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ISSN 1 - 409 - 2 786 Contents Welcome...... 3

This magazine was produced by the Current Events...... 4 Communications Department of WWF Central • Are corals animals, plants or rocks?. . . .4 America and published in 2000. The partial or total • United by a World Treasure in reproduction of the articles and illustrations Mesoamerica ...... 7 contained here in is permitted, provided that the • New co - management model transforms source is always mentioned and a copy of the Cayos Cochinos, ...... 13 publication is sent to: • Conserving for the Community means working with WWF Central America the Community...... 17 P.O. Box 70 - 7170 CATIE • A spill in the Gulf of Honduras could Turrialba, Costa Rica destroy marine resources...... 20 Phone: (506) 556 1383 / 556 1737 • Certification of fishing industry begins..23 Fax: (506) 556 1421 Email: [email protected] News...... 26 • Eco-regions generate expectations Editorial Board: Miguel Cifuentes A. in Panama ...... 26 Steven Gretzinger Sylvia Marín Training...... 28 Sandra Andraka G. • Scholarship Program supports Oscar Brenes Mesoamerican Reef ...... 28 Miguel Jorge • What, where and when...... 29

Editor: Laura Vilnitzky S. Grains of Sand...... 31 • Useful Tips ...... 31 Graphic Design and Production: Laura C. Cerdas P. Manatee Poster...... Center pages Laura Vilnitzky S.

Contributors: Elvia Ledezma

The authors are responsible for their own articles. The opinions The geographical designations and material contained in this expressed therein do not necessarily reflect the views of WWF. magazine do not imply any judgment, on the part of WWF, The photographs published in this edition are the property of their regarding the legal status of countries, territories or regions, or the authors. WWF has the right to publish them in this edition only. demarcation of their boundaries or limits.

2 Dear Readers:

There is no doubt that our coasts and seas are essential for the conservation of biodiversity and the sustainable development of Central America, a narrow strip of land bordered by the world’s two largest oceans: the Pacific and the Atlantic.

The internal migratory processes taking place in the Central American countries have resulted in more and more people concentrating in the region’s coastal zones, thus increasing pressures on the natural resources found in the surrounding seas. Even activities that might appear harmless to the environment, such as ecotourism, can produce serious effects on coastal and marine ecosystems, unless necessary precautions are taken to ensure that these activities and the region’s natural resources are managed in a sustainable way.

The proper management of coastal and marine ecosystems largely depends on what occurs inland and in the highland areas of the region’s short river valleys. For this very reason, we need to take consensus-based decisions and actions that will enable us to tackle our common problems together.

Mesoamerica boasts one of the world’s largest coral reef systems, stretching the entire length of the coasts of Honduras, Guatemala, Belize and up to Mexico. As a highly productive natural system of incalculable importance to the region’s economic development, the Mesoamerican Reef System (MRS) deserves preferential attention to guarantee its long-term conservation and the sustainable use of its resources. This is precisely what the four countries that share the MRS are trying to do in order to guarantee the well being of the hundreds of thousands of people whose subsistence and development depend on the continued existence and good health of the coral reefs.

Studies to discover the location and dynamics of natural populations and communities, the creation and effective management of protected areas and those under special management, the certification of fisheries, the prevention of disasters and accidents in port areas, are all vital and urgent actions to assure the quality, quantity and continued existence of the region’s marine and coastal resources.

In the following pages we offer some examples of the projects and initiatives that are under way in Mesoamerica to conserve our marine and coastal resources, particularly the coral reefs. What we need is the contribution and commitment of everyone to achieve these objectives and guarantee the success of those projects. A participatory approach to natural resource management or co-management could be the key to ensure this success, thereby opening up the options for sustainable development in this region and in the world.

In offering this edition of WWF Central America I would like to thank all our readers for their continued support for this publication and to wish them success in their future endeavors.

Miguel Cifuentes Arias Regional Representative WWF Central America

3 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Are corals animals, plants or rocks?

* By Jorge Cortés

Corals are marine animals that have a But there is a difference. Most coral species are symbiotic relationship with algae (plants) and found in the warm, shallow waters of tropical produce a kind of skeleton made of calcium seas. These corals have symbiotic algae called carbonate or limestone (rock). As animals, zooxanthellae in their internal tissue, which in corals belong to the group of cnidarians, which some cases may constitute nearly half of their also includes medusae or jellyfish, sea biomass (in other words, the weight of the anemones, sea fans and other even stranger animal part is very similar to the weight of the creatures. These are simple animals with only algae). Zooxanthellae produce organic matter two layers of tissue and a ring of tentacles from inorganic molecules and light. Like plants, around the mouth. Many species live at the they produce oxygen as a byproduct of bottom of the sea in large colonies of thousands photosynthesis. The food and oxygen of individuals. Like other animals, they eat produced within the coral are used by the organisms that live in the water. They must animal to live. In turn, the waste from the coral transfer gases and produce waste like any provides nutrients for the zooxanthellae. For other animal. For these reasons, corals are these reasons, corals are also studied from the studied from the perspective of zoology, the perspective of botany, the science dedicated to science dedicated to the study of animals. the study of plants.

Photo: Jorge Cortés

Coco Island, Costa Rica.

4 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

But there is more. Corals produce a skeleton of calcium carbonate, a material similar to cement. This skeleton is produced from molecules present in the seawater. Calcification, as the production of limestone skeleton is called, is carried out by the animal with the help of zooxanthellae. The skeletons produced by corals accumulate at the bottom of the sea, like rocks, and with the passage of time gradually form a coral reef, a structure that can be preserved in the fossil records. For these reasons, corals are studied from the point of Dic hocoenia st ok esi view of geology, the science dedicated to the study of rocks and fossils.

Based on the above description, we can see that corals are animals, that act like plants and die like rocks. But they are much more than that.

