Bio-diversity

The National Fishermen s Producers Cooperative Society Ltd. (NFPC) is located in Belize City, and has been operating since 1966. The Cooperative presently has about 462 registered members most of whom live in Belize City, Sarteneja, Chunox, and Cooper Bank. NFPC s records indicate that sixty seven (67) of its members traditionally fish the Light House Reef Atoll. They fish for traditional products including lobster, conch and fin fish. Conch, however, is primarily targeted particularly from the Channel Area which is considered to be one of the most productive areas for conch in Belize. Two (2) Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are also located on Lighthouse Reef Atoll. The two protected areas, Half Moon Caye Natural Monument (HMCNM) and the Blue Hole Natural Monument (BHNM) are both managed by the Belize Audubon Society (BAS) and are part of the cluster of seven protected areas declared by UNESCO as the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System World Heritage Site (WHS). The Atoll is a prime diving area frequented by tourists and other visitors. Fishermen of the Atoll have detected that fishery stocks throughout the atoll are declining. This has been attributed to incursions on the fishing grounds by illegal fishers from within the local national community and from abroad. Additionally there have been reports of incursions into the protected areas resulting in the harvesting of undersized products during the regular and closed seasons. There is also growing concern, expressed by NFPC of the adequacy of management provided for the reserve and, the exclusion of its membership from participating meaningfully in the management of the atoll. The goal of this project is to provide an opportunity for fishermen of National Producers Co-operative and other fishers to participate in the management of Lighthouse Reef. Fisher participation will involve monitoring and surveillance of the area and collection of biological data that will inform management policy formulations. The project will provide for: 1. Establishing a volunteer monitoring fleet by participating fishermen. 2. Equipping volunteer vessels with radio and/or GPS units. 3. Conducting training programmes on Surveillance, Monitoring & Data Collection methods. 4. Facilitate an educational exchange visit to the Sian Kaan Marine Biosphere Reserve at Punta Allen (, Quintana Roo, Mexico). 5. Collecting bio-physical data on Conch and Lobster populations in the project area. 6. Developing a co-management governance mechanism for the Atoll by NFPC, BFCA, BAS, Fisheries Department and Forestry Department personnel and the Coastal Zone Management Authority.

Belize