Environmental Management Plan
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Public Disclosure Authorized Environmental Management Plan Public Disclosure Authorized IMPROVING THE TOURISM INDUSTRY IN SARTENEJA THROUGH ITS WATER TAXI SERVICES Public Disclosure Authorized Public Disclosure Authorized Sarteneja Tour Guide Association Sarteneja Village, Corozal District April 2016 Environmental Management Plan 2015 Table of Contents PROJECT DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................................................. 3 PROJECT OBJECTIVES .................................................................................................................................... 4 PROJECT ACTIVITIES ..................................................................................................................................... 4 EXPECTED RESULTS ....................................................................................................................................... 4 EXPECTED IMPACTS ...................................................................................................................................... 4 MITIGATION MEASURES .............................................................................................................................. 6 MONITORING PROGRAM ............................................................................................................................. 6 LINES OF RESPONSIBILITY ............................................................................................................................ 7 CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE CONSULTATION AND PARTICIPATION ........................................................... 7 COST ESTIMATES AND SOURCES OF FUNDS ................................................................................................ 7 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ...................................................................................................................... 11 2 Environmental Management Plan 2015 PROJECT DESCRIPTION Sarteneja is located on the north eastern tip of the mainland of Belize and for many years was inaccessible by road. It has a population of approximately 2,500 and the primary economic activities are fishing, farming and tourism. The primary source of income in Sarteneja Village is from the sea – principally through traditional free diving for lobster, conch and finfish, but more recently, also through fly‐fishing and reef tourism. About 80% of the households fully depend on this industry which is also considered one of the primary stakeholders of the Belize Barrier Reef. As production and earnings from fishing continue to decline there has been a commensurate increase in tourism and farming. Increasing numbers of young people are also leaving the community for jobs in the larger urban centres, primarily Corozal Town, Orange Walk Town and Belize City. Transportation and travel costs are major challenges to the development of any locally based initiatives. Poverty assessment figures are just below the average for the Corozal district, but unemployment, particularly among the youths, continues to be above the national average. In recent years there has been an increase in tourism related activities, primarily fly‐fishing and reef tours. Tourism is increasing as a potential income earner, with tours being done to a variety of destination, including Cerros archeological site, Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, Shipstern Conservation and Management Area, and Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve. Sarteneja has a great potential of becoming a tourism destination which could provide a variety of alternative livelihood other than reef fishing. Sarteneja has an increase of visits every year from tourists which is estimated to be from four-five hundred (400-500) per annum. Access is a major challenge because existing road and air services are poor and/or costly. The Sarteneja Tour Guide Association (STGA) is a community-based organization which was registered on 23rd May, 2007 to represent the interests of tour guides based from Sarteneja. Currently, the organization consists of 33 members. These tour guides have benefitted from past participation in Alternative Livelihood initiatives targeted at providing traditional fishermen with training to enable a switch to an alternative sustainable income source - as tour guides. The organization is working towards facilitation of the economic shift of Sarteneja away from fishing, through promoting an environment for the development of sustainable, environmentally- aware tourism, in which the community can develop as a natural and cultural tourism destination, and in which local tour guides can be employed as an alternative to traditional fishing. Along with many other benefits the organization has established Sarteneja Adventure Tours as a tour company with a tour operator license, to increase the feasibility of tour guiding as a full time alternative for Sartenejan fishermen. The goal of STGA is to increase the tourism visits of Sarteneja but in order to make this possible the association’s strategy is to provide a more reliable and less expensive means of transportation through its water taxi services. Additionally, a water-taxi service will benefit different sectors of 3 Environmental Management Plan 2015 the community like hotels, restaurants, bars, and others through increased visitation; as well as benefitting students and people who need to commute daily to their workplaces in and around Corozal Town. This would enable these people to travel faster and cheaper towards their respectful destinations. In Sarteneja where availability of financing is limited and constricted to certain tourism and agricultural activities, attracting more farmers and fishers into the tourism industry can contribute significantly to livelihood security while lessening the stress to the forest ecosystems in the surrounding area and the marine. This project will provide the boat and equipment needed to get the water taxi service started. PROJECT OBJECTIVES 1. Provide STGA with equipment and human resources needed to deliver improved and professional service to customers. 2. Build adequate capacity within young men and women in the community to provide tourism services and provide them with an alternate to traditional fishing. 3. Improve tourism infrastructure and marketing through the expansion and improvement of transportation service and renovation of the office for water taxi business. PROJECT ACTIVITIES 1. Provide reliable transportation for residents and tourists between Sarteneja and Corozal Town. 2. Provide a boat and equipment to be used as a water taxi. 3. Provide a trained crew to operate the boat and equipment. 4. Provide regular scheduled water taxi service between Sarteneja and Corozal Town. 5. Actively market the project so that the tour guide association can generate income transporting visitors to and from Sarteneja. 6. Create opportunities for members to provide marine tours to visitors to Sarteneja. EXPECTED RESULTS The expected results include: a) Increased and improved transportation and communication between Sarteneja and Corozal Town; b) Increased tourism in the Sarteneja area; c) increase in household incomes for those groups participating in the project; and d) increased economic activity in the Sarteneja community. EXPECTED IMPACTS The expected impacts of the project are: • Those related to recreational use of coastal natural resources; and 4 Environmental Management Plan 2015 • Those related to boating activities. In regards to the recreational use of coastal resources, the potential negative coastal environmental impacts would result from: i. the presence of a high number of people on fragile ecosystems (in this case terrestrial and marine reserves), ii. pressure on limited local resources and increased invasion of natural areas, iii. loss of natural habitat, iv. Altered or distressed animal behaviour, v. Erosion, vi. introduction of non-indigenous species, vii. and illegal sub-aquatic fishing. In general terms, land degradation and land-use change, as well as habitat loss and different impacts and effects on biodiversity result directly from the construction of tourist facilities and infrastructure through the clearing of wetlands and the extraction of building materials. The potential negative environmental impacts of boating activities include: i. Release of Hydrocarbon and other substances, in the form of unburnt or incompletely burnt fuel, particulates and traces of oil, into the environment by the engines of recreational and commercial small crafts, particularly outboard engines. While it is estimated that this represents only a small share (2%) of overall hydrocarbon releases from land-based activities, it needs to be taken into consideration and adequately addressed. ii. Oil and bilge water discharge. Again this is a very small percentage but still needs to be addressed. iii. Noise pollution, particularly for aquatic animals. In accordance with standards, the authorized level of noise emitted by new engines has been limited since 2006. However, when operated at speed close to the shore, engine noise is perceived as a nuisance in sensitive areas such as beaches or natural protected areas. iv. Solid waste discharge into the sea. While this is a problem for larger vessels (merchant vessels, cruise ships, fishing vessels etc.), it is still a concern from small commercial and recreational vessels. v. Antifouling paints: they are used to prevent marine organisms developing on the surface