Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve Management Plan 2011 – 2016 A component of Belize’s World Heritage Site SEA Belize National Office Placencia Village Stann Creek District Belize, Central America Phone: 501-523-3377 Fax: 501-523-3395 [email protected] Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve We would like to thank the Board members, programme managers and staff of the Southern Environmental Association, and more specifically of the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve, for their participation and input into this management plan. Special thanks also go Isaias Majil (Fisheries Department), and to all stakeholders who participated in the workshops and meetings of the management planning process – particularly the tour guides and fishermen of Punta Gorda, who provided important input into the planning. A number of other people also provided technical input outside of the planning meetings and forums – particular thanks go to Melanie McField, Rachel Graham, Burton Shank, Adele Catzim and Guiseppe di Carlo, Lee Jones, Bert Frenz, John Tschirky, Russel, Vincente, Mrs. Garbutt, Armando, ReefCI, Adele Catzim and Guiseppe di Carlo. We would also like to thank Jocelyn Rae Finch and Timothy Smith for all their assistance in the preparation of the management plan, to Adam Lloyd (GIS Officer, Wildtracks) for the mapping input, and to Hilary Lohmann (Wildtracks) for editing assistance. We also appreciate the input into the previous draft management plan by Jack Nightingale in 2004, which provided much of the historical perspective for this plan. Financial support towards this management planning process was provided by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Prepared By: Wildtracks, Belize [email protected] Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve – Management Plan 2011-2016 Contents Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 7 Background and Context ............................................................................................................. 7 Purpose and Scope of Plan .......................................................................................................... 9 1. Current Status ............................................................................................................................ 11 1.1 Location ............................................................................................................................... 11 1.2 Regional Context ................................................................................................................. 14 1.3 National Context .................................................................................................................. 18 1.3.1 Legal and Policy Framework ......................................................................................... 18 1.3.2 Land and Sea Tenure .................................................................................................... 28 1.3.3 Evaluation of Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve............................................................. 31 1.3.4 Socio-Economic Context ............................................................................................... 34 1.4 Physical Environment of Management Area ....................................................................... 44 1.4.1 Climate .......................................................................................................................... 44 1.4.2 Geology ......................................................................................................................... 46 1.4.3 Bathymetry ................................................................................................................... 47 1.4.4 Tides and Water Movement ......................................................................................... 50 1.4.5 Water Parameters ........................................................................................................ 51 1.5. Biodiversity of Management Area ...................................................................................... 58 1.5.1 Ecosystems and Flora ................................................................................................... 58 1.5.2 Fauna ........................................................................................................................... 76 1.5.3 Economically Important Species .................................................................................. 82 1.6 Cultural and Stakeholder Use of Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve ..................................... 87 1.6.1 Community and Stakeholder Use ................................................................................. 87 1.6.2 Recreation and Tourism Use ......................................................................................... 88 1.6.3 Educational and Research Use...................................................................................... 90 4 Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve – Management Plan 2011-2016 2. Conservation Planning ............................................................................................................... 93 2.1 Conservation Targets ........................................................................................................... 93 2.1.1 Identification of Conservation Targets ......................................................................... 93 2.1.2 Assessment of Conservation Target Viability ............................................................. 110 2.2 Threats to Biodiversity....................................................................................................... 114 2.2.1 Identified Threats ....................................................................................................... 114 2.2.2 Prioritising Threats ..................................................................................................... 133 2.2.3 Cross cutting Strategies to Reduce Threats ................................................................ 134 2.3 Monitoring of Success of Conservation Strategies ............................................................ 135 2.4 Planning for Climate Change ............................................................................................. 136 2.4.1 Site Resilience Assessment ......................................................................................... 136 2.4.2 Identified Resources of SBRC...................................................................................... 137 2.4.3 Climate Change Impacts ............................................................................................. 138 2.4.4 Socio Economic Impacts ............................................................................................. 143 2.4.5 General Strategies ...................................................................................................... 144 2.4.6 Targeted Strategies .................................................................................................... 145 3. Management Planning ............................................................................................................ 146 3.1 Management Goals ........................................................................................................... 146 3.2 Management and Organizational Background .................................................................. 147 3.3 Review of Previous Management Effectiveness ............................................................... 152 3.4 Management Strategies .................................................................................................... 161 3.4.1 Rules and Regulations ................................................................................................ 161 3.4.2 Management Constraints and Limitations ................................................................. 162 3.4.3 Limits of Acceptable Change ...................................................................................... 165 3.5 Management Programmes and Objectives ...................................................................... 166 3.5.1 Natural Resource Management Programme ............................................................. 168 3.5.2 Research and Monitoring Programme ....................................................................... 178 3.5.3 Education and Outreach Programme ......................................................................... 185 3.5.4 Public Use Programme ............................................................................................... 190 3.5.5 Infrastructure Management Programme ................................................................... 197 3.5.6 Administrative Programme ........................................................................................ 200 5 Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve – Management Plan 2011-2016 3.5.7 Management Policies ................................................................................................. 204 3.6 Timeline, Evaluation and Review....................................................................................... 205 3.7 Financing ............................................................................................................................ 210 References ......................................................................................................................... 214