The overall goal of the project was to reduce the impact of the Sarteneja Community on the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System by facilitating participatory community planning for the sustainable use of this resource base.  The country’s success in promoting sustainable use of marine resources is largely dependent on how well we work with communities to identify and implement sustainable livelihood initiatives that provide alternate income sources that replace income sources associated to the unsustainable use of marine resources.  This project seeked to enhance the capacity of the Sarteneja Community to articulate their development priorities and become meaningful participants in local development activities as a means of selecting and successfully implementing sustainable livelihood initiatives, such as eco-tourism, that are best suited to their dynamics and needs.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES

• To engage the community of Sarteneja in conducting marine and fishing research in order for them to understand conservation and fishing issues the community is facing.
• Engage the community, especially the fishers in analyzing the research data on results.
• Facilitate the development of solutions for the conservation and fishing issues and assist the community in crafting their strategic development plan.
• Build the capacity of the community by engaging them in the research and understanding of marine conservation and fishing issues through the implementation of training seminars in planning and project management.

Links:

• Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism:
  www.caricom-fisheries.com
• Coastal Zone Management Authority Institute:
  www.coastalzonebelize.org