between theenvironments of riverine estuaries,mangrove swamps, marine grasslands,reefs, and deep ocean waterscontribute to the high marineproductivity and the high biodiversityfound within the Gulf.

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef Systemis the largest in the hemisphere, andwhen the Presidents of Mexico, Belize,Guatemala, and Honduras signed theTulum Agreements of 1997 in Mexico,they committed to collaborate toachieve its conservation.

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The coastal-marine system of the Gulf isinfluenced by three mainoceanographic and hydrologicprocesses, the most important one beingthe forking of the Cayman currentcoming from the north, which inducesthe spin of a countercurrent, resulting in asouth current of 2 to 4 Km/h west of theBelize barrier reef and within the Gulf.The second phenomenon isprecipitation, which surpasses 3,000 mmin the Gulf, and the presence of 15 rivers,including 3 big ones (Motagua,Chamelecón, and Ulúa), whichcontribute a large discharge offreshwater and sediments. The third, andoccasional, phenomenon is the entry ofnutrient-rich oceanic waters into Gulf, inthe opposite direction to the prevailingsurface current (ICSED, volume I, 2000).

The coastal zone of southern Belize ischaracterized by lowland habitats thatinclude great areas of freshwaterwetlands, tropical hardwood forests, pineforests, open savannas, and vastmangrove swamps that have beenformed as a result of changes in the sealevel, which rises and floods the coastallowlands (see the “Ecoregions” map andthe “Life Zones, according to Holdridge”map in the Annexes). The coast of Belizealso has an area of cayes dominated bymangrove forests inland and submergedbanks with marine grasses – an extensivehabitat for marine and estuarine, benthicand pelagic fish and invertebrates. TheSapodilla Cayes form the southwest endof the Belize Barrier Reef, and are foundwithin the Gulf of Honduras.

The coast of Guatemala is, in general, amore abrupt littoral, with high, forestedareas looking out on the coast.Amatique Bay is a complex ecosystem,composed of coastal lagoons, mangroveforests, herbaceous wetlands, floodforests, and marine grasslands, allinfluenced by marine currents, riverinesystems (Río Dulce-El Golfete, Río Sarstún,and Motagua River), and canals.According to Yañez-Arancibia et al.

(1999), Amatique Bay is the mostimportant estuarine ecosystem ofGuatemala, due to its size, state ofconservation, ecologic and socio-economic value, and great ecotourismpotential. The benthic communitieswithin Amatique Bay are controlled byan influx of much sediment andfreshwater, and are less diverse andproductive than the benthiccommunities farther north. Exceptionsto this are the Río Sarstún mouth, whichsustains the largest shrimp production inthe Gulf, and Río Dulce, which oncewas one of the most productive rivers inthe region.

Marine productivity within the Gulf ismaintained in great measure by thecontributions of the most importantrivers, their estuaries, and the humidcoastlands bathed by tides, populatedmostly by mangroves. The mangroveforests of the Sarstún-Temash systemand the Port Honduras-Payne’s Creeksystem together constitute the largestmangrove forest area in all Belize andthe Caribbean coast of Guatemala;they provide critical habitat for most ofthe marine vertebrate and invertebratespecies within the Gulf and beyond.The cayes within Port Honduras are theonly mangrove cayes in this humidtropical climate, and shelter asignificant diversity of scale fish. Marinegrasslands are abundant in the coast ofGuatemala, close to Punta deManabique, as well as within PortHonduras.

The Gulf has commercially exploitedpopulations of shrimp, lobster, conch,and scale fish (e.g., snapper, jack,mackerel, snook, and grouper), andimportant populations of sport fish(tarpon, permit, snook). Also, the Gulfprovides habitat for severalendangered species, including theWest Indies manatee (Trichecusmanatus manatus), bottlenose andAtlantic spotted dolphins (Tursiopstruncatus and Stenella frontalis), whale


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shark (Rhincodon typus), Americancrocodile (Crocodylus acutus), yellow-headed parrot (Amazona oratrix), andthe following sea turtles: green (Cheloniamydas), hawksbill (Eretmochelysimbricata), leatherback (Dermochelyscoriacea), and loggerhead (Carettacaretta).

The Gulf has half a million inhabitants,mainly concentrated in the port cities ofSanto Tomás de Castilla and PuertoBarrios (100,000+), and Puerto Cortés(100,000). Livingston (40,000) and Tela aresmaller cities, and on the south of Belize,Punta Gorda has a population of only4,000 inhabitants (Heyman and Graham,2000 and PROLANSATE, 1999). The highestpopulation density is found in Guatemala(95 persons / Km2); it is lower in Honduras(49 persons / Km2), and lowest in Belize (9persons / Km2). This uneven distribution isreflected in the use of natural resources.For example, when fisheries resources inGuatemala and Honduras are depleted,fishermen from these countries fishillegally in Belizean waters (Heyman andBjörn, 1999).

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II. ELEMENTS OF CONSERVATION AND THREATS

All the selected conservation elementsare coastal-marine ecosystems: coralreefs, mangrove forests, marinegrasslands, beach systems, estuaries andcoastal lagoons, and herbaceouswetlands (which include flood forests).There was a long discussion on how toinclude endangered and commercialspecies. Instead of including them asconservation elements, apart fromecosystems, it was decided toincorporate each species in theecosystems in which it is found. Forexample, sea turtles are found within the“beach systems” element, where theynest, and within marine grasslands, wherethey feed. This means that whenanalyzing the viability of each element,the viability of the populations of thesespecies was taken into account. Forexample, when defining threats faced bybeaches, illegal extraction of sea turtleeggs was included.

2.1 Coral ReefsReefs are ecosystems characterized bytheir high biodiversity. Marinegrassland–mangrove forest–coral reefcomplexes are important asreproduction areas for marine faunaspecies (TIDE, 1998). In the Gulf,examples of these ecosystems includethe south part of the Belize barrier reef,a complex labyrinth of reef patchesover a wide and relatively deep reeflagoon (TIDE, 1998); and some isolatedreef patches in Guatemala andHonduras.

The reef ecosystems of Belize areimportant in the western hemispheredue to their size and diversity, as well asfor the remarkable development ofsome corals in pristine conditions. Asshown in the “Conservation Elements”map, most of the reefs in the Gulf arefound in Belize. The Belize coral barrierstands out: some 220 linear kilometerswhere atolls and other formations,almost unique in the Caribbean Sea,are found (Windevoxhel, 1997).Patches of coral can be found in greatsurfaces off Placencia, Punta Gorda,and the Snake Cayes (see the“Conservation Elements” map in theAnnexes).

In Guatemala there are small patchesof coral reef, located in Amatique Bayand the north side of Punta deManabique, including some patchesnear the mouth of Motagua River.According to the participants of theSCP workshops, in Honduras there arecoral patches off Omoa, Puerto Cortés,and Tela Bay. In Tela Bay, corals areless than 6 kilometers from the coast, ata depth of less than 27 m. Theparticipants said that there are reefpatches in Cincuentón and Cuarentón,Laughing Bird Key. Photo: FUNDARY


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represent almost the whole reefcover of the Gulf.

Due to the natural effect ofhurricanes, added to the increasein seawater temperature, coralbleaching is present in a highpercentage of the corals in theBelizean continental platform,between 2 and 4 meters deep; itsrecuperative capacity is unknown.Also, algae cover is greater than itused to be. In general, the coralsmost resistant to bleaching are theones in the greatest depths, onwalls, and close to outcroppings,where there is less direct sunlightand temperatures are low. Anatural reef quality gradient exists:from best in the Belizean part of theGulf, to worst in Guatemala andHonduras. Therefore, a goodcondition is based both on healthand distribution.

¨ Landscape context: Good. There isgreat representation of non-fragmented reefs in the south ofBelize. The rest of reefs are naturallyseparate, and their connection isfor the most part by means ofmarine currents. The corals to thesouth are product of the large areain Belize, so all corals in the Gulf ofHonduras are recognized as asingle system.

Stresses (Global Value: high)

¨ Habitat destruction and conversion:Medium. High severity, low extent.In the Sapodilla Cayes there isphysical damage, and evendestruction, of coral reefs byanchors dropped on the reefs andby tourists collecting pieces assouvenirs. Also, constructions in theBelize Cayes have caused coralreef destruction and conversion.

¨ Sedimentation: Medium. Highseverity, medium extent.

off Río Quehueche, off La Guaira, TiranaGú Los Altares (near Bajo de Heredia), inEl Pulpo, Langua, Faro Blanco, and FaroRojo. They also said that there are coralsat approximately 72 kilometers off thecoast, at depths between 36 and 90 m.

Participants of the first workshopemphasized the importance of reefswhere spawning aggregations takeplace, because these sites sustain thefisheries of several places. For example,Gladden Spit is a site in the south of Belizewhere several snapper and grouperspecies spawn, and where whale sharksfeed.

Endangered species associated to thereefs include the whale shark (Rhincodontypus), the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiopstruncatus), the Atlantic spotted dolphin(Stenella frontalis), and the following seaturtles: green (Chelonia mydas),leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea),hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata), andloggerhead (Caretta caretta).Commercial species include: lobster(Panulirus argus), queen conch (Strombusgigas), crabs (Calianactus sp.), tarpon(Megelops atlantica), grouper(Epinephelus sp.), jack (familyCarangidae), snapper (familyLutjanidae), dolphinfish (Coryphainahippurus), mackerel (family Scombridae),and bonefish (Albula vulpes). Snapperand cubera snapper (family Lutjanidae)are fished in the rocky corals ofGuatemala.

Viability (Global Value: good)

¨ Size: Good. The largest coral reefareas are in Belize, with some inGuatemala and some off theHonduran coast.

¨ Condition: Good, in general. InGuatemala and Honduras thecondition of the reefs is poor, but theyare represented in the whole area. InBelize, the reef system is big and itscondition good, and these reefs

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There is much sedimentation at themouths of the Motagua River inGuatemala and the Ulúa andChamelecón rivers in Honduras,caused in large part by intensiveagriculture in the Motagua and Sulavalleys. Sediments transported by RíoUlúa travel all the way to the reef offTela Bay and the Punta Sal reefs.There is less sedimentation in Belizethan in the other two countries.

¨ Habitat perturbation: High. Highseverity, very high extent. Tourism is asource of physical perturbation of thecoral reefs. In Placencia, Belize,remains of corals can be seen. Thereare places where black coral islooted to make tourist artifacts.

¨ Altered composition and structure:High. Very high severity, high extent.Natural events like hurricanes andclimate change (which causes coralbleaching in shallow areas) affect thecoral reefs. The elimination of somepredators (such as groupers) affectsthe whole system.

Sources of stress (Global Value: high)

¨ Tourism development: High. Touristsand tour operators drop anchors onthe reef, ripping pieces off, and theybuild in sensitive areas such as theBelize Cayes.

¨ Climate change: High. The effectof climate change is seen in thebleaching of corals, which hashappened throughout the wholedistribution of reefs, especiallyaffecting corals in shallow waters.The recuperative capacity of coralsis yet unknown.

¨ Inappropriate agricultural andanimal farming practices: Medium.These include banana, Africanpalm, sugarcane, and melonplantations in the Sula valley(Honduras) and the Motagua valley(Guatemala). In the department ofIzabal, Guatemala, cattle raisers digdrainage ditches to dry swamps,which cause sedimentation. Also,shrimp and citric fruit farms inPlacencia contribute to thecontamination and sedimentationof waters.

¨ Inappropriate fishing practices:High. Includes the use of illegalfishing methods (such as harpoons),use of gill nets and dragnets,uncontrolled industrial fishing,indiscriminate capture ofaccompanying fauna, fishingduring no take seasons and in no-take areas, illegal cross-borderfishing, and fishing in spawningaggregations.

Viability Value Stresses Value Sources of stress Value Size Good Habitat destruction Medium Tourism development High Condition Good Sedimentation Medium Climate change High Landscape context Good Habitat perturbation High Inappropriate agricultural and

animal farming practices Medium

Altered composition and structure High Inappropriate fishing practices High Global Value Good Global Value High Global Value High

Table 1. Hierarchical values for viability, stresses, and sources of stress for coral reefs


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2.2 Mangrove Forests

Mangrove forests constitute veryparticular forest ecosystems, becausemangroves are facultative halophyteplants that grow in environments underthe influence of continuous tidefluctuation. They possess adaptationsthat make them highly competitive inenvironments where other plants cannotsubsist.

Mangroves are particularly important inecologic terms, because they providehabitats or banks for crustaceans,mollusks, and fish; wintering habitat formigratory birds; and habitat for residentbirds, reptiles, and mammals.

Along the Gulf, in the islands, estuaries,and coastal lagoons that are under theinfluence of tidal fluctuation, mangroveforests can be seen growing, with relativeabundance of different genera.

The dominant species is red mangrove(Rhizophora mangle); there is a smallerproportion of black mangrove(Avicennia germinans), white mangrove(Laguncularia racemosa), andbuttonwood mangrove (Conocarpuserectus). The mangrove forests of theGulf can be classified as riverine, littoral,and insular mangrove forests.

As the “Conservation Elements” mapshows (see the Annexes), there aremangrove forests in almost the wholesouth coast of Belize, especially inPlacencia, Port Honduras, and the banksof the main rivers: Deep, Sarstoon, andTemash.

According to Yáñez-Arancibia et al.(1999), an analysis of aerial photographsand satellite images has shown thatmangrove forests colonize 91.9 Km of theCaribbean coast of Guatemala (which issome 185 Km long).

There are approximately 707 Ha ofmangrove forests in La Graciosa Bay,Canal Inglés, Cocolías, Sarstún, Puntade Palma, and Amatique Bay. InHonduras, mangrove forests surroundall the coastal lagoons, being moreabundant in De Alvarado Lagoon, DeLos Micos Lagoon in the JeannetteKawas National Park, Laguna Negra inTela, and the Punta Izopo NationalPark. The largest mangrove forestregion in the Gulf is the Sarstún-Temashbi-national (Belize-Guatemala) area.

Endangered species associated tomangrove forests include West Indiesmanatee (Trichechus manatus),American crocodile (Crocodylusacutus), ducks (Dendrocygnaautomnalis and Anas discor), greatcurassow (Crax rubra), and capuchin,howler, and spider monkeys (Cebuscapucinus, Allouatta pigra, and Atelesgeoffroyi).

The main commercial species includequeen conch (Strombus gigas), crownconch (Melongena sp.), shrimp(Penaeus spp.), crabs (Calianactus sp.),tarpon (Megelops atlantica), grouper(Epinephilas sp.) and snapper (familyLutjanidae).

Laguna de Los Micos, Jeannette Kawas National ParkPhoto: FUNDARY

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¨ Size: Good. The size is consideredgood, because there are mangroveforests in all the places mentionedabove, but there is fragmentation insome sites caused by humanactivities. Guatemala has lessmangrove forest cover than Belizeand Honduras.

¨ Condition: Good. The condition ofthe mangrove is good, since there isrepresentation in all the area.

¨ Landscape context: Fair. There existstresses (such as fragmentation andhabitat conversion) on the mangroveforests and coastal forests thatdiminish connectiveness.


¨ Habitat destruction and conversion:High. High severity, high extent.Higher in Guatemala and Hondurasthan in Belize. For example, inHonduras the development ofinfrastructure and agriculturalplantations have caused destructionand conversion of the mangroveforests.