Corals gradually form reefs that are three- dimensional marine structures, found in shallow tropical waters. These reefs contain the greatest biological diversity to be found in the ocean: all types of algae, plants and animals, as well as a great variety of interactions, some of these Underwater view of Coco Island, Costa Rica. extremely complex in which many different organisms participate. Coral reefs play an important role in recycling compounds on the planet, such as CO2 for example. They are sites for the reproduction, recruitment and development of innumerable species, some of commercial importance such as lobster and pink conch. Coral reefs provide a source of income for many people, either from fishing, or more recently, from tourism and the extraction of important substances for use in medicine.

D i p l o r ia la b y r i n t h i -

Photos: Jorge Cortés

5 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

At present, the world’s corals are suffering negative impacts from a number of factors. The main impact is from sedimentation caused by deforestation, bad farming practices and the disturbance of coastal areas. These sediments choke or bury the corals and kill them, or else they gradually weaken and degrade them, since these animals have to invest energy in cleaning themselves. The worst aspect of anthropogenic impacts (those caused by humans) is that they are generally both acute and chronic, allowing corals no opportunity to recover.

Coral reefs benefit us all and for this reason, the study, conservation Pocillopor a capit at a Photo: Jorge Cortés and rational use of these productive ecosystems is everyone’s responsibility. Whether we are interested in animals, plants or even rocks, corals are all that and more. They are essential to sustain life on Earth, and are builders of areas containing a rich biodiversity, a source of food, chemical products and employment. In addition, they are very beautiful places.

Coral reefs are very ancient ecosystems, constructed by different organisms during different periods: by bivalves in the Cretaceous period and by algae or bacteria prior to this era. At present, the main reef builders are corals and calcareous algae. Coral reefs have survived for millions of years and, although they sometimes they appear to die out, they eventually begin to grow again. However, the combined pressures of natural events and the impact of human activity are currently doing away with the world’s coral reefs.

One of the most important natural disturbances we are witnessing is the warming of the oceans as a result of the "El Niño" phenomenon. In the years when this phenomenon is strongest, the ocean water heats up to a temperature above the level tolerated by corals and as a result, they become bleached because they lose their For more information, contact: zooxanthellae and their pigments. In such cases the white skeleton may be seen through the coral’s tissue. If the coral Jorge Cortés does not recover its zooxanthellae within a certain period of Coral Reef Specialist time, it may even die. Massive coral deaths took place during Marine Research Center (CIMAR) and the El Niño phenomenon of 1982-83, 1992 and in 1997-98. School of Biology In most cases, these natural disturbances are specific events, University of Costa Rica (UCR) San Pedro de Montes de Oca, Costa Rica and once they are over and conditions return to normal, the Phone: (506) 207 3201 Fax: (506) 207 3280 corals recover. The impacts of human activity, however, are the E-mail: [email protected] main causes of the destruction and death of our coral reefs.

6 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

United by a World Treasure in Mesoamerica

* By Sylvia Marín

As we begin a new millennium, the world is being united by global trends. Corporations are merging, trade agreements are proliferating and international cooperation is increasing. Nowadays, it is also widely accepted that our environment does not recognize political or economic boundaries. Nature is inter-dependent because it contains different habitats such as forests, rivers, seas, freshwater areas and mangroves, and for this reason conservation efforts require an integrated approach with a regional and global perspective. Based on the premise that a broad and integrated perspective is the best approach for protecting biodiversity and analyzing its threats , WWF has adopted an "Eco-Regional" approach in the Caribbean Mesoamerican Reef System (MRS), a unique area of utmost importance for the conservation of the planet’s marine-coastal ecosystems. The MRS offers the world one of the most viable and transcendental opportunities to accomplish a multinational conservation initiative.

The largest reef system in the Americas is shared by four countries that have declared their commitment to protect the MRS and begun to draw up a formal agreement to preserve it.

The Mesoamerican Reef System of the Caribbean stretches from the far north of the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, down through the Belize Barrier Reef and along the Caribbean coast of Guatemala, continuing as far as the Bay Islands (Islas de la Bahia) and Cayos Cochinos in Honduras. This system, which includes barrier reefs, fringing reefs, atolls and other corals scattered in groups or patches, is unique in the western hemisphere, not only because of its great size, but also because of the exuberance of the coral formations and the diversity of its coastal and marine ecosystems, which are still relatively well preserved.

Photo: Laura Vilnitzky S. - WWF

Photo: Sara Shoemaker 7 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

This map presents the results of the joint work carried out by renowned experts in coastal and marine areas and shows the priority areas for conservation from an eco-regional perspective. The areas identified are critical to maintain the eco-region’s ecological functions in the long- term and allow us to guide conservation actions throughout the Mesoamerican Reef System.

8 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Associated with this reef system are large areas of costal wetlands, pastures of sea grasses, lagoons and mangrove forests. This eco-region is home to sea turtles, crocodiles, dolphins, more than 500 species of fish, including the largest, the whale shark, the largest population of manatees in the western Caribbean and more than 60 species of corals. The species that are commercially exploited include the spiny l o b s t e r, the pink conch (cambute), prawns, red snapper and grouper or sea bass. In addition to being an important food source and tourist attraction, the living structure of the reef provides other environmental services, such as a natural defense against erosion and protection from the hurricanes that frequently pound the length of this coast.

Tourism and fishing in the MRS generate very substantial incomes for the economies of the four countries that share the reef, and these economic activities in turn depend directly on the health and good condition of the reef and the coastal and marine ecosystems. Although coral reefs have managed to withstand the force of the hurricanes that buffet the area several times a year, they will probably not be able to survive the strong pressures caused by human activities.

Corals need clean water but unfortunately, several portions of the reef have been seriously damaged by waste from ships, pollution from fertilizers and pesticides used in agriculture and waste from coastal communities. In addition, deforestation and the clearing of land for farming are activities that generate large volumes of sediments brought down to the coast by the rivers. These sediments are then dragged out to sea by ocean currents flowing to the reefs. Over-fishing, whether for commercial or recreational purposes, reduces the lobster, conch and fish populations.

