Question Purpose
The major goal of both Half Moon Caye and Blue Hole Natural Monuments is to conserve biodiversity and natural features by protecting important ecosystem, habitats, and species.
Question Purpose Yes No
1b • Providing marine species with a refuge from harvesting activities through the continued designation of both protected areas as no-take zones
• Enhancing local and regional fish stocks through increased recruitment and spill over of adults and juveniles into adjacent areas, and protection of marine habitats critical to lifecycle stages such as spawning, juvenile rearing and feeding
• Protecting an important spawning aggregation site, to enhance reproductive capacity, particularly of commercial fish species;
• Enhancing capacity building in stakeholders for management participation, through education, public awareness and collaboration;
• Providing opportunities for scientific research in near-pristine reef conditions
• Providing protection for the red-footed booby colony of Half Moon Caye, and for the littoral forest
• Providing protection for nesting marine turtles;
• Protecting the unique geological karst features of the Blue Hole, an underwater sinkhole;
• Providing two well-managed tourism resources – two of the most popular dive destinations in Belize
X
CURRENT MANAGEMENT CAPACITY SUMMARY
Question Assessment Area Tier 1 Tier 2 Tier 3
2 Management Planning X
3 Ecological Network Development X
4 Governance X
5 On-Site Management X
6 Enforcement X
7 Boundaries X
8 Biophysical Monitoring X
9 Socioeconomic Monitoring* X
10 MPA Effectiveness Evaluation X
11 Stakeholder Engagement X
12 Financing* X
13 Outreach and Education X
14 Conflict Resolution Mechanism X
15 Resilience to Climate Change X
16 Alternative Livelihoods* X
17 Fisheries Management N/A
18 Integrated Coastal Management N/A
19 MPA Sustainable Tourism X
20 Organizational Management X
21 Partnerships/Coordination X
Assessment Area YES NO
22 Economic Valuation X
23 Emergency Response X
24 Ecosystem Based Management X
ENABLING ENVIRONMENT
Assessment Area High Medium Low
25 Public Support X
26 Government Support X
*Denotes identified priorities for capacity building.
2. Management Planning (Tier 3)
Rationale: an approved management plan is being implemented for these two MPAs.
3. Ecological Networking (Tier 2)
Rationale: these sites are part of the Belize Network of MPAs. The coordination with the network is mainly for monitoring purposes (conch, lobster, spawning aggregations, and others).
There is no management coordination.
4. Governance (Tier 3)
Rationale: there are clearly defined laws and official rules and regulations governing all specific activities.
5. On-Site Management (Tier 2)
Rationale: There is high staff turnover at the site. Currently there are four full time staff, including the park director (on site supervisor), a marine biologist, and two rangers. Sometimes there are ‘casuals’, which are staff on probation until they decide if they want to stay at this remote site. The MPA ideally should have a total of eight staff.
6. Enforcement (Tier 2)
Rationale: staff enforcement training needs to be strengthened. The MPA needs two constables, rangers with law enforcement capacity, but currently only one ranger is a constable. Funding is
needed to train and promote the second ranger to a constable status. For effective enforcement, another boat is also needed.
7. Boundaries (Tier 2)
Rationale: currently the boundary buoys are too far apart, more intermediate buoys are needed.
Pamphlets with information on the protected areas boundaries are available for tour guides but not for fishermen.
A very interesting demarcation system for shallow water areas has been developed by BAS at Half Moon Caye. This demarcation system uses PVC pipes cemented in sandy bottom in areas up to 12 to 15 feet of water depth.
8. Bio-physical Monitoring (Tier 3)
Rationale: biophysical monitoring covers water temperature, light intensity, coral reefs, seagrass, Nassau grouper spawning aggregation sites, conch and lobster, coral bleaching, and sea turtle nesting. The information gathered through these monitoring efforts is analyzed and used for management purposes. The management plan does not have numerical goals for conservation. The monitoring methods include the MBRS protocol, the Long Term Atoll Monitoring Protocol (LAMP) and the coral bleaching bar drop monitoring method. Both the Fisheries Department and the University of Belize’s Environmental Research Institute provide technical guidance for monitoring.