¨ Habitat fragmentation: High. Highseverity and high extent. Mangroveforests have been fragmented in thecoastline of Guatemala in Sarstúnand Punta de Palma, because of thebuilding of chalets and the expansionof coastal communities. In Río Dulceand El Golfete there are patches ofmangrove forest, but veryfragmented by constructions. InHonduras, there is fragmentationbecause of the construction of theroad that connects Guatemala withPuerto Cortés. In Belize there isfragmentation because of theconstruction of the south road.

¨ Habitat perturbation: Medium.

Medium severity, high extent.Perturbation is related to theecosystem function of mangroveforests. They are not highlyperturbed – they still function asecologic niches for the feeding andreproduction of certain species, butsome species stop behaving in anatural manner. Human activitiessuch as fishing, hunting, and boattraffic can displace certain species,or change their behavior.

¨ Altered composition and structure:Medium. Medium severity, mediumextent. The horizontal and verticalstructure of mangrove forests hasbeen altered by the extraction offirewood (roots and branches), andby the construction of infrastructureand the expansion of agriculturalareas. The fragmentation alters thestructure of mangrove forests, andthat degrades niches for bird,mammal, and other species.

¨ Nutrient overload: Medium.Medium severity, high extent.Caused by agricultural practices,such as the use of fertilizers in ricecrops in Honduras; wastewater; andsolid wastes, especially in the citiesof Puerto Barrios and Puerto Cortés.


¨ Inappropriate agricultural andanimal farming practices: High.These forest ecosystems are beingthreatened by tree cutting forfirewood, construction, and by thechange of land use (Espinal, 1994).The latter is caused by productiveactivities, such as intensive andsubsistence agriculture, cattleraising, and aquaculture.

¨ Pollution by wastewater and solidwastes: Medium. Includes the lackof management of wastewater andsolid wastes in coastal cities andcommunities.


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¨ Urban development and accessroads: High. Expansion of coastalcities and communities, andconstruction of the south road inToledo, Belize, and the road betweenPuerto Cortés and Izabal, Guatemala.

¨ Development of industrialinfrastructure: High. Expansion of theports.

¨ Tourism development: High. Thedevelopment of tourism infrastructure(hotels, restaurants, country houses,marinas, and private piers) affects themangrove forests systems.

¨ Selective extraction of timber andfirewood: Medium. In El Triunfo andin Laguna Negra, Honduras,community people extract mangroveto make charcoal.

¨ Wildlife poaching: Medium. WestIndies manatee, great curassow, andother species are illegally hunted.

¨ Maritime transportation: Low. Thefrequent passage of ships and boatsalong the maritime transportationroutes contributes to habitatperturbation.

Table 2. Hierarchical values for viability, stresses, and sources of stress for mangroveforests

Viability Value Stresses Value Sources of stress Value

Size Good Habitat destruction High Inappropriate agricultural and animal farming practices High

Condition Good Habitat fragmentation High Contamination by solid wastes Medium Landscape context Fair Habitat perturbation Medium Urban development and access roads High

Altered composition and structure Medium Development of industrial infrastructure High

Nutrient overload Medium Tourism development High

Selective extraction of timber and firewood Medium

Wildlife poaching Medium Maritime transportation Low Global Value Good Global Value High Global Value High

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2.3 Marine grasslands

Marine grasslands are marine ecosystemscomposed of aquatic plants of theSyringodium and Thalassia genera(FUNDARY, 2001 and TIDE, 1998),colonized by stable and tranquil (withoutmuch wave motion) sediments in shallowwaters, with high transparency andintermediate salinity. Marine grasslandsare frequently associated to coral reefs.They constitute biotic systems with a highrelevance as producers in the trophicchain. They serve as important breedingareas for many fish and invertebratespecies, and they provide importantfeeding habitat for the sea turtles of theGulf.

In the Gulf, the dominant species isThalassia testudinum, but patches ofHalodule wrigthii and Syringodiumfiliforme can also be found. There areapproximately 15 Ha of Vallisneriaamericana in El Golfete (Yáñez-Arancibia et al., 1999).

According to the “ConservationElements” map (see the Annexes), thelargest marine grasslands are found offthe coast of Belize and around thebarrier reefs and reef patches, to adepth of approximately 5 meters.In Guatemala, there are approximately3,750 Ha of marine grasslands in thecentral and eastern parts of AmatiqueBay and La Graciosa Bay (ibid.).

There are also patches in LagunaGrande in Sarstún, to the south of themouth of Río Sarstún, in El Golfete,Bahía Santo Tomás, the mouth of RíoSan Carlos and Punta de Palma, andthe north side of Punta de Manabique.In the north coast of Honduras, thereare marine grasslands between Omoaand Chachaguala, in the JeannetteKawas National Park and in Tela Bay.

Endangered species associated withmarine grasslands include West Indiesmanatee (Trichechus manatus),bottlenose and Atlantic spotteddolphins (Tursiops truncatus, Stenellafrontalis), and the following sea turtles:green (Chelonia mydas), leatherback(Dermochelys coriacea), hawksbill(Eretmochelys imbricata), andloggerhead (Caretta caretta).

Commercial species include lobster(Panulirus argus), queen conch(Strombus gigas), crown conch(Melongena sp.), shrimp (Penaeus spp.),crabs (Calianactus sp.), anchovy(Anchoa sp.), tarpon (Megelopsatlantica), and bonefish (Albulavulpes).


¨ Size: Good. Marine grasslands arerepresented in all the Gulf ofHonduras, and they have areaslarge enough to ensure theirrecuperation.

Bahía La Graciosa, APE Punta de Manabique.Photo: FUNDARY


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¨ Condition: Good. In Honduras,specifically in Omoa, marine grassesare suffering a disease that begins atthe tips of the leaves and extendstowards the stems. Sedimentation isalso affecting the grasslands. It is afactor that inhibits connectiveness.

¨ Landscape context: Fair. The diseasethat affects the grasses is fragmentingand inhibiting the connectiveness,and can constitute a threat.

Stresses (Global Value: medium)

¨ Sedimentation: Low. Low severity,very high extent. It diminishesphotosynthesis of the marine grassesand causes deposition. InGuatemala, severity is moderate,because the marine grasslands arewithin Amatique Bay, while thegreatest sources of sedimentation arethe rivers, especially Motagua River.Anyhow, sediment deposits fromdredging are high. In Belize, theeffect of sediments in the river mouthsis low. The marine grassland sites thatare affected by sedimentation areManabique and Río Dulce. Inconclusion, the effect ofsedimentation is low, becausesediments disperse before reachingthe marine grasslands.

¨ Habitat perturbation: High. Highseverity, high extent. The speed ofmarine grassland restoration isunknown. Grasses are destroyed bydragnets used by shrimp boats,mainly in Amatique Bay and in theBelize Cayes, off Placencia. Theseverity of habitat perturbation is highbecause the nets completely pull outsome grasses.

Currently there is not as much fishingin the coast as before, because thereare no white shrimp. Therefore, fishingoccurs in deeper waters, andgrasslands are not very degraded.

¨ Contamination by toxic substances:Medium. High severity, mediumextent. It is a current and also apotential stress. Contaminationoccurs when ships empty theirtanks, when ships are painted,when small spills take place, and byinappropriate disposal of used oiland other toxic substances in theports of the Gulf.

As a potential stress, it is speculatedthat the effect of a possible oil (orother toxic substance) spill couldhave a high extent, depending onthe location and size of the spill andthe strength of the marine currents.

¨ Altered composition and structure:High. High severity, very highextent.

There is a change in the structure ofthe marine grasslands, due to theoverfishing of conch, sea turtles(green, especially), West Indiesmanatee, fish, mollusks, andcrustaceans that spend part of theirlives in the grasslands. The extent isvery high because there are nosites in the Gulf that have not beenaffected by this stress.


¨ Inappropriate agricultural andanimal farming practices: Low.

This source of stress is a combinationof intensive and subsistenceagriculture, and cattle raisingpractices. Intensive agriculture isresponsible for contamination bytoxic substances.

¨ Tourism development: Low. Manyowners remove marine grass andsubstitute it with sand, to createartificial beaches or to extendexisting beaches.

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¨ Inappropriate fishing practices: High.The overexploitation of conch andother species alters the structure andcomposition of associated speciespopulations.

¨ Maritime transportation: Medium.Includes development of marinasand contamination from spills. The riskof spills from the toxic materialtransportation is high.

¨ Petroleum exploration andexploitation: Low. This is a potentialthreat.

¨ Wildlife poaching: High. Contributesto altered composition and structure.Includes manatee poaching and thecapture of sea turtles in fishing nets.

Table 3. Hierarchical values for viability, stresses, and sources of stress for marinegrasslands


Size Good Sedimentation Low Inappropriate agricultural and animal farming Low

Condition Good Habitat perturbation High Tourism development Low Landscape context Fair Contamination by toxic substances Medium Inappropriate fishing

practices High

Altered composition and structure High Maritime transportation Medium

Petroleum exploration and exploitation Low

Wildlife poaching High

Global Value Good Global Value Medium Global Value High


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2.4 Beach Systems

Beaches constitute dynamic areas. Theshape of a beach changes continually,due to the transportation of sand bywaves, currents, tides, and the wind. Inthe Caribbean, the sand is composed ofcoral and conch remains.

Ecologically, beaches provide nesting,feeding, and resting areas for sea turtles,birds, crustaceans, and others species.Beach systems include not only the stripof sand and rock and the wave actionzone, but also the vegetation behind thebeach and the shallow marine waters offthe beach, both areas beingecologically associated to the beach.

The “Conservation Elements” map (seethe Annexes) shows the location ofbeaches in the Gulf. Beach systems arelocated in Port Honduras, Placencia, andthe Sapodilla Cayes in Belize(approximately 220 Km); Punta deManabique, Punta de Palma, and SieteAltares in Guatemala (approximately 185Km); and Punta Sal, Masca, Omoa,Puerto Cortés, and Tela Bay in Honduras(approximately 200 Km).

Associated endangered species includeyellow-headed parrot (Amazona oratrix);iguana (Iguana iguana); jaguar(Panthera onca); and capuchin, howler,and spider monkeys (Cebus capucinus,Allouatta pigra, and Ateles geoffroyi).Commercial species include lobster(Panulirus argus), queen conch (Strombusgigas), crown conch (Melongena sp.),shrimp (Penaeus spp.), crabs(Calianactus sp.), anchovy (Achoa sp.),snook (Centropomus undecimalis),tarpon (Megelops atlantica), and thefollowing sea turtles: green (Cheloniamydas), leatherback (Dermochelyscoriacea), hawksbill (Eretmochelysimbricata), and loggerhead (Carettacaretta).


¨ Size: Very good. There is a goodextension of rocky and sandybeaches.

¨ Condition: Good. The condition ofthe beaches is basically beingaltered by contamination, tourism,and extraction of associatedspecies. In Guatemala, forexample in Punta de Manabique,the solid and liquid wastes thatcome from Motagua River affectthe beach systems. Other threatsare the lethal yellowing of coconutpalms, cattle ranches, and theextraction of sea turtles andiguanas. In Belize, hotels andtourism complexes are transformingthe ecosystem. There is alsoextraction of iguanas, natural andanthropogenic erosion, and water ismisused. In Honduras, there is lethalyellowing of coconut palms, tourismdevelopment problems, andwastewater discharge.

¨ Landscape context: Good. Theoceanographic connectivenessand continental connectivenessare good in the Gulf of Honduras.

Miami community, Jeannette Kawas National Park.Photo: FUNDARY

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There exists connectiveness betweenthe beaches and other ecosystemsby means of marine currents and thetransportation of river sand. However,the continental connectiveness isbeing threatened by the cultivationof African palm and by tourismdevelopment.


¨ Beach erosion: Medium. Highseverity, medium extent. Drainageditches, dikes, sea walls, andbreakwaters have been built.Hurricanes have contributed highly toerosion, which is irreversible. There isbeach erosion in Cortés, MonkeyRiver, the Sapodilla Cayes, the southof Manabique, between Punta dePalma and Santa María, and inBajamar (in the Chamelecón Riversandbar) in Honduras.

¨ Habitat fragmentation: High. Highseverity, very high extent. It is duemainly to urban development,tourism development, andinappropriate agricultural and animalfarming practices. For example, theconstruction of houses (countryhouses and the expansion of ruralcommunities) has eliminated thevegetation behind the beaches inTela (Triunfo de la Cruz, Ensenada,Tela, Tornabé, and San Juan),between Puerto Cortés and Tulián,from Omoa to the Guatemalanborder, in Punta de Manabique, andin Placencia.

¨ Altered composition and structure:High. High severity, very high extent.Poaching iguanas, sea turtle eggs,parrots, and other species associatedto beaches has had a negativeimpact on their populations. Iguanasare hunted in the beaches of Tela,Omoa, and Punta de Manabique.Toucans are hunted in Tela, Omoa,and Manabique.

There is poaching of monkeys inBajamar and Cerro Cardona (to theeast of Puerto Cortés). Parrots arehunted in Omoa and Manabique.Shrimp and lobster are overfishedoff the beaches of Tela, as arecrabs in Puerto Cortés. InGuatemala, the overfishing ofanchovy (Achoa sp.) occursbetween San Francisco del Mar andCabo Tres Puntas, and in EsteroLagarto, Pichilingo, Punta de Palma,and Santa María. Sea turtle eggsare illegally collected betweenQuetzalito and San Francisco delMar.

¨ Nutrient overload: High. Highseverity, high extent. It is due mainlyto urban development, with a highand irreversible contribution, due tothe high cost of reversion. It occursin Cortés, Tela, and Manabique,through the mouths of the Ulúa,Chamelecón, and Motagua riversand the Canal Martínez.

¨ Hydrologic alteration: High. Highseverity, very high extent. Thereexists hydrologic alteration causedby sand extraction. Also, thedegradation of watersheds affectsthe speed, direction, and salinity ofmarine water streams and thataffects the beaches. For example,there are strong discharges of freshwater after the rains, and nowatershed recuperation has beenobserved after Hurricane Mitch. Inhydrologic alteration, thecontribution is medium, and theirreversibility is also medium. There ishydrologic alteration in the riversTinto, Ulúa, Chamelecón, Tulián,Omoa, Masca, Motagua,Chachaguala, and Cuyamel.

¨ Contamination by toxic substances:High. High severity, high extent.Includes contamination byagrochemicals, solid wastes, andship wastes.


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Sources of stress (Global Value: veryhigh)

¨ Urban development and accessroads: Very high. Causes theelimination or fragmentation ofvegetation behind the beaches.

¨ Maritime transportation: High. Theconstruction of breakwaters and seawalls has a reduced contribution tothe stress of erosion, because it is nota highly generalized practice and isreversible, using legislation. Forhabitat fragmentation, it provides amedium contribution and mediumirreversibility. For composition andstructure, the sea walls alter thecurrents where they are placed, butthe impact is low throughout the Gulf.

¨ Climate change: High. The sea levelincrease due to climate change iscontributing highly to the erosion ofbeaches. In the case of Belize,beaches have almost been lost. Thesea level is expected to increasebetween 2 and 6 millimeters eachyear, equivalent of up to 6centimeters in 10 years.