Photo: Priscilla Cubero

9 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Since tourism provides an important source of From the mid-eighties, WWF has worked income, it is far more profitable to preserve closely with the governments of the four the coral reef than destroy it. However, unless countries and supported the establishment tourism is carefully planned, it too can cause and management of the Marina Hol Chan negative impacts because it encourages R e s e r ve in Belize, the Chocon-Machacas costal development in the form of roads, Biosphere in Guatemala and the Cuero y hotels and marinas, which also cause Salado Wildlife Refuge in Honduras. WWF sedimentation, water pollution and loss of is also working with the government of coastal habitats. Mexico to designate a protected area for Xcalak and to institute real protection for the Global climate change is another significant atoll of coral reefs in the Banco Chinchorro threat to the Mesoamerican Reef, because it is Biosphere Reserve. producing increases in the surf a c e temperatures of the ocean for longer and more frequent periods. This phenomenon is causing the corals to become bleached or expel their symbiotic algae, which in turn causes the death of the animal if the temperature does not rapidly return to normal. In the MRS a significant loss of corals through bleaching has been observ e d , especially in 1995 and 1998. At present, studies are being carried out to determine whether the reef has managed to recover.

Hotel development in Cancún, Mexico. Photo: Sylvia Marín C U R R E N T E V E N T S

The Tulum Declaration, signed in 1997 by the heads of state of Belize, Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala, formally pledged high-level political backing for the conservation and management of the Caribbean Mesoamerican Reef System as a unique ecosystem. Since then, the four governments have formulated an inter-governmental "Plan of Action" for the Mesoamerican Reef. Given this strong show of political will, WWF’s goal over the next three years will be to pursue conservation efforts on an eco-regional* scale. WWF will provide the necessary technical support to ensure that the processes of costal development do not damage the natural treasures of this area, and will strengthen the establishment and management of protected areas. To achieve this objective, WWF together with local partners designed an Eco-Regional* Conservation Plan based on scientific and socio- economic data.

Given its track record and commitment to the eco-region, during the initial phase of the Mesoamerican Reef Program, WWF has also continued to support field activities as well as contributing to the discussion on regional policies.

The planning and execution of WWF’s eco-regional initiative currently Photo: Sara Shoemaker focuses on four main lines of action:

1. Research on the conservation and management of natural resources throughout the eco-region.

2. Strengthening the regional system of protected areas.

3. Management of coastal areas.

4. Public information, capacity-building and regional coordination.

* Eco-region: Term used to describe a region that contains a set of ecosystems that share a number of species, relationships and conditions with similar characteristics. Eco-regional conservation helps to guarantee the long-term continuity of the ecological processes, necessary to preserve the planet’s biological diversity. C U R R E N T E V E N T S

The conservation actions promoted by WWF and its partners in the region include:

• Supporting the Declaration on the • Strengthening the capacities of protection and management of our partners through Gladden Spit (Belize), Banco Chinchorro scholarships, exchanges, (Mexico), Xcalak (Mexico) and Cayos technical assistance and Cochinos (Honduras). specialized courses.

• Strengthening the Regional Network for • Disseminating information and the Conservation of Sea Turtles. promoting regional coordination among governments to ensure that the efforts of • Harmonizing fishing policies, analyzing the different organizations working in the market forces (especially for lobster and eco-region are complementary. conch), evaluating the potential of certification of fisheries and the establishing restricted fishing zones. The success achieved to date and the activities under implementation demonstrate that the conditions are • Developing a communications and now favorable to make real progress in the lobbying strategy on coastal tourism, conservation of the eco-region’s marine and coastal including a comparative analysis of resources. The Tulum Declaration and the Plan of Action tourism and population trends and the use have encouraged governments, NGOs and the private of natural resources throughout the sector to involve themselves even more in international eco-region. cooperation initiatives to conserve the MRS. However, the most significant aspect of this eco-regional effort, • Reducing threats from maritime transport which is being executed under the Tulum Agreement, is by analyzing shipping routes, assessing that it reflects the genuine interest of the populations of the possibility of establishing "Particularly the four countries to protect valuable marine resources Sensitive Marine Areas" and promoting a that they share. At the same time, it shows the will of "code of conduct " for the cruise industry. governments to work together for the environment, recognizing that only in this way will they be able to • Working with the agro-export industry to achieve the region’s common development objectives. reduce sedimentation and the flow of agricultural effluents towards coastal areas. For more information, contact:

Sylvia Marín, Coordinator of the Mesoamerican Reef Eco-Region WWF Central America Phone: (502) 363-5012 / Fax: (502) 363-5015 E-mail: [email protected]

Photo: Laura Vilnitzky S. - WWF 12 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

New co- management model transforms Cayos Cochinos, Honduras

* By Arturo Izurieta

A ne w management model is cur rentl y being tr ied out in t he Ca yos Coc hinos ar c hipelago in Hondur as, in vol ving communities, t he go ver nment and t he pr ivat e sect or in t he management of a pr o tect ed ar ea. This uniq ue initiativ e is an e xam ple f or t he Centr al Amer ican r egion and t he w or ld.

The Cayos Cochinos Archipelago is located 18 miles northeast of the Honduran city of , on the country’s northern coast, at a distance almost mid-point between the mainland and Roatan Island (see map). The archipelago covers approximately 500 square kilometers and for the most part, consists of sea. The Keys have a population of approximately 250 inhabitants, including property owners and Garifuna communities, who live on 3 of the area’s 12 cays. The main commercial activity is small-scale fishing of lobster and scale fish, followed by tourism. In 1993, the site was declared a protected area with a view to conserving the characteristic features of its marine ecosystems, particularly the coral reefs with their great biological diversity.

Why is Cayos Cochinos considered an e x e m p l a r y model of part i c i p a t o r y management or co-management of a protected area? This protected zone is the only mixed or integrated area (private and governmental) in Honduras. Its declaration as a protected area in 1993 was promoted by the private sector of Honduras and endorsed Photo: WWF by the Honduran government.

