Abstract

Up to a couple of years ago, all the Belize fishing waters were managed under an open-access system. Under this system, fishers are driven by a race to fish with little regard to regulations, as their primary objective is to maximize profits in the shortest length of time. The number of licensed commercial fishers in Belize has increased steadily, and fishers target two fully-exploited species, conch and lobster. The increasing number of fishers translates to insecure live-lihoods, unstable incomes, and diminishing local, sustainable sources of protein. GRMR is one of two marine reserves in Belize managed under a rights- based regime called managed access that was introduced in mid-2011. This program pro-vides traditional fishers a secure, dedicated share of a fishing area. It encourages fishers and local communities to become stewards of the marine reserve, by ensuring that they benefit from conserving the resources – leading to resource sustain-ability and secure livelihoods. Managed access strengthens the role of the fully-protected replenishment zones by improv-ing patrols through better planning and reporting, and increasing penalties via a “three strike” rule. Preliminary results are very positive, showing an increase in catches and catch- per-unit-effort (CPUE) of conch over the past three years. The number of infractions, as well as their gravity, has also been reduced. These results are attributed to better enforcement and a more responsible cohort of fishers using the atoll. Encouraged by these improvements, the GRMR staff continues to work with its partners to seek innovative ways to strengthen management effectiveness of the reserve

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