¨ Tourism development: High. Tourisminfrastructure (hotels, country houses,and / or piers) has been built inalmost all the beaches of the Gulf. Inhabitat fragmentation, thecontribution of tourism development

Table 4. Hierarchical values for viability, stresses, and sources of stress for beachsystems


Size Very Good Beach erosion Medium Urban development and access roads Very High

Condition Good Habitat fragmentation High Maritime transportation High Landscape context Good Altered composition and structure High Climate change High

Nutrient overload High Tourism development High

Hydrologic alteration High Inappropriate agricultural and animal farming practices

Medium

Contamination by toxic substances High Wildlife poaching High

Contamination by solid wastes Medium

Global Value Good Global Value High Global Value Very High

is very high. As it affects habitatfragmentation, structure, andcomposition, associatedpopulations are reduced. Theestablishment of marinas is morefrequent, but in general terms theircontribution is medium. Tourismdevelopment contributes to erosionin a very low way, because it is notvery generalized.Another problem is the use ofbeach sand for construction.

¨ Inappropriate agricultural andanimal farming practices: Medium.Cattle raising and the cultivation ofcorn and fodder causefragmentation of the ecosystems byusing up resources such asmangrove and beach resources.

¨ Wildlife poaching: High. It changesthe composition and structure ofassociated populations.

¨ Pollution by wastewater and solidwastes: Medium. In Guatemala,the nutrient overload is highbecause of wastewater discharge.Two sewage treatment plants havebeen built in Puerto Barrios. Puntade Manabique receives all thegarbage of the Motagua Riverwatershed. Solid wastes affect thecomposition and structure of thepopulations of associated species.For example, plastic bags affectsea turtles (specificallyleatherbacks), which confuse themwith medusas.

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2.5 Estuaries and CoastalLagoonsEstuaries are complex aquatic systemswhere seawater and freshwater mix.They are directly influenced by tidalfluctuation: the extension of brackishwater varies during the rainy and dryseasons. They are high biodiversityecosystems, which receive nutrients fromthe watersheds. Lankford (1977) definesa coastal lagoon as a “depression of thecoastal zone, below the average of thehighest tides, having a permanent orephemeral communication with the sea,but protected from the sea by some typeof barrier.”

The “Conservation Elements” map (seeAnnexes) shows the location of theestuaries and coastal lagoons in the Gulf.The estuaries are found in the mouths ofthe principal rivers, such as Monkey River,Deep River, Río Temash, Sarstún, RíoDulce, Bahía Santo Tomás, Río Pichilingo,La Graciosa Bay and Canal Inglés, andthe rivers San Francisco, Motagua, Ulúa,Chamelecón, Coto, Frío, Tulián, andCuyamel. The number and size ofcoastal lagoons is larger in Belize, thenHonduras, followed last by Guatemala.In Belize there are coastal lagoons inPlacencia, Monkey River, and PuntaYcacos.

In Honduras lagoons include DeAlvarado, De los Micos, DeChachaguala, De los Diamantes,Verde, Negra, Río Tinto, De Cintino, andDe Jaloa. Finally, in Guatemala, thelagoons are Laguna Grande in Sarstún,Verde in Punta de Palma, Santa Isabel,Escondida, Estero Lagarto, Quetzalito,Chocón Machacas, Cocolí, SanFrancisco, and Jabalí.

It is important to mention the presenceof West Indies manatee (Trichechusmanatus) in these systems: it has beenseen in Port Honduras, Río Sarstún, ElGolfete, La Graciosa Bay, the mouth ofMotagua River, and in various coastallagoons of Honduras.

Also to be found here are the Americancrocodile (Crocodylus acutus),bottlenose and Atlantic spotteddolphins (Tursiops truncatus andStenella frontalis), and ducks(Dendrocygna automnalis and Anasdiscor). Commercial species associatedwith these ecosystems include crownconch (Melongena sp.), shrimp(Penaeus spp.), crabs (Calianactus sp.),anchovy (Anchoa sp.), snook(Centropomus undecimalis), tarpon(Megelops atlantica), jacks (familyCarangidae), snappers (familyLutjanidae), dolphinfish (Coryphaenahippurus), and mojarra (Cichlasomasp.).


¨ Size: Very good. There areextensive areas of estuaries andcoastal lagoons in the Gulf.

¨ Condition: Good. In general, thecondition of the estuaries andcoastal lagoons is considered good.In Belize, the estuaries and coastallagoons are in a good state,because the water quality is good,and because there are manyspecies present. In Guatemala,there are healthy areas andBahía de la Graciosa, APE Punta de Manabique.

Photo: FUNDARY


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degraded areas. Sarstún, SantaIsabel Lagoon, and Quetzalito havelittle contamination and low resourceextraction. However, Amatique Bayand Motagua River are highlypolluted, and the lagoons of ChocónMachacas suffer vegetationextraction. In Honduras,contamination harms De AlvaradoLagoon, and there is sedimentationcaused by deforestation. De LosMicos Lagoon has mediumcontamination, but the rest of smalllagoons are in good conditions. Theestuaries are in good condition: theyare not very contaminated.

¨ Landscape context: Good. Thedegradation of watersheds causesthe degradation and disappearanceof some estuaries and coastallagoons. In Belize, there is only oneestuary (Agua Caliente) wheredegradation of the watershed affectsthe connectiveness between theestuary and the watershed. InGuatemala, the landscape context isfair, because of the watersheddegradation and the lack ofintegrated management of theMotagua, Polochic, and Sarstúnwatersheds. In Honduras, thelandscape context is good, exceptfor De Alvarado Lagoon, which ishighly affected by the degradation ofChamelecón River.


¨ Habitat perturbation: Medium.Medium severity, high extent. Severalactivities contribute to thedegradation of estuarine habitats:use of improper fishing methods,dredging in the ports and maritimetransportation routes, deposition ofdredge residue in estuarine areas (LaGraciosa Bay), and water pollution.

¨ Sedimentation: High. High severity,high extent. Sedimentation is highdue to the change in land use,

especially in the watersheds ofGuatemala and Honduras. Themain rivers (Motagua, Ulúa, andChamelecón) produce largeplumes of sediments that stronglyaffect the areas close to theirmouths. De Alvarado Lagoonreceives sediments fromChamelecón River. Dredging hasincreased the amount of sedimentsto the south of Placencia; inGuatemala there are manysediments in the mouths of the riversMotagua, Sarstún, and Dulce, andin Santo Tomás Bay.

¨ Nutrient overload: Medium. Highseverity, medium extent. Thenutrient overload includes nitratesand phosphates carried by therivers. It comes from wastewaterfrom the cities (Puerto Barrios, SantoTomás, Puerto Cortés, Tela), andfrom the fertilizers and wastes ofagricultural and industrialcompanies. Fertilizers andwastewater pollute Río Dulce, whilea butter factory pollutes De LosMicos Lagoon.

¨ Hydrologic alteration: Medium.Medium severity, medium extent.The degradation of watershedsaffects the distribution of freshwaterover time, producing higher peaksin the rainy season (less salinity) andless flow in the dry season (highersalinity). In Honduras, the damconstructed in Río Ulúa affects thedirection of flow towards thelagoon and wetlands in Tela Bay.

¨ Habitat conversion: Low. Mediumseverity, low extent. Mangrove isextracted for firewood in thelagoons. For example, in Hondurasmuch of the mangrove forestsaround De Los Micos Lagoon andDe los Diamantes Bay have beendestroyed.

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¨ Inappropriate agricultural and animalfarming practices: High. In thebanana, African palm, cattle,vegetable, and shrimp farms, thechange of land use increases thesedimentation, and the indiscriminateuse of agrochemicals causescontamination. The water dischargeby shrimp farms alters the freshwater.

¨ Tourism development: Medium. Theimpact of tourism development isgreater on mangrove forests andbeaches than on coastal lagoons.However, the channeling of riversand streams affects the hydrologicalsystem.

¨ Inappropriate fishing practices:Medium. The practices thatcontribute to habitat perturbationand conversion include the use of gillnets with very fine mesh, the use ofdragnets, fishing of species duringtheir spawning season, and anchovyfishing from Río Dulce to San Felipeand in Amatique Bay (“mosquitonetting” captures juveniles ofcommercial species). Also, theincidental capture of hawksbill seaturtles in shrimp boat nets has beenreported in Tela Bay.

¨ Urban development and accessroads: High. Even though roadsbring development to the zone, theyhave great sedimentation impacts.For example, the south Belize roadand the road from Puerto Cortés,

Honduras, to the border withGuatemala cause sedimentation.

The growth of cities and ruralcommunities also causessedimentation and nutrientoverload.

¨ Contamination by solid wastes:Medium. Its major contribution isthe discharge of nutrients in thecoastal lagoon systems. Lagoonseutrophicate quicker, because theyare semi-closed systems (especiallyDe Alvarado Lagoon and SantoTomás Bay).

¨ Industrial waste discharge: Low.The discharges of agro-industrialcompanies pollute the lagoons.There are African palm plantationson the edge of Lake Izabal, and anAfrican palm oil processing plantwill be built in Punta Chapín River.De Los Micos Lagoon receiveswastes from a butter factory. InValle de Sula and Choloma thereare factories and clothes assemblyshops.

¨ Maritime transportation: Low. Theport operations contribute tonutrient overload, sedimentation,and contamination by toxicsubstances, because they havepipelines for petroleum,agrochemicals, and other toxicproducts. Fuels are stored in Puertode Santo Tomás, Puerto Cortés, andTela. Also, sailboats in Río Dulcedischarge their wastewater andgarbage into the sea.

Table 5. Hierarchical values for viability, stresses, and sources of stress for estuariesand coastal lagoonsViability Value Stresses Value Sources of stress Value

Size Very good Habitat perturbation Medium Inappropriate agricultural and animal farming practices High

Condition Good Sedimentation High Tourism development Medium Landscape context Good Nutrient overload Medium Inappropriate fishing practices Medium

Hydrologic alteration Medium Urban development and access roads High Habitat conversion Low Contamination by solid wastes Medium Industrial waste discharge Low Maritime transportation Low Global Value Good Global Value High Global Value High


3131313131

2.6 Herbaceous Wetlands,Flood forests, and theirsupporting Aquatic Systems

As the “Conservation Elements” mapshows (see the Annexes), there areherbaceous wetlands and / or floodforests in Punta de Manabique, PuertoCortés, the western part of Santo TomásBay (San Carlos), and on the eastern partof Punta Izopo. In Guatemala, Yañez-Arancibia et al. (1999) estimate thatherbaceous wetlands and flood forestscover approximately 9,261 Ha of theCaribbean coast of Guatemala, bothbeing covered by water for the greaterpart of each year. The endangeredspecies associated with the herbaceouswetlands include yellow-headed parrot(Amazona oratrix); American crocodile(Crocodylus acutus); iguana (Iguanaiguana); freshwater turtles; ducks(Dendrocygna automnalis, Anas discor);jaguar (Panthera onca); capuchin,howler, and spider monkeys (Cebuscapucinus, Allouatta pigra and Atelesgeoffroyi); tapir (Tapirus bardii); peccary(Tayassu tajacu); and great curassow(Crax rubra). The commercial speciesinclude snook (Centropomusundecimalis) and tarpon (Megelopsatlantica).


¨ Size: Good. The herbaceouswetlands and flood forests havegreater extensions than themangrove forests. In Belize they arevery good, in Guatemala good, andin Honduras fair.

¨ Condition: Good. The floodedcondition of wetlands makes accessdifficult, helping to conserve them.However, in Honduras the wetlandsare highly deteriorated; theircondition is fair. In Guatemala, thereis wood extraction for charcoal, androads have altered the secondaryforest.

¨ Landscape context: Fair. Manywetlands connected to the tropicalforests in Izabal, Guatemala, andthe north coast of Honduras, butmany of these forests have beenconverted to agricultural areas.


¨ Habitat conversion: High. Highseverity, high extent. Theherbaceous wetlands and floodforests are highly stressed by habitatconversion, since most of them arenot protected. Healthy examplesare found only in patches with littleagricultural and cattle-raisinginterest, since their soils are not fitfor these activities.

¨ Habitat fragmentation: High. Highseverity, high extent. Much of thelow tropical forest that used to bebehind the wetlands, between 25and 500 m above sea level, hasbeen destroyed. There is also woodextraction in the flood forests, forfirewood, charcoal, andconstruction, for example inManabique and Sarstún.

¨ Hydrologic alteration: Medium.High severity, medium extent.

Polochic River Natural Wildlife RefugePhoto: FUNDARY

3232323232


Hydrologic alteration affectswetlands, because the amount offreshwater and its distribution overtime have changed in somewatersheds. The severity is high andthe extent is medium because it isrelatively localized. In Deep River,the strong rains brought by HurricaneMitch (October 1998) changed thesalinity, killing much of the vegetationin the wetlands. Other affectedareas include the watersheds of RíoFrío and San Idelfonso, CanalMartínez, and Río Ulúa (Honduras);Estero Lagarto (Guatemala); andMonkey River (Belize).

¨ Altered composition and structure:High. High severity, high extent.Excessive fishing and hunting altersthe structure of species populations,including yellow-headed parrot,American crocodile, iguana, greatcurassow, snook, and tarpon.


¨ Urban development and accessroads: High. The unplannedexpansion of cities and ruralcommunities and the construction ofaccess roads fragment the wetlands.For example, in Honduras, humansettlements in the zone of DeAlvarado Lagoon and El Faro havemodified the wetlands close toCortés. In Manabique, the threat of afuture road exists.

¨ Inappropriate agricultural and animalfarming practices: High. Principallyincludes the conversion ofherbaceous wetlands and flood

forests into grasslands andagricultural areas. In Río Chiquitoand Cuyamel (Honduras), riceplantations have fragmented thewetlands. In the watershed of RíoUlúa, the Chamelecón bar, andCanal Martínez there are Africanpalm plantations where wetlandsused to be. In Placencia, wetlandshave been converted to shrimpfarms. Peasants have plantedcrops in the wetlands of Sarstún,Sarstoon-Temash, Manabique, andRío Ulúa.

¨ Channeling rivers and streams:Medium. In Punta de Manabique,cattle raisers and farmers havedried wetlands to convert them tocattle raising and agricultural areas.

¨ Contamination by solid wastes:Low. There are solid wastes in therivers Motagua, Chamelecón, Ulúa,and Dulce.

¨ Timber and firewood extraction:Medium. For example, cahue is cutin Manabique and Santa María inSarstún. In the Canal Martínezforests, the following wood typesare exploited: mahogany, SanJuan, laurel, and cedar.

¨ Wildlife poaching: Medium.Includes poaching great curassow,deer, and peccary in Quetzalitoand Cabo Tres Puntas (Manabique),hunting iguanas and poaching inthe wetlands of Chocón-Machacasand Sarstoon-Temash.

¨ Industrial waste discharge: Medium.