13 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Since the very beginning, the management of this protected area has been delegated to the Honduran Coral Reefs Foundation (HCRF). With financial support from the Swiss International Foundation, "AVINA", a first class scientific station has been installed in Cayo Menor, where important marine research is carried out to contribute to our knowledge of natural resources and their management in this sector of the Mesoamerican Reef System.

The administration of the Cayos Cochinos Protected Area has undergone a process of transformation to respond to the challenges of good management. The HCRF initially had the support of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI), the scientific institution that promoted the first ecological evaluations and research on the state of the area’s main natural resources, from the ecological and economic point of view.

Although the management model used at the outset was based on a predominantly scientific approach, it nevertheless set up the first zoning system, established the first regulations on the use of resources and implemented monitoring activities and patrols. When the support from STRI ended in 1997, the HCRF began the task of establishing appropriate links with the main actors or groups associated with Cayos Cochinos, especially with the Garifuna communities, with whom the work of local participation was a priority due to the little attention paid at the beginning to the management of the reserve. At present, the local populations, represented by their community leaders, continuously participate in discussions and proposals to benefit both the communities themselves and the conservation and rational use of the resources of the protected area. Photos: Arturo Izurieta

14 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Cayos Cochinos has established a model inter-institutional alliance to reinforce its supervision and patrol of small-scale fishing. The Honduran Navy assigns six marines and one officer all 365 days of the year so that, together with the rangers of the HCRF, they can monitor the activities within the reserve area. This is the only alliance of its kind in Honduras to support the conservation of a protected area such as the one in Cayos Cochinos. In addition to the collaboration of the Navy, the area also receives assistance from the General Directorate of Fisheries, through its departmental delegation, particularly on matters related to fishing regulations and follow-up of contraventions of the Fisheries Law.

With the support of WWF Central America, the endorsement of the Ministries of Natural Resources and the Environment and Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras, through their Directorates of Biodiversity and Fisheries and Aquiculture, respectively, the HCRF organized a workshop to define and prioritize its conservation objectives for this protected area, with the participation of members of the Garifuna communities, government officials, representatives of property owners in the cays and external observers. After analyzing the results of the meeting, WWF Central America, which provides technical assistance to the HCRF, recommended that the area be declared a "Natural Monument ". This management category is better suited to the conservation objectives and the sustainable use of resources proposed by the key actors and to its peculiarity of being an integrated (mixed private and government) area.

To further promote community participation and integration in the co-management of the area, the HCRF decided to recruit two park rangers or guards from some of the six main communities of Cayos Cochinos. For this purpose, community leaders were invited to nominate their candidates and to form part of the selection committee.

Photo: Laura Vilnitzky S. - WWF

15 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

WWF Central America and the AVINA Foundation have signed an agreement to strengthen the HCRF’s institutional capacity and identify greater technical and financial opportunities and strategic associations to ensure the continued existence of the natural wonders of Cayos Cochinos.

From the standpoint of contributing to eco-regional conservation efforts, WWF Central America has identified Cayos Cochinos as a priority site for conservation and also as strategic area to develop monitoring and research efforts in the southern subregion of the Mesoamerican Coral Reef.

Through the use of geographic i n f o r mation systems (GIS), Cayos Photos: Arturo Izurieta Cochinos is contributing to the training of a critical mass of professionals in the region, who will support the conservation and management of its coastal and marine resources.

We should continue to strengthen the co-management model applied in Cayos Cochinos and generate a greater commitment among all the actors involved: communities, property owners, users, governmental institutions, in order to coordinate actions that are in line with the conservation objectives for this protected area. To achieve this goal, better training will be required at all levels, together with institutional and technical strengthening and the development of mechanisms to guarantee financial sustainability.

For more information, contact:

Honduran Coral Reef Foundation Project WWF /Cayos Cochinos Phone/fax: (504) 443-4075 / (504) 443-4076 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

16 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Conserving for the community means working with the community

* By Adoni Cubas It is five o’clock in the morning and the sun appears from behind the Nombre de Dios mountain range, At present, the communities are allowed to fish bathing the around the Cayos within the protected area, in accordance with Cochinos Archipelago in gold. Fishermen sail home management criteria and respecting the to their villages after an exhausting night of fishing. established zoning system.

Back in their communities, the fishermen are met by Shortly after midday, when the wind begins to a group of students sponsored by the Honduran b l o w, cooling the intense heat, the lobster Coral Reef Foundation (HCRF), who are working on fishermen have completed their daily task. Some their theses. The students keep a daily record of the return to their villages in Cayos Cochinos and fishermen’s catch, making a note of the different others to the communities of Rio Esteban, Nueva species caught in Cayos Cochinos. Armenia and Sambo Creek. Lobster is one of the most important resources for small-scale This is just one of the ways in which local fishermen fishermen, and they too collaborate in the task of from the villages of Cayos Cochinos and the gathering information about their catch. The surrounding areas, participate in the management lobster merchants in the coastal communities also of the archipelago’s resources, which they have keep a record of all the products used for generations. they receive, and subsequently pass all this In 1993, the Honduran Government form a l l y information to the HCRF. declared Cayos Cochinos to be a Protected Natural Area. Since that time, the HCRF, a non-profit institution, has been responsible for administering the area, and, since 1998 has actively promoted community participation in the management of the islands, cays, coral reefs, sea grasses and sandbanks, that make up the Archipelago.

Photo: Laura Vilnitzky S. - WWF C U R R E N T E V E N T S

The joint eff o r t of local communities, the The process to achieve a high level of General Directorate of Fisheries and p a r ticipation has been a great learn i n g Aquiculture and the HCRF, will hopefully experience for the HCRF and the different provide the necessary data to take better governmental agencies and local communities management decisions. These will facilitate the involved. Members and employees of the c o n s e r vation of the Eco-Region of the organization are convinced that the only way Mesoamerican Reef, and at the same time to ensure that the conservation efforts endure enable small-scale local fishermen to continue and produce the desired results is to seek the benefiting from the sea’s resources and prevent active involvement of local actors, particularly their excessive exploitation. the people who live in the coastal communities.

