Mexico and Northern Central America Oceans Charting a sustainable course for oceans and people

Belize

Mexico Honduras Guatemala

Oceans provide us with food, jobs, The Conservation recreation and protection. Mexico and Northern Central America Challenge (MNCA) have two of the most im- Although commercial fishing and tourism bring substantial portant seascapes in the world. The revenues, they also threaten to destroy the very ecosys- Fundraising Gulf of California supports 70 per- tems that produce fish, attract tourists, and buffer the cent of Mexico’s annual catch and coast from storms. Overharvest and use of destructive Target contributes $900 million to the fishing gear have contributed to declines in fisheries. by 2020 country’s economy each year. The Unsustainable coastal development coupled with climate Mesoamerican Reef spans 625 miles change is destroying ecosystems that provide valuable from the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan benefits to communities and economies, such as carbon Peninsula, through Belize, Guate- storage, fisheries habitat, water filtration and tourist mala and Honduras. It is the second attractions. An underlying driver for degradation is the largest barrier reef system in the belief that our natural capital is inexhaustible, which leads $30 world and home to the greatest to poor quantification of its value by stakeholders and million aggregation of whale sharks. It is decision makers. While these challenges may seem daunt- also a major tourist destination, gen- ing, there are also favorable conditions and important erating over $6 billion annually. opportunities for ocean conservation in the region.

“The seas of MNCA are places of tremendous natural wealth. We are building alliances with a wide array of partners to balance conservation, economic and social needs in order to assure that the region’s ocean bounty is sustained.”

– Diana Bermúdez, Oceans Program Director, MNCA

© Carlos Aguilera Calderón The Nature Conservancy in MNCA is playing a catalytic role in marine conservation by mobilizing political Our will and large-scale private and public resources to target solutions that are scalable and that leverage our expertise in fisheries, marine spatial planning, climate risk and resilience, and conservation finance. Our Work work focuses on two priority seascapes:

Mesoamerican Reef Gulf of California In the Mesoamerican Reef we are working to reduce the vul- Most conservation efforts in the Gulf of California have been nerability of people, livelihoods and infrastructure to organized around individual sites without a system-wide climate change by protecting and restoring ecosystems that vision. In 2012, the Conservancy launched the Baja Marine provide natural protection and sustain fisheries productiv- Initiative, a 10-year endeavor that brings together a wide ity. We are also implementing a variety of strategies to array of stakeholders to implement solutions, mobilize po- reverse the decline in fish stocks, ensure sustainable sea- litical will and large-scale funding to transform ocean man- food supplies, and help local industries thrive. agement in the region.

Protect Transform Inspire marine and coastal ecosystems that practices, policies and incentives to those who drive ocean and coastal sustain fisheries and safeguard enhance the health and resilience of development to better manage fisheries communities and infrastructure coastal ecosystems and invest in natural infrastructure

2020 How Outcomes it works Human activity that is 9 million planned, based on science, hectares under sustainable fisheries and inspired by sustainabil- management ity can lead to a future where people, communities 3,600 and oceans can flourish people’s livelihoods improved together. Sustaining our species and growing our $6 million economy does not need to come at the cost of our invested annually in fisheries oceans’ health. We seek to management and marine spark a revolution in ocean conservation conservation that sustains marine and coastal ecosys- 23.2 million tems, supports abundant hectares in deep sea areas protected fisheries and integrates ocean management. By 1,200 bringing together other people trained in marine resource stakeholders – government, and fisheries management industry, communities, finance and conservation – 12 municipalities we can place ocean devel- investing in natural solutions for risk opment on a sustainable reduction trajectory.

The Nature Conservancy Mexico and Northern Central America +52 (55) 5661-1153 Ricardo Palmerín 110, Col. Guadalupe Inn www.mundotnc.org Mexico City, C.P. 01020 Follow us @mundotnc Mexico

© The Nature Conservancy (Erika Nortemann)