Table 6. Hierarchical values for viability, stresses, and sources of stress for herbaceouswetlands


Size Good Habitat conversion High Urban development and access roads High

Condition Good Habitat fragmentation High Inappropriate agricultural and animal farming practices High

Landscape context Fair Hydrologic alteration Medium Channeling rivers and streams Medium

Altered composition and structure High Contamination by solid wastes Low

Timber and firewood extraction Medium Wildlife poaching Medium Industrial waste discharge Medium Global Value Good Global Value High Global Value High


3333333333

III. CONSERVATION STRATEGIES AND ACTIONS

Stra

tegi

es to

dim

inish

thre

ats

and

incr

ease

the

via

bilit

y of

the

cons

erva

tion

elem

ents

wer

e d

efin

ed d

urin

g th

ew

orks

hops

. Fo

r ea

ch c

onse

rva

tion

elem

ent,

stra

tegi

es w

ere

prio

ritize

d a

ccor

din

g to

thei

r pot

entia

l to

miti

gate

the

thre

ats.

Usin

g th

e Ex

cel s

prea

dsh

eet f

or S

ite C

onse

rvat

ion

Plan

ning

, an

anal

ysis

was

mad

e of

the

capa

bilit

y of

eac

hst

rate

gy to

red

uce

the

stre

ss o

n ea

ch c

onse

rvat

ion

elem

ent.

The

follo

win

g ta

ble

pres

ents

the

cons

erva

tion

stra

tegi

esth

at w

ould

be

mos

t effe

ctiv

e in

red

ucin

g th

e th

reat

s th

at th

e G

ulf f

aces

. Th

e m

ost e

ffect

ive

stra

tegy

wou

ld b

e to

com

plet

e th

e tri

-na

tiona

l pro

tect

ed a

rea

s sy

stem

in th

e G

ulf.

Thi

s st

rate

gy w

ould

pro

vid

e a

very

hig

h be

nefit

to th

em

angr

ove

fore

sts

and

mar

ine

gras

sland

s, a

high

ben

efit

for c

oral

reef

s an

d h

erba

ceou

s w

etla

nds,

and

a m

ediu

mbe

nefit

for e

stua

ries

and

coa

sta

l la

goon

s.

VALU

E O

F TH

E S

TRA

TEG

Y FO

R E

ACH

SYS

TEM

OB

JEC

TIVE

S ST

RAT

EGIE

S C

oral

R

eefs

M

angr

ove

Fore

sts

Mar

ine

Gra

ss-

land

s

Bea

ch

Sys

tem

s

Est

uarie

s an

d C

oast

al

Lago

ons

Her

ba-

ceou

s w

etla

nds

GLO

BA

L ST

RAT

EGY

VA

LUE

Com

plet

e th

e G

ulf o

f Hon

dura

s pr

otec

ted

area

s sy

stem

, an

d im

prov

e th

e m

anag

emen

t and

pro

tect

ion

of th

e ar

eas

Hig

h V

ery

Hig

h V

ery

Hig

h M

ediu

m

Med

ium

H

igh

Ver

y H

igh

1. D

evel

op a

tri-n

atio

nal c

oast

al-m

arin

e pr

otec

ted

area

s sy

stem

, all

area

s ha

ving

m

anag

emen

t pla

ns, l

ong-

term

fina

ncia

l pl

ans,

and

ade

quat

e re

sour

ces

Cre

ate

mec

hani

sms

for t

he fi

nanc

ial s

usta

inab

ility

of

prot

ecte

d ar

ea m

anag

emen

t M

ediu

m

Hig

h M

ediu

m

Hig

h H

igh

Hig

h H

igh

Dev

elop

and

impl

emen

t Lan

d U

se R

egul

atio

n P

lans

an

d S

ecto

r Pla

ns

Hig

h V

ery

Hig

h M

ediu

m

Hig

h M

ediu

m

Ver

y H

igh

Ver

y H

igh

Mak

e an

d ex

ecut

e pr

otec

tion

plan

s fo

r end

ange

red,

and

ec

onom

ical

ly im

port

ant,

spec

ies

Hig

h H

igh

Hig

h H

igh

Med

ium

M

ediu

m

Hig

h

Supp

ort t

he re

gula

tion

of fi

sher

ies

and

sust

aina

ble

fishi

ng

Hig

h M

ediu

m

Hig

h Lo

w

Hig

h Lo

w

Hig

h

2. P

rom

ote

the

deve

lopm

ent o

f a

legi

slat

ive,

regu

lato

ry, a

nd in

stitu

tiona

l fra

mew

ork

com

patib

le a

mon

g th

e th

ree

coun

tries

R

evis

e, d

evel

op, a

nd e

nfor

ce, i

n a

parti

cipa

tive

man

ner,

norm

s an

d m

echa

nism

s to

regu

late

the

sust

aina

ble

use

of n

atur

al re

sour

ces

Med

ium

H

igh

Med

ium

H

igh

Med

ium

H

igh

Hig

h

3. C

onso

lidat

e ec

onom

ic a

ctiv

ities

that

are

co

mpa

tible

with

the

cons

erva

tion

of n

atur

e,

with

hig

h pa

rtici

patio

n an

d le

adin

g ro

les

by

loca

l inh

abita

nts

Prom

ote

alte

rnat

e ec

onom

ic a

ctiv

ities

in th

e lo

cal

com

mun

ities

M

ediu

m

Hig

h H

igh

Hig

h H

igh

Med

ium

H

igh

Impl

emen

t edu

catio

n, s

ensi

tizin

g, a

war

enes

s-ra

isin

g,

and

divu

lgat

ion

prog

ram

s ab

out t

he e

nviro

nmen

tal

prob

lem

s an

d th

eir s

olut

ions

with

inha

bita

nts,

reso

urce

us

ers,

and

gov

ernm

ents

Med

ium

M

ediu

m

Med

ium

M

ediu

m

Med

ium

M

ediu

m

Med

ium

4.

Dev

elop

a c

omm

unic

atio

ns s

yste

m,

perio

dic

mee

tings

, pub

licat

ions

, cap

acity

bu

ildin

g, a

nd in

ter-

inst

itutio

nal e

xcha

nges

an

d co

ordi

natio

n Im

plem

ent i

nstit

utio

nal s

treng

then

ing

prog

ram

s, a

nd

coor

dina

tion

and

citiz

en p

artic

ipat

ion

mec

hani

sms,

for

the

prot

ectio

n of

nat

ural

sys

tem

s M

ediu

m

Med

ium

M

ediu

m

Med

ium

M

ediu

m

Med

ium

M

ediu

m

Follo

win

g is

each

stra

tegy

, with

its

act

ion

pla

n a

nd a

list

of t

he th

rea

ts it

miti

gate

s

3434343434


Act

ions

G

eogr

aphi

cal

area

En

titie

s re

spon

sibl

e C

olla

bora

tors

B

enef

icia

ries

Cos

t Pe

riod

Prom

ote

the

decl

arat

ion

of P

unta

de

Man

abiq

ue

as a

new

pro

tect

ed a

rea

in th

e G

ulf

Gua

tem

ala

Con

gres

s of

the

Rep

ublic

of G

uate

mal

a FU

ND

ARY,

TR

IGO

H, M

AR

N, C

ON

AP,

Envi

ronm

ent C

omm

issi

on o

f Con

gres

s,

Min

istry

of t

he In

terio

r, co

ngre

ssm

en

Com

mun

ities

, to

uris

ts

$ 5,

000

Bega

n fir

st

sem

este

r of

2004

Prom

ote

the

decl

arat

ion

of S

ierra

Car

al a

s a

new

pr

otec

ted

area

in th

e G

ulf

Gua

tem

ala

Con

gres

s of

the

Rep

ublic

of G

uate

mal

a FU

ND

AEC

O, T

RIG

OH

, MA

RN

, CO

NA

P,

Envi

ronm

ent C

omm

issi

on o

f Con

gres

s,

Min

istry

of t

he In

terio

r, co

ngre

ssm

en

Com

mun

ities

, to

uris

ts

$ 5,

000

Bega

n fir

st

sem

este

r of

2004

Prom

ote

the

decl

arat

ion

of R

ío S

arst

ún a

s a

new

pr

otec

ted

area

in th

e G

ulf

Gua

tem

ala

Con

gres

s of

the

Rep

ublic

of G

uate

mal

a FU

ND

AEC

O, T

RIG

OH

, MA

RN

, CO

NA

P,

Envi

ronm

ent C

omm

issi

on o

f Con

gres

s,

Min

istry

of t

he In

terio

r, co

ngre

ssm

en

Com

mun

ities

, to

uris

ts

$ 5,

000

Bega

n fir

st

sem

este

r of

2004

Prom

ote

the

decl

arat

ion

of O

moa

Bar

acoa

as

a ne

w p

rote

cted

are

a in

the

Gul

f H

ondu

ras

Con

gres

s of

the

Rep

ublic

of H

ondu

ras

CC

O, T

RIG

OH

, CO

HD

EFO

R, M

inis

try o

f th

e In

terio

r, co

ngre

ssm

en

Com

mun

ities

, to

uris

ts

$ 5,

000

Bega

n fir

st

sem

este

r of

2004

C

ondu

ct a

nnua

l mon

itorin

g of

the

effe

ctiv

enes

s of

PA

man

agem

ent w

ith M

BR

S, W

B, P

RO

AR

CA,

an

d TN

C to

ols

The

who

le

Gul

f PA

man

ager

s TR

IGO

H, M

BR

S, M

BC

, PR

OAR

CA/

APM

PA

sys

tem

ad

min

istra

tors

$

50,0

00/

year

C

ontin

uous

ly

Stre

ngth

en m

echa

nism

s (a

dvis

ory

coun

cils

) to

invo

lve

com

mun

ity m

embe

rs in

PA

man

agem

ent

The

who

le

Gul

f

PA m

anag

ers

Loca

l PD

Os,

loca

l pro

ject

s, c

ivil

soci

ety,

U

N, M

INU

GU

A, U

ND

P

PDO

s, c

omm

ittee

s,

coop

erat

ives

, fis

herm

en g

roup

s

$ 50

,000

/ ye

ar

Con

tinuo

usly

Form

aliz

e an

exc

hang

e fo

rum

am

ong

PA

man

ager

s in

bor

der z

ones

Th

e w

hole

G

ulf

PA m

anag

ers

Prot

ecte

d Ar

eas

Com

mis

sion

of T

RIG

OH

PA

sys

tem

$

10,0

00/

year

Ever

y 6

mon

ths,

in

all 5

yea

rs

Des

ign

a m

odel

for c

orrid

ors

betw

een

the

PAs,

in

clud

ing

mar

ine

elem

ents

with

in th

e M

BC

agen

da

The

who

le

Gul

f

Min

istry

of E

nviro

nmen

t Lo

cal P

DO

s, M

BC

, mun

icip

al

gove

rnm

ents

, priv

ate

ente

rpris

e

Com

mitt

ees,

co

oper

ativ

es,

mun

icip

al g

ovt.s

$1

00,0

00

2 ye

ars

Esta

blis

h cr

oss-

bord

er c

o-m

anag

emen

t ag

reem

ents

bet

wee

n Sa

rstú

n an

d S

arst

oon-

Tem

ash,

and

bet

wee

n P

unta

de

Man

abiq

ue a

nd

Om

oa-B

arac

oa

Bel

ize,

G

uate

mal

a,

Hon

dura

s

Min

istri

es o

f Env

ironm

ent a

nd F

orei

gn

Rel

atio

ns, C

ON

AP, C

OH

DEF

OR

Lo

cal P

DO

s, M

BC

, TR

IGO

H, M

BRS

Com

mun

ities

, to

uris

ts,

PA s

yste

m

$ 50

,000

2

year

s

Prom

ote

the

crea

tion

or e

nlar

gem

ent o

f priv

ate

prot

ecte

d ar

eas

The

who

le

Gul

f

Min

istri

es o

f Env

ironm

ent,

CO

NAP

, C

OH

DEF

OR

, Bel

izea

n au

thor

ities

Lo

cal P

DO

s, lo

cal p

roje

cts

Tour

ists

, PA

sys

tem

$

50,0

00/

year

3

year

s

Atte

nd to

inva

der s

peci

es p

robl

ems,

par

ticul

arly

Hydrilla

and

the

leth

al y

ello

win

g of

coc

onut

pal

ms

The

who

le

Gul

f

Min

istri

es o

f Env

ironm

ent,

CO

NAP

, C

OH

DEF

OR

, Bel

izea

n au

thor

ities

Lo

cal P

DO

s, lo

cal p

roje

cts

PA s

yste

m

$100

,000

/ yea

r 3

year

s

Obj

ectiv

e 1.

Stra

tegy

# 1

: C

ompl

ete

the

prot

ecte

d ar

eas

syst

em, a

nd im

prov

e pr

otec

ted

area

man

agem

ent a

ndpr

otec

tion

Thre

ats

miti

gate

d:

Urba

n de

velo

pmen

t and

acc

ess

road

s, to

urism

dev

elop

men

t, w

ildlif

e po

achi

ng, i

napp

ropr

iate

fish

ing

prac

tices

, dev

elop

men

t of i

ndus

trial

infra

stru

ctur

e, ti

mbe

r and

fire

woo

d ex

tract

ion,

cha

nnel

ing

river

s an

d st

ream

s, p

etro

leum

expl

orat

ion

and

expl

oita

tion.

Tot

al c

ost:

$ 1

,170

,000


3535353535

Act

ions

G

eogr

aphi

cal

area

En

titie

s re

spon

sibl

e C

olla

bora

tors

B

enef

icia

ries

Cos

t Pe

riod

Esta

blis

h sy

stem

s to

cha

rge

entry

fees

to

PAs

in e

ach

coun

try, e

spec

ially

for c

ruis

e sh

ips

Each

cou

ntry

G

over

nmen

t uni

ts, P

DO

s, C

ongr

esse

s Lo

cal p

roje

cts

PA s

yste

m,

com

mun

ity

mem

bers

, use

rs

$ 80

,000

2

year

s

Lobb

y in

gov

ernm

ents

so

that

PA

fees

will

be

re-in

vest

ed in

man

agem

ent o

f the

PAs

w

here

the

fees

wer

e ch

arge

d Ea

ch c

ount

ry

CC

AD, T

RIG

OH

, Gov

ernm

ent u

nits

, PD

Os,

Con

gres

ses

Loca

l pro

ject

s, P

DO

s

PA s

yste

m,

com

mun

ity

mem

bers

, use

rs

$ 40

,000

3

year

s

Anal

yze

and

crea

te te

chni

cal a

nd

econ

omic

ince

ntiv

es (p

aym

ent f

or

envi

ronm

enta

l ser

vice

s) to

pro

mot

e co

nser

vatio

n

Each

cou

ntry

CC

AD, C

ongr

esse

s, G

over

nmen

t uni

ts

PDO

s m

anag

ing

PAs,

uni

vers

ities

, priv

ate

sect

or, M

inis

tries

of E

cono

my

and

Fina

nce

PA s

yste

m,

land

owne

rs,

com

mun

ity,

mun

icip

al

gove

rnm

ents

, pr

ivat

e se

ctor

$ 50

,000

2

year

s

Con

duct

stu

dies

on

the

econ

omic

val

ue o

f th

e ec

osys

tem

s Th

e w

hole

Gul

f U

nive

rsiti

es

PDO

s m

anag

ing

PAs

PA s

yste

m

$ 10

0,00

0 2

year

s

Impl

emen

t a lo

ng-te

rm fi

nanc

ial p

lan

for

the

Gul

f PA

syst

em

The

who

le G

ulf

Gov

ernm

ent u

nits

, PD

Os

Lo

cal p

roje

cts

PA s

yste

m

$ 80

,000

2

year

s

Stra

tegy

# 2

: C

reat

e m

echa

nism

s fo

r the

fina

ncia

l sus

tain

abili

ty o

f pro

tect

ed a

rea

man

agem

ent

Thre

ats

miti

gate

d:

All.