Photos: WWF Photo: Laura Vilnitzky S. - WWF

Just a couple of hours before the sun sets on Cayos Cochinos, two young students from the Dr. Alfonso Lacayo School, who live in the village of Chachahuate, arrive at the HCRF station in Cayo Menor, to have dinner there and join the rest of the group of ten volunteers who are preparing to go "turtling".

For the past two years, with the participation of national and foreign volunteers, the HCRF has been implementing a Research and Conservation Program on the Hawksbill Turtle. Thanks to this initiative, we have now learnt that this species deposits its eggs, is born, spends its early life and mates in this archipelago. The Program carries out a number of activities including patrols of the local beaches, protection of nests, release of hatchlings and environmental education. Local people have played an active role in all these activities, especially the young people and children from the Dr. Alfonso Lacayo School, in the community of East End.

The fruits of this effort have not been long in coming. A group of fishermen came to Cayo Menor to report that a hawksbill turtle had been trapped in one of their colleagues’ fishing lines. Because of the mark on its fin and the records kept in the HCRF’s database, it was learned that this particular turtle had nested on the beaches of Cayos Cochinos in 1998. "A few years ago, this turtle would have ended up in a "soup pot", joked a local resident who witnessed the release of the fortunate turtle, which disappeared into the ocean waves.

18 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Night has fallen on this paradisiacal archipelago in the Honduran Caribbean. In the dark sky, the brilliant stars of the Milky Way can be seen very clearly, reminding us of the long road that must still be traveled to achieve the optimum level of participation by local people in the conservation of Cayos Cochinos.

However, the future looks bright, because the HCRF now enjoys the technical and financial support of WWF Central America and the AVINA Foundation, to strengthen joint conservation efforts with local communities. As a result of this initiative, community leaders from Cayos Cochinos and the surrounding areas of influence met with government representatives and other important actors to define the conservation objectives of the Cayos Cochinos Protected Area. The plan takes into account the use of natural resources, the unique character of the ecosystems and species found in this archipelago, and their importance to the country, to the Eco-Region and to the Mesoamerican Reef as a whole.

The idea is to project the experiences in Cayos Cochinos within the regional context, with the support of WWF Central America. This task has already begun and the plan is that the Honduran Coral Reef Foundation will facilitate and support the activities carried out by the communities with a view to conserving Cayos Cochinos, as an important contribution by Honduras to nature conservation in the region.

For more information, contact:

Adoni Cubas Honduran Coral Reef Foundation Project WWF /Cayos Cochinos Phone/fax: (504) 443-4075 / (504) 443-4076 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]

Photo: Laura Vilnitzky S. - WWF

Banking Ser vices

Phone: (506) 257 - 3030 / (506) 800 - MI BANCO (642 -2626) Fax: (506) 222 - 3460 / (506) 222 - 8840 P.O. Box 6714 - 1000 San José, Costa Rica Address: Central Street, Second Avenue Email: [email protected]

Thank y ou f or helping t o maint ain a Living Planet C U R R E N T E V E N T S

A spill in the Gulf of Honduras could destroy marine resources

* By Fernando Secaira

Belize, Guat emala and Hondur as all shar e t he Gulf of Hondur as, a busy shipping r out e thr ough whic h large cargoes of fuel, f er tilizers and o ther c hemicals ar e tr anspor ted. A disast er her e w ould no t onl y af fect public healt h but w ould also gr eatl y damage t he ar ea’s biological div ersity . F or t his r eason, a gr oup of r epr esent ativ es fr om t he pr ivat e sect or , go ver nment al institutions and int er national cooper ation organizations ha ve f or med a committ ee t o pr e vent and r espond t o an y contingency t hat might ar ise in t he e vent of a

The Gulf of Honduras contains important However, these ecosystems and the economic ecosystems such as coral reefs, sea grasses, activities they support face a serious and estuaries and mangroves that are particularly latent threat: the risk of accidents from ships rich in biodiversity and provide the basis for that transport highly polluting products. The major economic activities in the three Gulf of Honduras is an important hub for countries, such as fishing and tourism. In turn, commercial shipping, based around three these are intimately interconnected by the major ports: Santo Tomas de Castilla and ocean currents that sustain many commercial Puerto Barrios in Guatemala, and Puerto species such as red snapper, sea bass, lobster Cortes in Honduras, plus 6 other small port and conch. towns.

Oil and its derivatives, fertilizers, pesticides and other dangerous materials are routinely shipped through the Gulf. The intensive shipping activity, the precarious conditions in the ports, the types of materials transported and the topographical conditions, are all factors that increase the risk of accidents with extremely serious consequences for the area’s coastal and marine ecosystems. To further aggravate this situation, the port authorities and private companies that transport these cargoes do not have sufficient capacity to counteract the impact of a possible accident or spill.

Photo: Laura Vilnitzky S. - WWF

20 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Mindful of this serious threat to the To date, the Contingencies Brigade has gone environmental integrity of the Gulf of into action on two occasions to contain minor Honduras, the PROARCA/Coasts Project spills. These incidents have enabled it to assess (WWF-TNC-URI) and local non- governmental its capacity for coordination and teamwork organizations (NGOs) decided to reduce the and to detect its weaknesses and areas for risk on one hand, and improve local capacity improvement. The Brigade’s actions have been to respond to an accident, on the other. For completely financed by its member institutions, this reason, an evaluation was conducted to on a totally voluntary basis, further increasing assess the capacity of shipping companies and the merits of this effort. The cost of the first port authorities to handle dangerous products, action alone in 1998, was US$ 200,000. The and to deal with oil spills and spills of other cost of controlling the second spill in August pollutants. The study also evaluated the level 2000 has not yet been quantified. of risk, given the volume and type of traffic in the Gulf, the conditions of the ocean currents In 1996, an initiative known as the and areas of high risk and biological "Environmental Policy Dialogue" was launched importance. by the non-governmental organization FUNDAECO, to bring together diff e r e n t Subsequently, a Committee on Environmental sectors in workshops, seminars and meetings, and Port Safety was established in Guatemala, to discuss the environmental problems posed (government, private sector and NGOs) to by shipping. identify the main resources needed to deal with port contingencies, based on various possible disaster scenarios in Puerto Barrios and Santo Tomas.