9. Socio-economic Monitoring (Tier 1)
Rationale: even though some assessments have been conducted, there is no existing socioeconomic monitoring activity.
10. MPA Effectiveness Evaluation (Tier 3)
Rationale: data from research and enforcement efforts are used to assess MPA effectiveness.
The results are compared to adjust management activities. No standard methods are used to measure MPA effectiveness.
11. Stakeholder Engagement (Tier 2)
Rationale: main stakeholders at these sites include dive operators and tour guides, fishermen, and land owners. Both dive operators and land owners were involved in management planning, but not fishermen. Dive operators are also involved in management to a certain extent.
12. Financing (Tier 2)
Rationale: the main source of financial resources is entrance fees. Entrance fees cover almost 70% of all budget needs. Other funding agencies provide other funding. Entrance fee to the site is $ 30 USD per day.
13. Outreach and Education (Tier 2)
Rationale: some outreach and education activities in support of the MPA are ongoing. More funding is needed to increase outreach and education activities. There is an educator and a Community Liaison Officer at BAS that cover all protected areas managed by BAS.
14. Conflict Resolution Mechanism (Tier 2)
Rationale: no systematic conflict resolution mechanisms exist. A recent conflict with the collection of entrance fees was sorted out by the MPA manager. There is need for conflict resolution capacity building.
15. Climate Change Resilience (Tier 2)
Rationale: knowledge of climate change resilience has been acquired through reading. A few management actions intended to increase the resilience of coral reef resources to the effects of climate change are used. For example a coral bleaching monitoring program is in place.
16. Alternative Livelihoods (Tier 1)
Rationale: a socioeconomic assessment was conducted and some alternative livelihood activities have been implemented including dive training.
17. Fisheries Management (N/A )
Rationale: no fishing is allowed at Half Moon Caye and Blue Hole Natural Monuments.
18. Integrated Coastal Management (N/A ) Rationale: site is distant from coast.
19. Sustainable Tourism (Tier 2)
Rationale: An assessment of tourism activities was conducted in 2009. The assessment established limits of acceptable change (LAC), but carrying capacity has not been established.
20. Organizational Management (Tier 2)
Rationale: current staff is half of what is needed. The MPA personnel are also limited in terms of abilities. Both the marine biologist and one ranger need training.
21. Partnerships/Coordination (Tier 2)
Rationale: there is an Advisory Committee for Lighthouse Atoll. BAS is a member of the Committee together with stakeholders, land owners, and the Coastal Zone Management Authority. BAS has a formal MoU with the Belize Forestry Department and informal partnerships exist with the Fisheries Department and the Belize National Coast Guard.
22. Economic Valuation (No)
Rationale: no economic valuation of the MPA resources has been done. The information is regarded as valuable, in particular for use as guideline for compensation for damages to the resources.
23. Rapid Response Protocol/Team (Yes)
Rationale: emergency response method for invasive species is not available. An emergency response protocol for evacuation due to hurricanes is available. Emergency response protocols for ship groundings were developed by the government for implementation at the country level.
24. Ecosystem Based Management (Yes)
Rationale: ecosystem-based management principles have been considered in the design and management planning of the MPA. For example, ecosystems were selected as conservation targets in the management plan.
25. Community Support (High)
Rationale: Belizeans in general have great support for the Blue Hole, as it is an icon of the country’s natural beauties. Half Moon Caye is not so well known.
26. Government Support (Medium)
Rationale: support from the government varies from agency to agency. Forestry Department could improve, but the Fisheries Department and the Coast Guard provide medium to high support.
Management Capacity Priority Needs 1. Socioeconomic monitoring
2. Alternative livelihoods 3. Financial sustainability
Priority Capacity Building Approaches
1. Technical support 2. Higher education courses 3. Learning exchanges
REFERENCES
Belize Audobon Society, Oak Foundation, and AVINA (2007) Half Moon Caye Natural Monument Blue Hole Natural Monument Management Plan 2008 – 2013.