Tot

al c

ost:

$ 3

50,0

00

3636363636


Obj

ectiv

e 2

Stra

tegy

# 3

: De

velo

p an

d im

plem

ent L

and

Use

Regu

latio

n Pl

ans

and

Sect

or P

lans

Thre

ats

miti

gate

d:

Urba

n de

velo

pmen

t and

acc

ess

road

s, in

appr

opria

te a

gric

ultu

ral a

nd a

nim

al fa

rmin

g pr

actic

es, t

ouris

mde

velo

pmen

t, de

velo

pmen

t of i

ndus

trial

infra

stru

ctur

e, c

hann

elin

g riv

ers

and

stre

ams,

pet

role

um e

xplo

ratio

n an

d ex

ploi

tatio

n.To

tal c

ost:

$46

0,00

0

Act

ions

G

eogr

aphi

cal

area

En

titie

s re

spon

sibl

e C

olla

bora

tors

B

enef

icia

ries

Cos

t Pe

riod

Dev

elop

3 L

and

Use

Reg

ulat

ion

Plan

s, fo

r Iz

abal

, Tol

edo,

and

Cor

tés

and

Atlá

ntid

a

Tole

do, I

zaba

l, C

orté

s,

Atlá

ntid

a (4

de

partm

ents

of

the

Gul

f)

TRIG

OH

, MBC

Fi

shin

g in

stitu

tions

, com

mun

ity, l

ocal

au

thor

ities

, ter

ritor

ial m

anag

emen

t in

stitu

tions

Com

mun

ities

, m

unic

ipal

go

vern

men

ts

$ 20

0,00

0 3

year

s

Inco

rpor

ate

envi

ronm

enta

l ele

men

ts in

to

port

deve

lopm

ent p

lans

(dia

gnos

is, a

udits

, an

d en

viro

nmen

tal i

mpa

ct a

sses

smen

ts)

and

into

con

tinge

ncy

plan

s

Sant

o To

más

, Pu

erto

Bar

rios,

Pu

erto

Cor

tés

TRIG

OH

ENP

Puer

to B

arrio

s, E

MPO

RN

AC

Mar

itim

e tra

nspo

rtatio

n co

mpa

nies

, cu

stom

s, p

ort

com

pany

? 3

to 5

yea

rs

Supp

ort m

unic

ipal

pla

nnin

g un

its in

land

us

e re

gula

tion

cour

ses

Tole

do, I

zaba

l, C

orté

s,

Atlá

ntid

a (4

de

partm

ents

of

the

Gul

f)

TRIG

OH

Lo

cal a

utho

ritie

s, te

rrito

rial m

anag

emen

t in

stitu

tions

Mun

icip

al

gove

rnm

ents

$

100,

000

2 ye

ars

Syst

emat

ize

and

shar

e la

nd te

nure

and

la

nd u

se in

form

atio

n by

mea

ns o

f a G

IS

Tole

do, I

zaba

l, C

orté

s,

Atlá

ntid

a (4

de

partm

ents

of

the

Gul

f)

TRIG

OH

Gov

ernm

ents

, ter

ritor

ial m

anag

emen

t in

stitu

tions

, mun

icip

al g

over

nmen

ts,

priv

ate

busi

ness

es

Com

mun

ities

, m

unic

ipal

go

vern

men

ts

$ 10

0,00

0 2

year

s

Obt

ain

parti

cipa

tion

of o

rgan

izat

ions

that

m

anag

e pr

otec

ted

area

s in

sha

ring

opin

ions

for c

oast

al d

evel

opm

ent

Tole

do, I

zaba

l, C

orté

s,

Atlá

ntid

a (4

de

partm

ents

of

the

Gul

f)

Loca

l PDO

s, wi

th su

ppor

t from

TRI

GO

H G

over

nmen

ts, t

errit

oria

l man

agem

ent

inst

itutio

ns, m

unic

ipal

gov

ernm

ents

, pr

ivat

e bu

sine

sses

Com

mun

ities

, m

unic

ipal

go

vern

men

ts

$ 30

,000

/ ye

ar

2 ye

ars


3737373737

Stra

tegy

# 4

: M

ake

and

exec

ute

prot

ectio

n pl

ans

for e

ndan

gere

d, a

nd e

cono

mic

ally

impo

rtant

, spe

cies

Thre

ats

miti

gate

d:

Wild

life

poac

hing

, ina

ppro

pria

te fi

shin

g pr

actic

es, t

imbe

r and

fire

woo

d ex

tract

ion.

Tot

al c

ost:

$ 5

40,0

00

Act

ions

G

eogr

aphi

cal

area

En

titie

s re

spon

sibl

e C

olla

bora

tors

B

enef

icia

ries

Cos

t Pe

riod

Iden

tify

the

mos

t im

porta

nt a

reas

for W

est

Indi

es m

anat

ees,

igua

nas,

par

rots

, and

se

a tu

rtles

, and

dev

elop

con

serv

atio

n pl

ans

and

long

-term

mon

itorin

g

Coa

stal

are

as,

incl

udin

g w

etla

nds

TRIG

OH

, UN

IPES

CA,

CO

NAP

, D

IGEP

ESC

A, C

OH

DEF

OR

, Bel

izea

n au

thor

ities

PD

Os,

uni

vers

ities

, vol

unte

ers

Dec

isio

n m

aker

s,

hunt

ers

$ 5,

000/

ye

ar

5 ye

ars

Man

grov

e fo

rest

mon

itorin

g pr

ogra

m w

ith

rem

ote

sens

ors

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s (c

ontin

enta

l an

d in

sula

r m

angr

ove

fore

st a

reas

)

GO

s re

spon

sibl

e fo

r pro

tect

ed a

reas

, co-

man

ager

PD

Os

TR

IGO

H, o

rgan

izat

ions

with

tech

nica

l ca

pabi

litie

s, u

nive

rsiti

es, P

DO

s, M

BC

Dec

isio

n m

aker

s,

adm

inis

trato

rs

$ 3,

000/

ye

ar

1 ye

ar,

cont

inuo

usly

Con

duct

rese

arch

on

hunt

ing

and

a fo

rest

in

vent

ory,

and

pro

pose

long

-term

m

onito

ring

The

who

le G

ulf

GO

s re

spon

sibl

e fo

r pro

tect

ed a

reas

, co-

man

ager

PD

Os

TR

IGO

H, o

rgan

izat

ions

with

tech

nica

l ca

pabi

litie

s, u

nive

rsiti

es, P

DO

s, M

BRS,

M

BC

Dec

isio

n m

aker

s,

adm

inis

trato

rs

$ 20

,000

/ ye

ar

2 ye

ars,

co

ntin

uous

ly

Teac

h co

urse

s fo

r cus

tom

s an

d po

lice

abou

t CIT

ES, n

atio

nal l

aws,

and

con

trol

and

man

agem

ent o

f end

ange

red

spec

ies

The

who

le

Gul

f, pa

rticu

larly

bo

rder

zon

es

CO

NAP

, CO

HD

EFO

R

Co-

man

ager

PD

Os,

uni

vers

ities

C

usto

ms,

pol

ice

$ 5,

000/

ye

ar

2 ye

ars

Cre

ate

3 na

tiona

l int

er-g

over

nmen

tal

foru

ms

on e

ndan

gere

d sp

ecie

s, to

im

prov

e la

w e

nfor

cem

ent,

espe

cial

ly

rega

rdin

g co

mm

erci

aliz

atio

n

Beliz

e,

Gua

tem

ala,

H

ondu

ras

Gov

ernm

ent u

nits

, PD

Os

MBR

S, M

BC, h

unte

rs, f

ores

t use

rs,

TRIG

OH

, uni

vers

ities

Dec

isio

n m

aker

s,

user

s $

50,0

00/

year

C

ontin

uous

ly

Mak

e a

tri-n

atio

nal e

ndan

gere

d sp

ecie

s da

taba

se

Beliz

e,

Gua

tem

ala,

H

ondu

ras

Gov

ernm

ent u

nits

, PD

Os

TRIG

OH

, uni

vers

ities

D

ecis

ion

mak

ers,

us

ers

$ 20

,000

/ ye

ar

Con

tinuo

usly

Esta

blis

h tri

-nat

iona

l pro

tect

ion

stra

tegi

es,

incl

udin

g ed

ucat

ion,

mon

itorin

g, a

nd

cont

rol a

nd s

urve

illanc

e

Beliz

e,

Gua

tem

ala,

H

ondu

ras

Gov

ernm

ent u

nits

, PD

Os

MBC

, hun

ters

, for

est u

sers

, MBR

S,

TRIG

OH

, uni

vers

ities

Dec

isio

n m

aker

s,

user

s $

50,0

00

2 ye

ars

Con

duct

a tr

i-nat

iona

l div

ulga

tion

and

awar

enes

s-ra

isin

g ca

mpa

ign

(radi

o sp

ots,

sc

hool

mat

eria

ls, p

oste

rs)

Beliz

e,

Gua

tem

ala,

H

ondu

ras

Gov

ernm

ent u

nits

, PD

Os

MBR

S, M

BC, h

unte

rs, f

ores

t use

rs,

TRIG

OH

, uni

vers

ities

U

sers

$

50,0

00

Con

tinuo

usly

3838383838


Stra

tegy

# 5

: Su

ppor

t the

regu

latio

n of

fish

erie

s an

d su

stai

nabl

e fis

hing

Thre

ats

miti

gate

d:

Inap

prop

riate

fish

ing

prac

tices

. To

tal c

ost:

$ 1

,050

,000

Act

ions

G

eogr

aphi

cal

area

En

titie

s re

spon

sibl

e C

olla

bora

tors

B

enef

icia

ries

Cos

t Pe

riod

Cre

ate

3 na

tiona

l int

er-g

over

nmen

tal f

orum

s on

fis

hing

, whi

ch s

hall

mee

t per

iodi

cally

Beliz

e,

Gua

tem

ala,

H

ondu

ras

Gov

ernm

ent u

nits

, PD

Os

MBR

S, M

BC, f

ishe

rmen

, TR

IGO

H,

univ

ersi

ties

Dec

isio

n m

aker

s,

user

s $

50,0

00/

year

C

ontin

uous

ly

Cre

ate

1 tri

-nat

iona

l int

er-g

over

nmen

tal f

orum

on

fishi

ng, w

ith th

e pa

rtici

patio

n of

aut

horit

ies

and

user

s fro

m th

e th

ree

coun

tries

, whi

ch s

hall

mee

t per

iodi

cally

fo

r coo

rdin

atio

n in

legi

slat

ion

and

law

enf

orce

men

t

Gul

f of H

ondu

ras

Gov

ernm

ent u

nits

, PD

Os

MBR

S, M

BC, f

ishe

rmen

, TR

IGO

H,

univ

ersi

ties

Dec

isio

n m

aker

s,

user

s $

50,0

00/

year

C

ontin

uous

ly

Con

duct

stu

dies

on

“fair”

and

“bla

ck” a

ncho

vies

, to

unde

rsta

nd th

eir l

ife c

ycle

s an

d m

igra

tions

, to

impl

emen

t no-

take

sea

sons

and

pro

pose

long

-term

m

onito

ring

Gua

tem

alan

co

ast o

n th

e G

ulf

UN

IPES

CA

Fish

erm

en, C

EMA,

TR

IGO

H

Legi

slat

ors

$ 50

,000

2

year

s,

cont

inuo

usly

Con

duct

stu

dies

of c

onch

and

lobs

ter,

to im

prov

e th

eir

man

agem

ent a

nd p

ropo

se lo

ng-te

rm m

onito

ring

Ree

f are

as,

mar

ine

gras

slan

ds, d

eep

botto

ms

Gov

ernm

ent u

nits

, PD

Os

with

tech

nica

l ca

pabi

lity

MBR

S, M

BC, f

ishe

rmen

, TR

IGO

H,

univ

ersi

ties,

foru

m o

n fis

hing

Dec

isio

n m

aker

s,

user

s $

100,

000/

ye

ar

2 ye

ars,

co

ntin

uous

ly

Iden

tify

and

cond

uct m

onito

ring

of s

paw

ning

ag

greg

atio

ns b

y sp

ecie

s, s

uch

as s

napp

er a

nd

grou

per,

in re

ef b

otto

ms

Spaw

ning

ban

ks

in th

e G

ulf

Fish

ing

auth

oriti

es, M

BRS,

TR

IGO

H

Uni

vers

ities

, fis

herm

en, v

olun

teer

s D

ecis

ion

mak

ers,

fis

herm

en

Year

1

$ 50

,000

, Ye

ar 2

$

40,0

00

2 ye

ars

Prom

ote

the

man

agem

ent o

f key

spa

wni

ng s

ites

for

mar

ine

spec

ies

in th

e 3

coun

tries

Sp

awni

ng b

anks

in

the

Gul

f

Fish

ing

auth

oriti

es, M

BRS,

TR

IGO

H,

cong

ress

es

Uni

vers

ities

, fis

herm

en

Dec

isio

n m

aker

s,

fishe

rmen

$

50,0

00

2 ye

ars

Rev

ise

the

fishi

ng la

ws

and

regu

latio

ns o

f Gua

tem

ala,

Be

lize,

and

Hon

dura

s, to

upd

ate

fines

and

est

ablis

h m

echa

nism

s fo

r the

co-

man

agem

ent o

f fis

herie

s

Beliz

e,

Gua

tem

ala,

and

H

ondu

ras

Fish

ing

Com

mis

sion

of T

RIG

OH

Fi

shin

g en

titie

s, c

ongr

esse

s, ID

EAD

S,

loca

l gov

ernm

ent,

Cha

mbe

rs o

f C

omm

erce

Fish

erm

en,

busi

ness

peop

le,

cons

umer

s,

mun

icip

al

gove

rnm

ents

, au

thor

ities

$ 11

0,00

0 3

year

s

Esta

blis

h re

gion

al a

gree

men

ts to

har

mon

ize

law

s th

at

prot

ect e

cono

mic

ally

impo

rtant

spe

cies

(sar

dine

s,

shrim

p, lo

bste

r, co

nch)

Nat

iona

lly, i

n ea

ch o

f the

3

coun

tries

Fish

ing

Com

mis

sion

of T

RIG

OH

, Fi

shin

g D

irect

orat

es

Fish

erm

en a

ssoc

iatio

ns, M

inis

tries

of

Envi

ronm

ent,

com

mun

ities

Fish

erm

en,

cons

umer

s $

50,0

00

3 ye

ars


3939393939

Stra

tegy

# 6

: Re

vise

, dev

elop

, and

enf

orce

, in

a pa

rtici

pativ

e m

anne

r, no

rms

and

mec

hani

sms

to re

gula

teth

e su

stai

nabl

e us

e of

nat

ural

reso

urce

sTh

rea

ts m

itiga

ted

: Ur

ban

deve

lopm

ent a

nd a

cces

s ro

ads,

inap

prop

riate

agr

icul

tura

l and

ani

mal

farm

ing

prac

tices

, tou

rism

deve

lopm

ent,

pollu

tion

by w

aste

wat

er a

nd s

olid

was

tes,

mar

itim

e tra

nspo

rtatio

n, d

evel

opm

ent o

f ind

ustri

al in

frast

ruct

ure,

indu

stria

l was

te d

ischa

rge,

cha

nnel

ing

river

s an

d st

ream

s. T

otal

cos

t: $3

00,0

00

Act

ions

G

eogr

aphi

cal

area

En

tity

resp

onsi

ble

Col

labo

rato

rs

Ben

efic

iarie

s C

ost

Perio

d

Supp

ort t

he ra

tific

atio

n an

d en

forc

emen

t of

inte

rnat

iona

l tre

atie

s (M

ARPO

L, S

OLA

S,

etc.