The Committee, in turn, established the Port Contingencies Brigade, a body to coordinate efforts and make joint use of the equipment and infrastructure of its member institutions. The Committee and the Brigade prepared a preliminary Contingency Plan, and carried out spill simulations to determine the needs for coordination and evaluate the existing capacity for response.

Photo: Laura Vilnitzky S. - WWF C U R R E N T E V E N T S

The "Dialogue" has generated great interest among F i n a l l y, one of the initiative’s most import a n t members of government and Congress, who have achievements has been its impact at regional level. promoted actions to strengthen national capacities. National and regional authorities are now more Likewise, it has been instrumental in getting the aware of the potential hazards of shipping, as are private sector involved in this area of action. the port authorities and shipping firms of the different countries. This initiative has also generated other collateral achievements during the past 4 years: the creation In response to these concerns, the Central American of the private firm DVG S.A., specialized in the Commission for the Environment and Development management of port waste, the oil companies’ (CCAD) and the Central American Shipping acquisition of equipment worth more than US$ Commission (COCATRAM) and PROARCA/Coasts 150,000 to prevent and clean up oil spills, and a convened a meeting to prepare the Regional simulation of an oil spill in Central America. Agenda on Maritime and Port Environmental Safety, within the context of the Meeting of Port This effort has also attracted the attention of the Authorities of Central America, held in San Pedro Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) which, Sula. All that is pending now is its approval by the together with local actors, drafted a project regional bodies of SICA. proposal for US$5 million to be submitted to the GEF (Global Environmental Fund), to develop Environmental safety, both at sea and in the ports, capacity to prevent and deal is essential to guarantee the conservation of our with environmental marine and coastal ecosystems. We consider that contingencies in the Gulf, this initiative, launched in 1996 in the Bay of involving the three countries. Amatique, Guatemala, has had an import a n t impact both at local level and in the three countries of the Gulf of Honduras, and throughout the Central Photo: Laura Vilnitzky S. - WWF American region, through the Regional Agenda. While it is gratifying to note the progress made so far, there is still a long way to go, since safety conditions in these countries are still precarious and our ecosystems continue to be threatened. We have taken the first steps. The task continues.

For more information, contact: Fernando Secaira WWF Central America Project PROARCA/Costas 3a. ave 7-59 zona 14, Guatemala GUATEMALA Phone: (502) 367 5326 / (502) 367 5327 E-mail: [email protected] C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Moving Towards Fisheries Certification in the MACR

* By Jaime González Cano

T h e fi sh i n g in d u str ie s o f th e M e so a m e r i c a n R e e f ta k e ste p s to o b ta in c e r t i f i c a t i o n

The World’s oceans are under siege. In spite of adequate management schemes and regulatory measures in numerous countries, at the global level, many resources are over-exploited and far from a sustainable status. Therefore, in 1996 Unilever and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) established the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), an organization aiming to provide some solutions to this problematic situation. Its interest is in fish as a renewable resource and the role it plays as a source of food, employment and as part of the marine ecosystems. The Principle 1. MSC has explored mechanisms to stimulate A fishery must be conducted in a manner that sustainable management of marine does not lead to over-fishing or depletion of the resources subject to exploitation, for the exploited populations and, for those populations benefit of present and future generations. that are depleted, the fishery must be conducted Amongst different mechanisms that have in a manner that demonstrably leads to their been tried, "the market forces" or "market recovery. incentives" are regarded as a plausible solution. The assumption is that consumers will decide what to buy and that their Principle 2. willingness to pay for certified products will Fishing operations should allow for the indirectly support those fisheries where maintenance of the structure, productivity, sustainable management is being carried function and diversity of the ecosystem (including out. The choice of consumers would decide associated habitat and related species) on which if a fishery should be rewarded to the fishery depends. guarantee that it is managed adequately. Principle 3. The MSC now operates independently, but The fishery is subject to an effective management has been very successful in bringing system that respects local, national and together a board coalition of supporters international laws and standards and (important commercial chains) which are incorporates institutional and operational interested in acquiring products only from frameworks that require use of the resource to be c e r tified fisheries under sustainable responsible and sustainable. management. To obtain the certification, the fishery must adhere to three main principles:

Photo: Sarah Shoemaker 23 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Photo: Laura Vilnitzky S. - WWF

In addition, to maintain the certification and continue using the MSC logo, the fishery must be assessed on annual basis. The certification, however, provides great advantages: (1) it allows to maintain the resource in good state and (2) it opens new markets never considered before. The most interesting aspect is that this mechanism is based in the attitudes and choices of consumers. They may have to pay higher prices, but know that their individual contribution might guarantee maintaining healthy fish stocks.

The certification is not a simple process, and it is given at different levels in the chain of commercialization: the fishery, markets, processing, restaurants, and retailers. Once the fishery is certified, companies wishing to use the MSC products must undergo a "Chain of Custody" certification to guarantee that the MSC-labeled seafood can be traced and ensuring that it has been separated from non-certified product at every stage of production. The chain of custody guarantees that no cheating or products from the black market are introduced and sold as if originating from a certified fishery.

24 C U R R E N T E V E N T S

Up until now, only three fisheries have been certified: the Western Rock Lobster fishery in Australia, The Herring fishery in the United Kingdom, and the Salmon fishery from Alaska. Still, other fisheries are now being considered for certification. In the Mesoamerican Caribbean Reef (MACR) Ecoregion, and with support from the Endangered Seas Campaign (ESC), in September of 2000 two certification pre-assessments for the spiny lobster Panulirus argus were carried out under the leadership of the Australian expert Bruce Phillips and with the support of WWF staff.

