Cite as: Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute (CZMAI). 2016. Belize Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan. CZMAI, Belize City. The reproduction of this publication for educational and sourcing purposes is authorized, with the recognition of intellectual property rights of the authors. Reproduction for commercial purposes is prohibited without the prior written permission of the copyright holder. © Belize Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute All Rights Reserved Belize Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute 2016 Page | i THE VISION FOR OUR COAST A sustainable future where healthy ecosystems support, and are supported by, thriving local communities and a vibrant economy FOREWORD The coastal zone is one of Belize’s greatest assets, and is vital to the Belizean way of life. Belize’s highly productive coastal zone is the resource base that supports a broad range of economic activities and contributes significantly to the environmental, social and cultural fabric of our country. It is therefore imperative that we are able to identify and implement informed management solutions that will aid us as a people and a government to safeguard the wealth of coastal and marine resources from which we all benefit. The National Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan for Belize is a comprehensive and cross-sectoral planning framework that offers robust strategic solutions that build on the national agenda for growth, sustainable development and improved resources management. It links the economic potential and ecological value of the coastal zone with a balanced mix of utilization and conservation, thereby promoting the long-term viability of the Belizean coastal zone. Equally important is that the Plan will ensure that we strengthen the governance of coastal resources by effectively facilitating the transition from sectoral management regimes to coordinated, cross-sectoral decision-making processes at local and national levels. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment, and Sustainable Development is very much aware of the efforts expended by the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute and its broad constituent base in developing this Plan. The policy options and management strategies formulated within the Plan’s framework are founded on strong science and the shared vision and goals of the national community of stewards and stakeholders of the coastal zone. This Plan is timely and reflective of not only the challenges my Ministry and this government faces in terms of how to best bolster the national economy and sustain a growing population, but it also presents many opportunities for progressive development that can result in desirable social, economic and environmental outcomes now and in the future. As the Deputy Prime Minister, it is my pleasure to endorse this Plan, a first of its kind, which represents this government’s commitment to continuously strive to meet Belize’s human and economic development needs, while also ensuring that we leave behind a viable future for generations to come. _________________________________ HON. GASPAR VEGA Deputy Prime Minister Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development Belize Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute 2016 Page | i Almost two decades ago, Belize passed the Coastal Zone Management Act, a visionary legislation that recognized the deficiencies of sectoral management and established the institutional arrangements for integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). The ICZM approach is manifested throughout the National Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan for Belize, which was developed to ensure that our coast remains a part of our future where healthy ecosystems, supported by effective cross-sectoral decision-making and technical coordination, maintain thriving coastal communities and a vibrant economy. It is undeniable that the coastal zone of Belize is a national treasure. It supports a healthy national economy, innumerable ecosystem functions, and is home to approximately forty percent of the Belizean populace. Over the years, there have been numerous threats to the integrity and long-term viability of coastal resources and the delivery of ecosystem services from which Belizeans benefit. In recent times, the adverse effects of global climate change have only served to exacerbate the deleterious impacts of unplanned resource utilization on our resource base of the marine environs. The Plan will allow the government to better respond to ICZM as a national cross- cutting issue, and to make defensible, enduring decisions for the sustainable development of Belize’s marine resources. Specifically, it provides a strong framework to guide resource utilization, development and future investments, while ensuring the protection of livelihoods and the wealth of biodiversity of the coastal zone. The Coastal Zone Management Authority is very pleased by the contributions made by its diverse group of stakeholders, whose knowledge base has significantly impacted the development of the Plan. The result is, unequivocally, a remarkable document of practical policies that are sure to engender confidence in the stewardship that the Authority will exercise in coordinating the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this Plan. I encourage our partners in government, the private sector and civil society to join the Authority in ensuring the successful implementation of Belize’s first ever National Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan. ____________________________________ CHANTALLE CLARKE-SAMUELS Chief Executive Officer Coastal Zone Management Authority Belize Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute 2016 Page | ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Belize Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan could not have been completed without the many interested stakeholders who supported this national planning initiative from its conception to its design, and throughout its development process to its finalization. Special thanks to Vincent Gillett, Colin Gillett, Janet Gibson, Imani Fairweather-Morrison and Leandra Cho-Ricketts, Ph.D., for their input on the framing and layout of the Plan document, and to Nicole Auil-Gomez for her thorough editorial review. Yamira Novelo and Monique Goldson were very helpful in researching and acquiring information on the human uses of the coastal zone. The Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute (CZMAI) is grateful to its partners from the Natural Capital Project at Stanford University for lending science support to the planning process through the use of its ecosystem-based decision making tool, “InVEST”. This ecosystem-based approach formed the science basis for most of the coastal zone management recommendations presented in this Plan. Special recognition must be given to the Project’s Managing Director, Mary Ruckelshaus, Ph.D., and the dedicated members of her team that worked closely with CZMAI to interpret and visualize the science outputs from InVEST. These team members are namely Katie Arkema, Ph.D., Amy Rosenthal, Gregg Verutes, Spencer Wood, Ph.D., Gregg Guannel, Ph.D., Anne Guerry, Ph.D., Jodie Toft, Ph.D., Jess Silver and Joe Faries. Thanks must also be given to Ian Gillett, Melanie McField, Ph.D., Nadia Bood and Julie Robinson for their contributions during the early phases of the application of InVEST in the capacity of participants of an advisory group. CZMAI would like to especially thank all the government ministries, departments and non-governmental organizations that generously provided spatial data sets and non-spatial information utilized in the development of this Plan. These organizations included the Land Information Center, Lands and Surveys Department, Fisheries Department, Geology and Petroleum Department, Statistical Institute of Belize, Department of the Environment, Belize Trade and Investment Development Service, Belize Port Authority, ECOMAR, Belize Audubon Society, Wildlife Conservation Society, Wildtracks, The Nature Conservancy, Turneffe Atoll Trust, Healthy Reefs Initiative, World Wildlife Fund, The Oceanic Society, Toledo Institute for Development and Environment, and Southern Environmental Association. Thanks to all the stakeholders that exercised their rights as Belizeans to have their voices heard during the consultation process. Your opinions and visions for the future of Belize’s coastal zone have been invaluable. CZMAI commends those stakeholders that helped to drive the planning process, especially through their active participation in Coastal Advisory Committees. CZMAI would like to thank the Minister and Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, the Environment and Sustainable Development, and the CZMA Board of Directors for their leadership and support. Finally, CZMAI is grateful to the Government of Belize, Oak Foundation and the Summit Foundation for financing the development of this Plan. Belize Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan Coastal Zone Management Authority & Institute 2016 Page | iii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Belize is home to the planet's second longest unbroken reef system and its coastal zone contains a rich diversity of habitats and attractions, including three atolls, several coastal lagoons, mangrove forests, and over 300 cayes. Over 40% of the Belizean population live and work in the coastal zone, which supports thriving fisheries, aquaculture and tourism