) on

the

man

agem

ent o

f was

tes

trans

porte

d by

shi

ps

Nat

iona

lly, i

n ea

ch o

f the

3

coun

tries

SER

NA,

mun

icip

al g

over

nmen

ts, P

ort S

afet

y C

omm

ittee

M

erch

ant M

arin

e, p

ort c

ompa

nies

(EN

P),

Min

istri

es o

f For

eign

Rel

atio

ns, n

atio

nal

cong

ress

es

Tour

ism

, fis

hing

, an

d pr

ivat

e (in

dust

ry) s

ecto

rs;

ports

$10,

000

1 ye

ar

Prom

ote

envi

ronm

enta

l sec

urity

with

co

ntin

genc

y pl

ans,

for p

ort o

pera

tions

and

co

mm

erci

al a

nd re

crea

tiona

l mar

itim

e tra

nspo

rtatio

n

Nat

iona

lly, i

n ea

ch o

f the

3

coun

tries

TRIG

OH

, loc

al P

DO

s S

ERN

A, M

ARN

, Bel

izea

n au

thor

ities

Tour

ism

, fis

hing

, an

d pr

ivat

e (in

dust

ry) s

ecto

rs;

ports

$ 50

,000

2

year

s

Lobb

y so

that

the

Gul

f of H

ondu

ras

will

be

decl

ared

a “P

artic

ular

ly S

ensi

tive

Mar

itim

e Zo

ne” b

y IM

O

Nat

iona

lly, i

n ea

ch o

f the

3

coun

tries

TRIG

OH

, SER

NA,

MAR

N, l

ocal

PD

Os

Min

istri

es o

f For

eign

Rel

atio

ns

Tour

ism

, fis

hing

, an

d pr

ivat

e (in

dust

ry) s

ecto

rs;

ports

$ 20

,000

2

year

s

Rev

ise

and

upda

te th

e lis

t of p

rohi

bite

d /

allo

wed

agr

oche

mic

als

in e

ach

coun

try, a

nd

esta

blis

h m

echa

nism

s to

ver

ify a

nd e

nfor

ce

thes

e no

rms

Nat

iona

lly, i

n ea

ch o

f the

3

coun

tries

TRIG

OH

, SER

NA,

MAR

N

Min

istri

es o

f Agr

icul

ture

and

Hea

lth

Agr

oche

mic

al

dist

ribut

ors,

fa

rmer

s $

10,0

00

6 m

onth

s

Prom

ote

the

regu

latio

n an

d ap

plic

atio

n of

ex

istin

g en

viro

nmen

tal l

aws

rela

ted

to

infra

stru

ctur

e

Nat

iona

lly, i

n ea

ch o

f the

3

coun

tries

TRIG

OH

, loc

al P

DO

s M

unic

ipal

gov

ernm

ents

In

vest

ors,

co

mm

uniti

es

$ 20

,000

1

year

Mak

e th

e ex

istin

g no

rms

on w

aste

dis

posa

l in

to b

odie

s of

wat

er b

e w

idel

y kn

own

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s

TRIG

OH

, loc

al P

DO

s M

inis

tries

of E

nviro

nmen

t, m

unic

ipal

go

vern

men

ts, M

inis

tries

of H

ealth

Priv

ate

real

est

ate

busi

ness

es,

popu

latio

n $

10,0

00

2 ye

ars

Dev

elop

and

enf

orce

use

regu

latio

ns, a

nd

sust

aina

ble

tour

ism

infra

stru

ctur

e st

anda

rds

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s

TRIG

OH

, loc

al P

DO

s M

unic

ipal

gov

ernm

ents

, IN

GU

AT,

FO

PEC

O,

INTE

CAP

, UVG

, BTB

(Bel

ize)

, IH

T (H

ondu

ras)

Inve

stor

s,

com

mun

ities

$

50,0

00

1 ye

ar

Use

tool

s su

ch a

s co

nser

vatio

n ea

sem

ents

to

pro

mot

e co

nser

vatio

n in

priv

ate

land

s G

ulf o

f H

ondu

ras

TRIG

OH

, loc

al P

DO

s M

unic

ipal

ity a

ssoc

iatio

ns, m

unic

ipal

go

vern

men

ts, c

ongr

esse

s, M

inis

tries

of

Envi

ronm

ent

Land

owne

rs,

com

mun

ities

, m

unic

ipal

go

vern

men

ts,

priv

ate

sect

or

$ 60

,000

2

year

s

Stre

ngth

en m

unic

ipal

ity a

ssoc

iatio

ns

rega

rdin

g co

nser

vatio

n an

d m

anag

emen

t of

priv

ate

land

s

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s

TRIG

OH

, loc

al P

DO

s

Mun

icip

ality

ass

ocia

tions

, mun

icip

al

gove

rnm

ents

, con

gres

ses,

Min

istri

es o

f E

nviro

nmen

t

Land

owne

rs,

com

mun

ities

, m

unic

ipal

go

vern

men

ts,

priv

ate

sect

or

$ 80

,000

2

year

s

4040404040

Site Conservation Planning Gulf of HondurasO

bjec

tive

3St

rate

gy #

7:

Prom

ote

alte

rnat

e ec

onom

ic a

ctiv

ities

in th

e lo

cal c

omm

uniti

esTh

rea

ts m

itiga

ted

: In

appr

opria

te a

gric

ultu

ral a

nd a

nim

al fa

rmin

g pr

actic

es, t

ouris

m d

evel

opm

ent,

wild

life

poac

hing

,in

appr

opria

te fi

shin

g pr

actic

es, t

imbe

r and

fire

woo

d ex

tract

ion.

Tot

al c

ost:

$ 8

15,0

00

Act

ions

G

eogr

aphi

cal

area

En

titie

s re

spon

sible

C

olla

bora

tors

B

enef

icia

ries

Cos

t Pe

riod

Con

duct

stu

dies

on

spec

ies,

sea

sons

, and

pl

aces

that

are

impo

rtant

to s

port

fishi

ng

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s PD

Os

Loca

l fis

herm

en

Com

mun

ities

, fis

herm

en

$ 15

,000

/ co

untry

6

mon

ths

Con

duct

cou

rses

on

spor

t fis

hing

and

tour

ism

se

rvic

e

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s PD

Os

TRIG

OH

Lo

cal f

ishe

rmen

$

20,0

00 /

coun

try

2 co

urse

s pe

r yea

r Eq

uip

boat

s of

inte

rest

ed fi

sher

men

for s

port

fishi

ng

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s PD

Os,

Tou

rism

Com

mis

sion

of T

RIG

OH

Fi

sher

men

ass

ocia

tions

Fi

sher

men

$

25,0

00

6 m

onth

s

Iden

tify

agric

ultu

ral,

fishi

ng, a

nd to

uris

m

prod

ucts

in th

e G

ulf o

f Hon

dura

s th

at m

eet

certi

ficat

ion

cond

ition

s

Wat

ersh

eds

next

to th

e co

ast

Farm

er a

nd fi

sher

men

gro

ups,

hot

el a

nd

rest

aura

nt o

wne

rs, P

DO

s, c

ertif

iers

G

uild

s, e

xpor

ter a

ssoc

iatio

ns

Prod

ucer

s,

guild

s,

cons

umer

s $

25,0

00

6 m

onth

s

Achi

eve

certi

ficat

ion

of fo

rest

(woo

d an

d no

n-w

ood)

and

fish

ing

prod

ucts

Wat

ersh

eds

next

to th

e co

ast

Prod

ucer

s, P

DO

s, c

ertif

iers

G

over

nmen

t, gu

ilds,

exp

orte

r ass

ocia

tions

Prod

ucer

s,

guild

s,

cons

umer

s ?

1 to

3 y

ears

Verif

y m

easu

res

in c

ertif

ied

prod

uct m

arke

ts

Wat

ersh

eds

next

to th

e co

ast

Prod

ucer

s, P

DO

s, c

ertif

iers

G

over

nmen

t, gu

ilds,

exp

orte

r ass

ocia

tions

Prod

ucer

s,

guild

s,

cons

umer

s ?

2 ye

ars

Cer

tify

tour

ism

act

iviti

es

Coa

stal

zon

e an

d riv

erba

nks

Busi

ness

es c

ompl

ying

with

the

prog

ram

, Ec

otou

rism

Com

mitt

ee o

f TR

IGO

H

Tour

ism

GO

s, P

DO

s

Tour

ism

co

mpa

nies

$

40,0

00 /

year

3 to

4

year

s,

cont

inuo

us

proc

ess

Tr

ain

fishe

rmen

and

pea

sant

s as

nat

ure

guid

es

Site

s as

soci

ated

to

PAs

Pr

otec

ted

area

man

ager

s, P

DO

s G

Os,

mun

icip

al g

over

nmen

ts, P

DO

s Fi

sher

men

, pe

asan

ts

$ 50

,000

2

to 3

yea

rs

Dev

elop

the

tri-n

atio

nal c

omm

unity

ec

otou

rism

rout

e Si

tes

asso

ciat

ed

to P

As

TRIG

OH

, pro

tect

ed a

rea

man

ager

s To

uris

m G

Os,

PD

Os

Fish

erm

en,

peas

ants

$

50,0

00

1 ye

ar

Dev

elop

a re

gion

al m

arke

t for

pro

duct

s an

d se

rvic

es c

ompa

tible

with

con

serv

atio

n Be

lize,

Izab

al,

Hon

dura

s

TRIG

OH

C

ham

bers

of C

omm

erce

, PD

Os,

co

mm

unic

atio

ns m

edia

Tour

ope

rato

rs,

cons

umer

s $

30,0

00 /

year

5

year

s

Trai

n co

mm

uniti

es in

the

proc

essi

ng o

f sm

oked

fish

, fis

h sa

usag

es, f

resh

fish

, dry

sa

lted

fish

Site

s as

soci

ated

to

PAs

G

Os,

asso

ciate

d PD

Os

Fish

erm

en g

roup

s

Info

rmed

co

nsum

ers,

fis

herm

en

$ 50

,000

2

to 3

yea

rs

Con

duct

exc

hang

es a

mon

g pr

oduc

ers,

to

repl

icat

e su

cces

sful

exp

erie

nces

Si

tes

asso

ciat

ed

to P

As

Prot

ecte

d ar

ea m

anag

ers,

PD

Os,

G

over

nmen

t G

uild

s, e

xpor

ter a

ssoc

iatio

ns

Fish

erm

en,

peas

ants

$

50,0

00

2 to

3 y

ears

Impl

emen

t the

bre

edin

g of

syn

erge

tic s

peci

es

(fish

, con

ch, s

hrim

p, lo

bste

r, pa

ca, etc.)

Beliz

e, Iz

abal

, H

ondu

ras

Prot

ecte

d ar

ea m

anag

ers,

PD

Os

Uni

vers

ities

, loc

al p

roje

cts

Fish

erm

en,

peas

ants

$

150,

000

3 ye

ars


4141414141

Obj

ectiv

e 4

Stra

tegy

# 8

: Im

plem

ent e

duca

tion,

sen

sitizi

ng, a

war

enes

s-ra

ising

, and

div

ulga

tion

prog

ram

s ab

out t

heen

viro

nmen

tal p

robl

ems

and

thei

r sol

utio

ns w

ith in

habi

tant

s, re

sour

ce u

sers

, and

gov

ernm

ents

Thre

ats

miti

gate

d:

All.

Tot

al c

ost:

$ 6

50,0

00

Act

ions

G

eogr

aphi

cal

area

En

titie

s re

spon

sibl

e C

olla

bora

tors

B

enef

icia

ries

Cos

t Pe

riod

Esta

blis

h a

publ

ic in

form

atio

n an

d aw

aren

ess-

rais

ing

prog

ram

targ

etin

g us

ers,

aut

horit

ies,

an

d th

e ge

nera

l pub

lic, s

uppo

rting

the

initi

ativ

es e

stab

lishe

d by

civ

il so

ciet

y

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s

TRIG

OH

Lo

cal (

mun

icip

al) g

over

nmen

ts, M

inis

tries

of

Educ

atio

n, p

ress

and

oth

er c

omm

unic

atio

ns

med

ia, c

omm

unity

bas

ed o

rgan

izat

ions

, un

iver

sitie

s, lo

cal p

rivat

e de

velo

pmen

t and

co

nser

vatio

n or

gani

zatio

ns

Civ

ilian

and

milit

ary

auth

oriti

es,

orga

nize

d gr

oups

, pr

ivat

e se

ctor

, loc

al

com

mun

ities

, co

mm

unic

atio

ns

med

ia

$ 50

,000

1

year

Esta

blis

h a

prog

ram

to tr

ain

gove

rnm

ent a

nd

PDO

ext

ensi

onis

ts

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s

TRIG

OH

, loc

al P

DO

s R

egio

nal p

roje

cts,

loca

l org

aniz

atio

ns, G

Os,

in

tern

atio

nal c

oope

ratio

n ag

enci

es

Exte

nsio

nist

s,

assi

stan

t te

chni

cian

s,

prod

ucer

s,

com

mun

ity le

ader

s,

rang

ers

$ 15

0,00

0 5

year

s

Fom

ent a

war

enes

s in

affe

cted

par

ties,

by

info

rmin

g an

d tra

inin

g, to

dem

and

envi

ronm

enta

l im

pact

and

exp

loita

tion

licen

ses

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s

Loca

l PD

Os,

TR

IGO

H, m

unic

ipal

go

vern

men

ts

Min

istri

es o

f Env

ironm

ent,

Dep

artm

ent o

f the

En

viro

nmen

t (B

eliz

e), S

ERN

A, C

OH

DEF

OR

Priv

ate

sect

or, l

ocal

co

mm

uniti

es

$ 10

0,00

0 5

year

s

Fom

ent a

cul

ture

of l

ocal

tour

ism

, aim

ing

for

cons

erva

tion

and

eco-

deve

lopm

ent,

by m

eans

of

wor

ksho

ps, e

xcha

nge

tour

s, a

nd ra

dio

and

tele

visi

on p

rogr

ams

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s

TRIG

OH,

loca

l PDO

s Tr

i-Nat

iona

l Eco

tour

ism

Com

mis

sion

, IN

GU

AT, F

OPE

CO

, IN

TEC

AP, U

VG, t

our

oper

ator

s, M

undo

May

a, B

TB (B

eliz

e), I

HT

(Hon

dura

s)