The pre-assessments in Banco Chinchorro, Mexico and in Cayos Cochinos, Honduras have shown that there is not a perfect fishery with all the necessary elements for certification in place right away. Even the most studied fisheries, like the Western Rock lobster fishery, had to meet additional requirements prior to certification. Thus, the results of both pre-assessments in the MACR will indicate if the fisheries in both places are recommended for the following stages in the certification process and the conditions that will have to be met to move forward.

Regardless of the final results, one of the important spin-offs has been the great deal of interest generated in both places in improving fisheries management to reach certification. If certification is achieved in these areas, these would will be the first two certified fisheries in the Caribbean Region involving a resource that is being shared throughout the Caribbean region. This could raise the attention and interest in exploring other similar possibilities within the MACR or in the wider Caribbean Region.

It is important to note, that the conservation objective remain the same, but everyday we search for new ways to achieve it. If the certification process continues in both places, it will generate important lessons to evaluate if the mechanism could be used more broadly to stimulate sustainable fisheries management in the Caribbean.

For more information, contact:

Jaime González Cano Program Officer – MACR Cancún, Q.R. Mexico WWF Mexico Phone: (52-98) 848849 E-mail: [email protected]

Photo: WWF N E W S

E c o - r e g i o n s

To halt the loss of species and the destruction of the world’s habitats, conservation efforts must be planned on a large scale and long-term. What is an WWF and other organizations have adopted a new approach known as Eco-regional Based Conservation (ERBC), aimed at conserving and, Eco-Region? where necessary, restoring biological diversity to an eco-region. This eco-regional approach is based on the fundamental principles of biodiversity conservation:

a) Maintain ecological and evolutionary processes that An eco-region is create and sustain biodiversity. a relatively b) Represent all natural communities within a particular large area of ecosystem and within a network of protected areas. land or water that contains a c) Maintain viable populations of species.

characteristic set d) Conserve natural habitat areas sufficiently large to be of similar able to respond to periodic alterations and long-term environmental changes. and/or related species, natural communities ERBC is implemented though a program made up of and several elements: Identification, Biological environmental Evaluation, Biodiversity Vision, Socio-economic Evaluation and Eco-regional Plan.

Photo: Sylvia Marín

26 N E W S expectations in Panama

* By Sandra Andraka

There are around 895 eco-regions in the world. Of these, 200 outstanding eco-regions (the Global 200) were selected to represent the planet’s "Main Types of Habitat". These were selected through a comparative analysis of biodiversity data, for each continent and oceanic basin. The central principle considered in this selection process was repr esent ativity , in other words, the need to conserve a full representation of the world’s ecosystems, to guarantee their inclusion in the regional conservation strategies, since the main threat to Nature conservation is precisely the loss of natural habitats.

In Panama City, a Symposium on Biodiversity Conservation Based on Eco-Regions was held during the Fourth Congress of the Mesoamerican Society for Biology and Conservation in late summer of 2000. The purpose of the symposium was to disseminate information about this conservation planning tool based on the concept of eco-regions, and encourage discussion on the challenges and opportunities it offers.

The event was attended by different experts, both from WWF and from other organizations in the region, who discussed and explained the concept of eco-regions, the 200 most representative Global Eco-Regions, the eco-regional process in the Mesoamerican Reef and in the wet montane forests of the Talamanca Region in Costa Rica. They also discussed the application of the eco-regional system in identifying "gaps" in botanical information andin the representation of biological diversity in Central America’s protected areas, as well as to determine research priorities.

At a round table organized with the speakers the end of the Symposium, several part i c i p a n t s , mainly professionals and students from the Central American countries and Mexico, expressed their interest in incorporating this new eco-regional approach in their respective areas of work, such as ornithological studies, and the management of protected areas and natural resources in general.

For more information, contact:

Sandra Andraka G. WWF Central America Phone: (506) 556 - 1383 / (506) 556 - 1737 Fax: (506) 556 - 1421 E-mail: [email protected]

27 T R A I N I N G

The Russell E. Train Education For Nature Program

* By Oscar Brenes

The Russell E. Train Education for Nature Program Interested candidates should submit their (EFN) seeks to promote local capacity-building in application, on a special form, to the WWF offices developing countries to improve conservation actions. in the country or region where they live. In the case EFN offers present and potential leaders the necessary of Central America, those wishing to participate training, education and experience to face the must be citizens of Belize, Guatemala and challenges of conservation. Founded in 1994, the Honduras, three of the countries that have custody program awards university of the Mesoamerican Reef. scholarships for undergraduate, masters or doctorate programs, to Education A selection panel made up of local conservationists in Asia, WWF staff and extern a l Africa and Latin America. Based on e x p e r ts on education and the premise that the most effective For c o n s e r vation, reviews and leadership in conservation requires evaluates the applications. the integration of knowledge and S u b s e q u e n t l y, these experience from various disciplines, Nature applications are sent to the the EFN program selects candidates WWF office in the United who are seeking a learning experience with an States with recommendations regarding the interdisciplinary approach to conservation. selection, where they are evaluated a second time by a selection panel also composed of WWF staff In recent years, this Program has focused on the and external experts. world’s priority eco-regions, as defined by WWF. In Central America, the Mesoamerican Reef System, All applications must be submitted to the regional which falls within the boundaries of Mexico, Belize, representatives of WWF before February15 of each Guatemala and Honduras, has been placed under this year. Applications received after that date will not category. be accepted.

For more information in Central America (Belize, For more information in Mexico, contact: Guatemala y Honduras) contact:

Oscar Brenes Francisco Padron WWF Central America WWF Mexico Program Office P.O. Box 70 - 7170 CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica Ave. Mexico No. 51 Col. Hipodromo Phone: (506) 556 -1383 / (506) 556 - 1737 C.P. 06170 Mexico D.F., Mexico Fax: (506) 556 -1421 Phone: (525) 286 5631 / (525) 286 5634 E-mail: [email protected] Fax: (525) 286 5637

28 T R A I N I N G

What, where and when?