Loca

l com

mun

ities

(r

esta

uran

ts, h

otel

s,

taxi

driv

ers,

boa

t ca

ptai

ns),

univ

ersi

ty

exte

nsio

n ce

nter

s,

loca

l sch

ools

$ 50

,000

/ ye

ar

Firs

t to

third

yea

rs

Inco

rpor

ate

sust

aina

ble

deve

lopm

ent i

nto

the

form

al e

duca

tion

(edu

catio

nal i

nstit

utio

ns)

curri

culu

m

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s

TRIG

OH

, loc

al P

DO

s M

inis

tries

of E

duca

tion,

PR

OEC

O (H

ondu

ras)

, M

oES

(Bel

ize)

, loc

al te

ache

rs, C

ON

AP,

MBR

S

Elem

enta

ry S

choo

l st

uden

ts

$ 30

,000

/ ye

ar

5 ye

ars

Dev

elop

an

envi

ronm

enta

l edu

catio

n pl

an o

n co

ntam

inat

ion

in th

e G

ulf o

f Hon

dura

s (in

dust

rial a

nd s

olid

was

tes,

was

tew

ater

, vis

ual

cont

amin

atio

n, s

edim

enta

tion)

, inc

ludi

ng

train

ing

in s

anita

ry la

ndfil

ls fo

r the

mun

icip

al

gove

rnm

ents

, and

latri

niza

tion

for c

oast

al a

nd

river

ine

com

mun

ities

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s

TRIG

OH

, loc

al P

DO

s So

lid W

aste

Man

agem

ent A

utho

rity

(Bel

ize)

, m

unic

ipal

gov

ernm

ents

, PD

Os,

com

mun

ity

trust

s, w

ater

com

mitt

ees,

por

ts, M

inis

tries

of

Envi

ronm

ent,

Port

Safe

ty C

omm

ittee

, en

viro

nmen

tal e

duca

tors

of e

ach

PDO

, co

mm

unic

atio

ns m

edia

Mun

icip

al

gove

rnm

ents

, agr

o-in

dust

rial

busi

ness

peop

le,

hote

l ow

ners

, tra

ders

, por

t ac

tiviti

es

$ 50

,000

Fi

rst y

ear

4242424242


Stra

tegy

# 9

: Im

plem

ent i

nstit

utio

nal s

treng

then

ing

prog

ram

s, a

nd c

oord

inat

ion

and

citiz

en p

artic

ipat

ion

mec

hani

sms,

for t

he p

rote

ctio

n of

nat

ural

sys

tem

sTh

rea

ts m

itiga

ted

: in

appr

opria

te a

gric

ultu

ral a

nd a

nim

al fa

rmin

g pr

actic

es, w

ildlif

e po

achi

ng, i

napp

ropr

iate

fish

ing

prac

tices

,po

llutio

n by

was

tew

ater

and

sol

id w

aste

s, ti

mbe

r and

fire

woo

d ex

tract

ion.

Tot

al c

ost:

$ 3

65,0

00

Act

ions

G

eogr

aphi

cal

area

En

titie

s re

spon

sibl

e C

olla

bora

tors

B

enef

icia

ries

Cos

t Pe

riod

Mak

e kn

own

the

resu

lts o

f the

nat

iona

l in

itiat

ives

on

publ

ic /

soci

al p

artic

ipat

ion,

to

mak

e re

gion

al a

dapt

atio

ns (f

or

exam

ple,

adv

isor

y co

unci

ls in

Gua

tem

ala)

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s

TRIG

OH

, loc

al P

DO

s H

uman

righ

ts o

rgan

izat

ions

, pro

ject

s,

Min

istri

es o

f Hea

lth, s

ocia

l wor

kers

Loca

l PD

Os,

GO

s,

auth

oriti

es, u

sers

, di

rect

ors

of n

atur

al

reso

urce

man

agin

g or

gani

zatio

ns,

orga

nize

d gr

oups

$ 10

0,00

0 2

year

s

Stre

ngth

en th

e ca

paci

ty o

f mun

icip

al

gove

rnm

ents

for e

nviro

nmen

tal

man

agem

ent,

by c

reat

ing

an a

ssoc

iatio

n of

the

mun

icip

aliti

es in

volv

ed in

the

area

of

act

ion

in th

e G

ulf o

f Hon

dura

s, b

y tra

inin

g, b

y in

form

ing,

and

by

visi

ts to

the

Mun

icip

al G

over

nmen

t of C

orté

s as

an

exam

ple

for t

he re

gion

Gul

f of

Hon

dura

s TR

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4343434343

IV. MEASURES OF SUCCESS

The Nature Conservancy has definedsuccess in conservation as substantialprogress towards (1) the durablemitigation of critical threats, and (2) thesustained maintenance or improvementof the viability of the conservation targetsin the sites identified for takingconservation actions. However, therefrequently exists a delay between theimplementation of strategies and themitigation of critical threats and persistentstresses, and an even longer delaybetween the implementation ofstrategies and the evidence of change inbiodiversity health. Therefore it isnecessary to also develop short-termindicators to reflect the capability toimplement the effective strategiesproposed in the Site Conservation Plan(TNC, 2000).

Currently, the viability of all theconservation elements in the Gulf isconsidered good, but the threat to focalobjects and the site as a whole is veryhigh.

A monitoring and evaluation system(MES) is necessary to learn the impactof the proposed strategies such asplanning instruments and policies, toevaluate the current situation in agiven socio-economic context, todiscover trends, to prevent irreversibledamage, and, in general, to improvethe different types of management.The objectives, structure, fields, andthemes of the SCP are detailed inVolume II of the Site Conservation Planfor the Gulf of Honduras (FUNDARY,2004), which describes the measures ofsuccess and their monitoring in greaterdetail.

Following are health measurements forthe site’s biodiversity, with the purposeof evaluating the effectiveness of theconservation strategies to improve ormaintain the viability of theconservation elements, using for abaseline the viability evaluation (size,condition, and landscape context) foreach of the six conservation elements.

Coral Reefs

Indicator Attribute to be measured

Methods Time and frequency

Location Personnel

Size and condition

Live coral cover, diversity, health, algae cover, etc.

Aronson’s video method

Once a year Required in the outer and inner faces of the barrier, and in the patches or inner islets in Belize; in the Jeanette Kawas area, Honduras; and off Punta de Manabique in Guatemala

5 person team for 11 field days: 7 days in Belize, 2 in Guatemala, and 2 in Honduras

Condition Diversity index for fish populations

Direct sampling of fish, by transects

Once a year The same sites of the previous study

2 person team for 11 field days: 7 days in Belize, 2 in Guatemala, and 2 in Honduras

Condition Reference of seasonal changes in the structure, and in the quality of the catch

Sampling of fish in ports or storage sites

Two samplings monthly

Punta Gorda and Placencia in Belize; Puerto Barrios and Livingston in Guatemala; Omoa, Cortés, and El Triunfo in Honduras

Personnel from the fisheries departments

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Mangrove Forests Indicator Attribute to be

measured Methods Time and

frequency Location Personnel

Size Area covered Remote sensors (GIS)

Once a year Gulf of Honduras 1 GIS analyst

Condition Changes in the diversity indices of benthoids

Samplings with Ekmann dredges, laboratory analysis

One monthly sampling for the first two years; once the mangrove forest has been characterized, twice a year

Channels in each country where the mangrove forest is widest

Biology student, Biology Departments of local universities

Condition and landscape context

Habitat diversity and availability

Bird, reptile, and mammal counts

Once a year For reptiles, sampling by diurnal and nocturnal transects in the main channels of the mangrove forests in the three countries. For birds, diurnal samplings (dawn and dusk) in transects in the three countries.

2 persons for a week, every 3 months

Condition Productivity Production, accumulation of duff

Monthly for two years to characterize, then twice a year (during rainy and dry season)

Sarstún, La Graciosa Bay, Amatique, Port Honduras, Jeannette Kawas National Park, Punta Izopo

3 persons for one day, for each protected area in the Gulf

Marine Grasslands



Location Personnel

West Indies manatee population

Number of individuals (adults + juveniles)

Overflights Once a year, in March or April

The whole Gulf TRIGOH, CZMA/I

West Indies manatee population

Number of individuals (adults + juveniles)

Counts from a boat, community member surveys

Thrice a year

In the priority habitats of the Gulf (Port Honduras, Sarstún, Lake Izabal, La Graciosa Bay, Punta Sal, and Punta Izopo)

TRIGOH

Marine grass abundance

Density (number / m2)

Parcels and sub-aquatic photography

Twice a year (in the dry and rainy seasons)

Coast of Toledo, La Graciosa, Punta Sal

TRIGOH + CZMA/I + CEMA

Condition: sedimentation

Turbidity, depth

Secchi disk, rod

Thrice a year River mouths and lagoon outlets

15 man days / year


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Beach Systems



Location Personnel

Cover and current use

Natural and perturbed Ha

Remote sensor (Spot)

Dry season, every 2 years

The whole Gulf 1 GIS analyst

Biodiversity in the area

Biodiversity index

Sampling Dry season, every 2 years

Sampling sites in the whole Gulf

TRIGOH + Universities

Estuaries and Coastal Lagoons



Location Personnel

Size: area and number of water surfaces

Water surface hectares

Satellite photographs, remote sensors

Twice a year, once each in the dry and rainy seasons

Coastal-marine zone PDOs, two persons per country

Condition: heavy metals

Mercury, cadmium, lead, copper, and organochlorates

Chemical determination

Once a year River mouths and lagoon outlets

Laboratory

Condition: sedimentation

Turbidity, depth Secchi disk, rod

Thrice a year River mouths and lagoon outlets

15 man days / year

Condition: presence of species

Number of individuals

Samplings Once a year / one month of research

River mouths and lagoon outlets

Landscape: increase in tourism infrastructure

Number of marinas, rooms, and hotels

Inventories, samplings, surveys

Once a year / one month of research

Coastal-marine zone Tourism Commission of TRIGOH

Landscape: increase in roads and urban infrastructure

Number, quality, and length (in Km) of roads

Remote sensors, routes, trails

Once a year Rangers

Herbaceous Wetlands



Location Personnel

Size: habitat conversion

Hectares of forest and wetland cover

Maps, aerial photographs, remote sensors

Once a year Coastal-marine zone GIS personnel of PDOs

Landscape: urban growth

Number of roads, houses, canals, and inhabitants

Remote sensors, censuses, routes, population censuses

Once a year GIS personnel of PDOs, Statistics Institutes, Ministries of Health and Education

Condition: water flow

Depths, canals, seasonality of the water surface, yearly precipitation

Rod, volumetric methods, satellite images, sampling points at depth

Twice a year, once each in the dry and rainy seasons

Selected forests of the Gulf Internship students, graduation research students, universities, rangers

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AUIL, N. 1998. Sustainable development and management of biologically diversecoastal resources management project. Belize City, Belize.

BROWN, M. 1998. Minicasos sobre asuntos clave de manejo y grupos de interesadosrelacionados con el Golfo de Honduras. PROARCA/Costas and PROARCA/CAPAS,Guatemala, Guatemala.

CEDEX. 1999. Plan director para el saneamiento integral y la gestión de residuossólidos de los apartamentos poblacionales del Parque Nacional “Río Dulce” y dela Amatique Bay, Informe final, Tomos I, II, III y IV, informe técnico para Ministeriode Asuntos Exteriores, Secretaría de Estado de Cooperación Internacional y paraIbero América, Agencia Española de Cooperación Internacional (AECI),convenio para realización de trabajos y actividades de cooperación técnica enmateria de medio ambiente e infraestructuras, con los países de Centroaméricaafectados por el Huracán Mitch. II informes de los Proyectos del convenio,Proyecto Guatemala 2 Centro de Estudios Hidrográficos, clave CEDEX 45-499-7-001. Madrid, Spain.

CENTRAL STATISTICAL OFFICE, MINISTRY OF FINANCE. 2000. Environmental Statistics ForBelize 2000. Belmopan, Belize.

CHACON & GERSON. 1998. Comercialización de la manjúa Anchoa iyolepsis yanálisis de la Asociación de Pescadores. Punta de Manabique, Puerto Barrios,Izabal, Guatemala.

COASTAL MANAGEMENT ZONE. 1999. Coastal Water Quality, Belize. Belize City, Belize.COMITÉ DE RESPUESTA A CRISIS DEL MEDIO AMBIENTE MARINO–COSTERO IZABAL, 1998.

Plan de 1998. Contingencias contra derrames de hidrocarburos / químicos.Diálogos de políticas ambientales. Puerto Barrios Izabal, Guatemala.

CONAMA. 1997. Anteproyecto “Reglamento especial para la navegación en elParque Nacional Río Dulce”. Guatemala, Guatemala.

CONAMA. 1998. Proyecto de reglamento de navegación de las aguas del ParqueNacional Río Dulce. Guatemala, Guatemala.

DITEPESCA. Plan de Ordenamiento Pesquero. Guatemala.ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL TECHNICAL ASISTANCE PROJECT. 1999. Regional

Development Plan For Southern Belize – Draft. Belize City, Belize.ESPINAL, M. 1994. Diagnóstico de los recursos costeros en la zona del Golfo de

Honduras (Parte Hondureña). Honduras.FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES & TOLEDO INSTITUTE

ON DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT. 1998. Port Honduras Marine Reserve(Draft Management Plan). Belize.

FUNDARY. 2001. Evaluación Ecológica Rápida del Refugio de Vida Silvestre Punta deManabique, Izabal, Guatemala, C. A. Guatemala. 240 p. + maps.

GÁLVEZ J. J. 2001. Sistema de monitoreo y evaluación de la biodiversidad delproyecto MIRNA. Sección 2: Recomendaciones para el sistema de seguimiento yevaluación del proyecto MIRNA. MAGA / MARN / CONAP / INAB, Guatemala.30 p.

HEYMAN, W. D. 1996. Integrated coastal zone management and sustainabledevelopment for tropical estuarine ecosystems: A case study of Port Honduras,Belize. Belize.

HEYMAN, W. & R. GRAHAM. 2000. La voz de los pescadores de la Costa Atlántica deGuatemala.

HEYMAN, W. & T. HYAT. 1996. An analysis of commercial and sport fishing in theproposed Port Honduras Marine Reserve, Belize. Belize Centre for EnvironmentalStudies, Belize.

HEYMAN, W. & B. KJERFVE. 1999. Hydrological and oceanographic considerations forintegrated coastal zone management in Southern Belize.

ICSED. 2000. Desarrollo de herramientas económicas para la preparación depolíticas sostenibles en el sector pesquero del Golfo de Honduras. Tomo I.PROARCA/CAPAS, Guatemala, Guatemala.

V. BIBLIOGRAPHY


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ICSED. 2000. Desarrollo de herramientas económicas para la preparación depolíticas sostenibles en el sector pesquero del Golfo de Honduras. Tomo II.PROARCA/CAPAS, Guatemala, Guatemala.

JICA. 1993. Informe de la investigación sobre recursos pesqueros en la República deHonduras. Honduras.

LANKFORD, R.R. 1977. Coastal lagoons of Mexico: Their origin and classification, p.182-215. In: Wiley, M. (Ed.) Estuarine Processes. Academic Press, Inc., New York,2: 428 pp.

MONGE, L. 1998. Memoria del taller regional sobre manejo de pesquerías en elSistema Arrecifal del Caribe Mesoamericano, organizado y financiado porPROARCA/Costas y PROARCA/CAPAS, con apoyo de la Alianza Trinacional deONGs del Golfo de Honduras - TRIGOH. PROARCA/CAPAS, Guatemala.

MUNICIPALIDAD DE LIVINGSTON. “Información general sobre Livinsgston y lacomunidad Garífuna”.

PELTIER, N. 1997. El transporte de productos peligrosos en el Golfo de Honduras:Evaluación del riesgo, políticas de prevención y plan de contingencia,Guatemala.

PROARCA/APM. 2003. Perfil del sitio de trabajo: Golfo de Honduras, borrador.PROARCA/APM, Guatemala. 70 p.

PROARCA/Costas. 2001. Perfil del sitio Golfo de Honduras (borrador). PROARCA/Costas, Guatemala.

PROARCA/Costas, PROARCA/CAPAS. 1999. Memoria del taller regional sobreconservación del manatí en el Golfo de Honduras, Guatemala. PROARCA/CAPAS, Guatemala.

PROGRAM FOR BELIZE, BID. 1995. National protected areas system plan for Belize.Synthesis report. Belize.

PROLANSATE. 1999. La voz de los pescadores de Honduras, Honduras.PROLANSATE. 2000. Ayuda de memoria de la IX Reunión de la TRIGOH, Punta Gorda,

Belice.PROMACO/ORCA. 1992. Memorias, Consulta Nacional en Guatemala.RODA. 1999. Marco legal e institucional para la protección de manatí en el Golfo de

Honduras / Centroamérica. Informe comparado trinacional.RODRÍGUEZ, J. 1996. Muestreo biológico de pesca artesanal de la langosta común

(Panulirus argus) en la Bahía de Omoa, Cortés, Honduras.RODRIGUEZ, J. 1998. Informe, V campaña de los monitoreos biológicos de pesca

artesanal de la langosta común (Panulirus argus) en la Bahía de Omoa, Cortés,Tegucigalpa, Honduras.

TNC. 2000. Esquema de las cinco S para la conservación de sitios: Un manual deplanificación para la conservación de sitios y medición del éxito enconservación. 62 p.

TOLEDO INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT (TIDE). 1998. Draftmanagement plan for Paynes Creek National Park. Belize.

TRIGOH, LA ALIANZA TRINACIONAL PARA LA CONSERVACION DEL GOLFO DEHONDURAS. 1998. Plan estratégico y operacional.

TRIGOH, LA ALIANZA TRINACIONAL PARA LA CONSERVACION DEL GOLFO DEHONDURAS. 2003. Plan estratégico y operacional.

URQUIZÚ, S. M. 1993. Reconocimiento arqueológico de la costa atlántica periféricaal Área de Protección Especial Cerro San Gil, Departamento de Izabal,Guatemala. USAC, Guatemala.

Yañez-Arancibia, A. D. 1999. The ecosystem framework for planning andmanagement of the Atlantic Coast of Guatemala. In: Ocean and CoastalManagement 42 (1999), pp. 283-317.

Yañez-Arancibia, A. D., Zárate Lomelí, and A. Terán Cuevas. 1995. Evaluation of thecoastal and marine resources of the Atlantic Coast of Guatemala. EPOMEX: CEPTechnical Report No. 34. UNEP Caribbean Environment Programme, Kingston,Jamaica. 64 p.

ZISMAN, S. 1996. (Compilation) The Directory of Belizean Protected Areas and Sites ofNature Conservation Interest, Second Edition. Belize.

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VI. ANEXES

The Site Conservation Planning method

MapsMap 1. Base map of the Gulf of HondurasMap 2. EcoregionsMap 3. Life Zones, according to HoldridgeMap 4. Conservation elementsMap 5. StressesMap 6. Sources of stress

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The Site Conservation Planning method

Site Conservation Planning (SCP) is a methodological framework developed byThe Nature Conservancy (TNC, 2000) and its partners to analyze informationabout a site and plan activities focused on the conservation priorities of the site,including the protection or improvement of biodiversity health (viability) and thereduction and elimination of critical threats damaging a site. By identifyingpriorities, this method allows protected area planners and managers to achievea better allocation of limited human and financial resources for theconservation of a site.

SCP is five-stage iterative method that results in two specific products:

Priority conservation strategies to mitigate and / or eliminate the criticalstresses damaging the site (threat mitigation), to restore or improvebiodiversity viability in the site (by means of restoration andmanagement), and to strengthen the conservation capabilities in the site.A conservation monitoring system, to measure the impact of conservationactions in the site (measures of success) and to provide feedback forrevising the conservation strategies when it becomes necessary.

The Site Conservation Planning methodological framework has five steps,summarized in the following figure:

Systems Stress Sources

Biodiversity Health

Measures

of Success

Threat Status

Threat Mitigation Restoration

Conservation Capability

Situation and Actors Strategies


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COMPONENT 1:SYSTEMS AND CONSERVATION ELEMENTS

Systems and Conservation elements:

The important species, ecologiccommunities, and ecologic systems –-including the natural processes thatmaintain them— that justify the selectionof a site for conservation actions.Once the key elements to ensure thelong-term viability of each system havebeen identified—including species,communities, and processes—, threecharacteristics of the systems must beanalyzed:

¨ Size: measurement of the area orabundance of the occurrence of theconservation element

¨ Condition: integrated measurementof the composition, structure, and thebiotic interactions that characterizethe occurrence

¨ Landscape context: integratedmeasurement of two factors: thedominant environmental regimes andprocesses that establish and maintainthe occurrence of the conservationelement, and connectiveness

A category evaluation (Very Good,Good, Fair, Poor) of the current state ofthese three factors allows acharacterization of the viableoccurrences of the systems within the site.

COMPONENT 2: STRESSES

Stresses:

The types of degradation and damageto the size, condition, and / or landscapecontext of a system or conservationelement that result in the reduction of theviability and health of the system. Theanalysis of stresses in this step and theanalysis of the sources of stress in the nextstep are key to learn what the problemsof the site are, and to focus theconservation strategies on the priority

threats from an ecologic perspective.The following important points must beconsidered when identifying thestresses acting on the systems and theirassociated conservation elements:

¨ Only the destruction ordegradation of systems and theirassociated conservation elementsresulting from human (non-natural)causes must be considered as astress.

¨ To be considered, the stress must behappening at the present, or havea high probability of happening inthe near future.

¨ Stresses damaging each systemmust be identified.

¨ It is important to be as precise aspossible when identifying stresses;this will help identify sources ofstress.

A hierarchical value (Very High, High,Medium or Low) is assigned to thestresses acting on each conservationelement. Even though all the stressesacting on the biodiversity aredocumented, it is critical to prioritizethese stresses based on the severityand extent of each stress. Theconservation strategies must reduce oreliminate those stresses that have ahigh severity combined with an ampleextent.

COMPONENT 3: SOURCES OF STRESS

Sources of stress:

The actions, processes, or agents, ofhuman or natural origin, that generateor cause stress. Together, the sourcesof stress and the stresses they exert onthe systems constitute the threats to theecosystems.

Most of the sources of stress areassociated to the environmentallyunsound use of soil, water, and natural

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resources by humans, which are takingplace or have taken place in the past,yet continue having an impact. Severalpoints must be considered whenidentifying sources of stress forconservation elements:

¨ When multiple sources of stresscontribute to a single stress, threatmitigation strategies must be focusedon the sources that have the mostimpact on that stress.

¨ Focus must be placed on thosesources of stress that would have along-term impact, like urbandevelopment.

¨ To be considered, the sources ofstress must be happening at thepresent, or have a high probability ofhappening in the near future.

¨ The sources of stress closest to theconservation elements must beidentified, rather than the mostdistant sources, to ensure thedevelopment of direct and feasibleconservation strategies.

On the basis of the best knowledge andexpert judgment available, each sourceof stress must be evaluated according tothe criteria of contribution andirreversibility:

It is critical that investments made toimplement site conservation strategies befocused on the mitigation of the mostcritical threats, instead of less destructiveand easier to confront threats.

The final step in the evaluation of stressesand sources of stress is to make asynthesis of the individual analyses ofeach stress and source of stress, whichidentifies the critical threats over thesystems or conservation elements in asite, and allows the definition of priorities.

COMPONENT 4: CONSERVATION STRATEGIES

Conservation strategies:The conservation actions developed andimplemented to:

¨ Mitigate and / or eliminate thecritical stresses that are damagingthe site

¨ Restore or improve the viability ofbiodiversity in the site

¨ Strengthen the conservationcapabilities in the site

The ultimate objective of theconservation strategies is to reduce thestresses that act on the systems orconservation elements, reducing theirviability. To develop conservationstrategies, the following points must betaken into account:

¨ Conduct an analysis of the situationand the actors in the whole sitelinked to each threat

¨ Make a list of the proposedconservation strategies

¨ Evaluate the proposedconservation strategies accordingto the following criteria: thebenefits acquired by implementingthem; the feasibility of their beingsuccessful; and the costs

¨ Prioritize the conservation strategiesfor the whole site, to determine thelines of action

Making the Situation and Key ActorsDiagram generates a graphicrepresentation of the cause and effectrelations between the sources of stress,human activities, key actors, and theirmain motivations.

COMPONENT 5: MEASURES OF CONSERVATIONSUCCESS

Measures of conservation success:The measurements of conservationimpact consist of monitoringbiodiversity health and the state ofcritical threats, to provide feedback forthe adaptive management of the site,and for the revision of the conservationstrategies when necessary. Also,measuring conservation capabilitymonitors the institutional support for the


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implementation of the conservationstrategies. The measures of conservationsuccess are sets of monitoring indicatorsclassified in the following manner:

¨ Biodiversity health: Evaluates theeffectiveness of conservationstrategies to improve or maintain theviability of the conservation elements(size, condition, and landscapecontext).

¨ State of critical threats: Evaluates theeffectiveness of conservationstrategies to diminish or eliminatecritical threats over time.

¨ Conservation capability: Provides away to monitor the following factors,key to the success of a site project:

¨ Project leadership and support:Responsible and experiencedpersonnel, support equipment

¨ Strategic method: Understandingand application of the SiteConservation Planningmethodological framework, aniterative and adaptive method todevelop and implement keyconservation strategies

¨ Project financing and sustainability:Initial or short-term financing,sustainable support

DEVELOPMENT OF THE SITE CONSERVATIONPLANNING PROCESS FOR THE GULF OF HONDURAS

In the year 2001, with the support ofPROARCA/Costas, the basis for the SiteConservation Plan (SCP) for the Gulf ofHonduras was formulated. To this effect,a site profile was developed, and jointlywith tri-national key actors, including themembers of the Tri-National Alliance forthe Conservation of the Gulf of Honduras(TRIGOH), three workshops were held toidentify conservation elements, stresses,sources of stress, work strategies, andmeasures of success for the conservation

of the site. Thematic maps of the Gulfwere also produced, to support theanalysis and the formulation of the SCP.

The first workshop was held inGuatemala City, from 2 to 4 May 2001.The objectives were to identify, in aparticipative manner, the conservationelements and the principal threats tothe tri-national area of the Gulf ofHonduras, and to define the indicatorsto monitor those conservation elementsand threats. There were 42participants. The second workshop washeld in Guatemala City, from 24 to 26July 2001. The objectives were to mapthe threats (stresses and sources ofstress) that are degrading the targetelements, to identify in a participativeway the strategies to conserve thetarget elements, and to conduct ananalysis of actors to involve in theimplementation of the strategies. Therewere 35 participants. The process wasfinalized with a third workshop, held inAntigua Guatemala on 30 and 31August 2001. The objectives were tovalidate and refine the strategies andaction plans generated by theanalyses in the previous activities, toensure an effective conservation of thebiodiversity of the site. There were 19participants. Besides all the membersof TRIGOH, universities, Ministries of theEnvironment and Agriculture, municipalgovernments of the three countries,MBC, PROARCA, and TNC allparticipated in these workshops.

However, the original process was notcompleted; the systematization of theinformation produced in the workshopswas lacking.

When the new vision of PROARCA/APMwas manifested, it became necessaryto include some terrestrial regions, inorder to complete the information ofthe “from the watershed to the reef”proposal, and to validate the resultswith a new workshop. It was held from4 to 6 December 2003, in Puerto Barrios.

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The objectives of the workshop were tovalidate the strategies and the measuresof success. Participants from Guatemalawere 3 persons from FUNDARY, 4 personsfrom FUNDAECO, and 1 representativefrom Defensores de la Naturaleza; fromBelize, 1 representative from TASTE, 1representative from TIDE, 1 representativefrom NGC/TDC, 1 representative fromFriends Of Nature, and 2 representativesfrom CISP/Proyecto GOH, for a total of 14participants.

Before the workshop, suggestions fromFundación Fasquelle and PROLANSATE(Honduras), and TIDE and NGC/TDC(Belize) were taken into account, bymeans of visits to Honduras and Belize.


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In the Presidential Summit of 1989, the Chiefs of State signed the Central AmericanAgreement for the Protection of the Environment, thus forming the Central AmericanCommission on the Environment and Development (CCAD), as part of the CentralAmerican Integration System (SICA). The principles that provide the basis for theobjectives of CCAD are:

To value and protect the heritage of the region, which is characterized by a diverse biology anddiverse ecosystems. CCAD is called to be the link that establishes collaboration between thecountries of the region in jointly seeking the adoption of sustainable development styles and theparticipation of all entities concerned with development. Meanwhile, it should promotecoordinated actions between governmental and international entities to use the natural resourcesof the area in an optimal and rational way, and in the same manner seek actions destined tocontrol contamination and seek efforts to re-establish the ecologic equilibrium. Another of itsobjectives is to negotiate the obtaining of regional and international financial resources to fulfill itsconservation and development goals.

United States Agency for International Development

Since its founding by President John F. Kennedy in 1961 as an independent federalagency, the US Agency for International Development – USAID – has helped

developing countries to provide opportunities to their people and to combat hunger, poverty,sickness, and environmental degradation. The international assistance programs of the UnitedStates have a long and distinguished history of achievements attained with half of one percent ofthe federal budget. Throughout more than 40 years, the programs of USAID have significantlycontributed to democratic government, the facilitation of economic growth, natural resource andprotected area management, biodiversity conservation, conflict reduction and management,and the provision of humanitarian aid in more than 200 countries in the world.

The Nature Conservancy was established in 1951 as a non-profit organization.Currently, it is the largest private organization dedicated to conservation inthe United States. Its mission is:

To preserve the plants, animals, and natural communities that represent the diversity of life in theworld, by protecting the lands and waters that these need to survive. Since 1980, the LatinAmerican and Caribbean Division of The Nature Conservancy has worked with associates in 20countries to protect over 22 million hectares of critical habitats.

The basic goals of The Nature Conservancy are:

· Conserve, with a scientific basis. The organization was created by a group of ecologists;therefore science has always been the basis for its actions.

· Obtain on site results. TNC concentrates its efforts on in situ conservation, from the acquisitionof lands to marking borders and patrolling protected areas, and training and equippingrangers.

Organizaciones que forman parte del Consorcio de Ejecución de PROARCA/APM

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