UNIVERSIT Y F OR PEA CE (UP AZ) C A TIE Analysis and Design of Forestry and Natural Resource Pro tect ed Ar eas and Biodiv ersity Course U nit Policies

23rd International Course on Protected Areas Date: June 2001. Date: 25 April – 25 May 2001 Place: Costa Rica Place: CATIE, Costa Rica - Panamá Coordinator: Ronnie de Camino Target group: Managers of Protected Areas in Latin America. Target group: G o v e r nment officials, private sector, NGOs and Coordinator: Eduardo Carrillo communities. Cost: US $3,400.00 Cost: US $2,300.00

Information on courses at UPAZ: Information on courses at CATIE:

Eduardo Carrillo J. Felipe Matos Phone: (506) 556-1712 Recursos Naturales Fax: (506) 556-9649 Phone:(506) 205 - 9083 Email: [email protected] Universidad para la Paz Email: [email protected] Phone: (506) 205 - 9000 Fax: (506) 249 - 1929 E-mail: [email protected]

OR G ANIZA TION F OR TR OPIC AL S TUDIES N A TION AL UNIVERSIT Y (UN A) (O TS) Regional W ildlif e Management Pr ogr am

Business Decisions and Enviro n m e n t a l Ecological Criteria for the Design, Management and Quality in C.A. Administration of Protected Areas Date: 13-17 February 2001 Place: Costa Rica Date: January 22 –February 2, 2001 Place: UNA, Heredia, Costa Rica Coordinator: Jose Maria Rodriguez Coordinator: Maria Isabel Di Mare Target group: Business Executives Principal instructor: Jamie Rau Cost: US $1,400.00 Target group: Academics, decision-makers, administrators of Protected Areas and Wildlife Conservation Areas. Cost: US $500 Agro-ecology Date: June 29- August 9, 2001 Biology, Conservation and Management of Cetaceans in Place: Costa Rica C.A. (Second Course) Coordinator: Jose Manuel Mora Date: Del 9 –17 July 2001 Target group: Professionals working in Protected Areas Place: UNA, Heredia and Marine Science Station in Punta Morales, Costa Rica Coordinator: Carlos Drews Information on OTS courses: Target group: P r o f e s s i o n a l s , Organization for Tropical Information on PRMVS courses academics, students Studies (UNA): P.O. Box 676 – 2050 San and managers of Pedro, Central America. Regional Wildlife Management Costa Rica Cost: US $350 Program (PRMVS) Phone: (506) 240 66 96 P.O. Box1350 University National 3000 Heredia, Costa Rica Phone: (506) 237 - 7039 29 Fax: (506) 237 - 7036 G R A I N S O F S A N D S

Useful Tips

Cor al r eefs cont ain a gr eat er div ersity of f lor a and f auna t han man y of our f or ests on land. Ho wever , f e w people ar e a war e of t he numer ous benef its that cor al r eefs of fer . Aside fr om being an essential mar ine ecosyst em t hat pr o vides f ood, shelt er and a r epr oductiv e sit e f or a large number of species of f ish and o ther mar ine cr eatur es, cor al r eefs pr o tect our coasts fr om the r a vages of st or ms and hur ricanes and ar e also a gr eat t our ist attr action. A t pr esent, cor al r eefs ar ound t he w or ld, including t hose locat ed of f the shor es of Me xico, Belize, Guat emala and Hondur as, ar e de ter ior ating r apidl y. Belo w w e of fer some useful tips so t hat y ou can help t o conser ve t hese v aluable under wat er tr easur es.

DO N O T BUY C ORAL DO N O T DUMP G ARB A GE

In man y coast al ar eas y ou will f ind shops If y ou don’t w ant t he garbage, and individuals selling souv enirs, je welr y the cor al r eef doesn’t eit her . Do and cr af ts made fr om cor al. Eac h time y ou no t dum p w ast e in r eef ar eas and buy one of t hese it ems, y ou ar e in o ther fr agile par ts of our natur al contr ibuting t o t he destr uction of t he e n v i r o n m e n t su c h a s ri v e rs a n d cor al r eefs. DO N O T buy ar ticles beac hes. The pr oper place f or garbage is t he made fr om cor al. trashcan.

LO O K BU T D O N ’ T D O N O T A N C H O R IN C O R A L TOUC H! REEFS Some t our ists touc h cor al Think bef or e y ou dr op anc hor in r eef reefs or e ven w alk on t hem, zones, because b y doing so y ou ma y kill t he cor als and d a m a g in g th e se fra g i l e disr up t mar ine lif e. It is be tter t o e c o s y s t e m s a n d h a rm in g life look f or ar eas wher e t her e ar e no under wat er . In tur n, cer tain species reefs or t o tie y our boat t o buo ys in that liv e on cor al r eefs ma y cause ar eas wher e t his is allo wed. skin allergies. Help t o pr o tect t he healt h of t he sea cr eatur es and your o wn - please do no t touc h The paper or st and on cor als. used for this magazine can be Let’s build a LIVING PLANET

Pass t hese useful tips on t o y our fr iends and contr ibut e y our little gr ain of sand t o t he ef for t to conser ve our natur al tr easur es.

30 The Worldwide Fund for Nature, WWF, is one of the largest and most experienced independent conservation organizations in the world. It has 4.7 million members and a W W F ’s mission is to conserve Nature and global network that is active in 96 countries. ecological processes by pursuing the following objectives:

• Preserving the genetic diversity of species and ecosystems.

• Guaranteeing the sustainable use of renewable natural resources both now and in the long term.

• Promoting actions aimed at reducing pollution and the wasteful exploitation and consumption of resources and energy.

WWF Central America P.O. Box 70 - 7170 CATIE, Turrialba, Costa Rica. Phones: (506) 556 1383 / 556 1737 Fax: (506) 556 1421 Email: [email protected]