Port Honduras Marine Reserve

Port Honduras Marine Reserve 2009 Monitoring Program Results

Dr. Nicola L. Foster & Mr. Marlon Williams February 26th 2010

Port Honduras Marine Reserve (PHMR) • Declared an MPA in 2000 • Co-management agreement with Fisheries Department • Covers 414 km2 • Reserve divided into 3 zones: – General Use Zone (95%) – Conservation Zone (4%) – Preservation Zone (1%)

Port Honduras Marine Reserve • Estuarine in character • 7 major watersheds flow into PHMR • Freshwater plumes extend to Snake Cayes during rainy season • 4 main ecosystems: – coastal & tidal wetlands – marine lagoonal habitats – fringing reefs – 138 mangrove cayes

Community Participation • Since 2004, 38 community researchers trained in SCUBA diving & monitoring techniques • Researchers assist marine biologists with the biological monitoring program

Biological Monitoring Program • Established in 2004 following baseline study • Coupled with regional Meso-American Barrier initiative & national conch & lobster programs • Since 2007, extended to include additional sites & activities in both GUZ & NTZ • Ecosystems are monitored regularly • To assess health of habitats & associated organisms • To assess populations of commercial spp. • To assess effectiveness of reserve & NTZ

Water Quality

• Water quality is surveyed at 17 sites every month using an electronic sensor • We record: • water temperature • salinity • pH • dissolved oxygen • Turbidity is measured using a secchi disk lowered into the water

Coral Reefs, Reef Fish & Diadema

• 8 sites surveyed twice a year • 5 x 30m transects – record benthic cover every 25cm - coral, algae, sea fans, bare rock, etc • 50 colonies surveyed for size, disease, mortality & bleaching • 8 x 30m transects – count juvenile & adult reef fish & Diadema (sea urchins) • 30 minute rover diver survey – fish abundance

Conch & Lobster • Surveyed before & after closed seasons every year • Lobster - 12 sites • 60 minute timed swim per site • Measure carapace length, sex, presence of eggs • Conch – 16 sites • 5, 50m x 2m transects • Measure shell length, lip width & lip thickness

Source: Alex Tilley

Coral Bleaching • Surveys conducted in coordination with the Belize Coral Reef Monitoring Network • Reefs surveyed by organisations across Belize if bleaching is observed during other monitoring • Use weighted bar-drop method to survey 200 colonies per site at 6 sites • Record level of bleaching on each colony – none, pale, partial bleaching, whole bleaching (>90%)

Fisheries Stock Assessment • Focal species; Conch, Lobster, all finfish • Fish landings once a week at: - Monkey River market - Punta Gorda market - Rio Grande Fisheries Cooperative • Surveys aboard foreign boats: - 4 consecutive days per month

Fisheries Stock Assessment • Record details of hours fishing, number of fishers, gear used – catch per unit effort • Finfish: - Species, weight, total length, fork length • Conch: -Weight, shell length, lip width, lip thickness • Lobster: -Weight, carapace length, tail length, segment width, sex & maturity • To estimate size of fish stocks

Seagrass

• 2 sites surveyed quarterly in association with SeagrassNet • 3 permanent transects per site • Species, percent cover, density, canopy height & evidence of grazing/flowers recorded in 12 random quadrats along each transect • Specimen & sediment samples collected • Temperature & light loggers deployed

Mangroves

• Annual assessment at East Snake Caye • Community composition – species, tree height & diameter recorded in 3 plots • Productivity – leaf litter measured over 1 month period in 3 plots

Water Temperature – 2009 36

Joe Taylor Creek Mouth Rio Grande

34

Moho/Stuart Hen & Chicken

32

Golden Stream

Water Temperature (oC)

Deep River Man O War

30

Wilson Caye S of West Snake Caye

28

East Snake Caye N of Middle Snake Caye

26

S of Punta Negra Astera Site (Punta Negra) Monkey River Mouth

24

N of Monkey River Punta Y Cacos

22

Inside Monkey River Average for PHMR_2009

20

Average for PHMR_2008

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

• Varies by site & by month but clear trends visible

Water Temperature – 2008 vs 2009 32 Water Temperature (oC)

31 30 29 28 27 26 25

Average for PHMR_2009

24 Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Average for PHMR_2008 Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

• 2009 warmer, on average, than 2008 • October through February – coldest months • May through September – warmest months

Dissolved Oxygen – 2009 12

Joe Taylor Creek Mouth Rio Grande Moho/Stuart

10

Hen & Chicken

Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l)

Golden Stream Deep River

8

Man O War Wilson Caye S of West Snake Caye

6

East Snake Caye N of Middle Snake Caye S of Punta Negra

4

Astera Site (Punta Negra) Monkey River Mouth N of Monkey River

2

Punta Y Cacos Inside Monkey River Average for PHMR_2009

0

Average for PHMR_2008

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

• Varies by site, less variation among months

Dissolved Oxygen – 2009 Dissolved Oxygen (mg/l)

10 8 6 4 2

Average for PHMR_2009

Average for PHMR_2008

0 Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

• Jan – Apr 2009 – large increase in DO • 2008 – lower dissolved oxygen • 2009 more stable conditions – healthier?

Turbidity – 2009 1800

Joe Taylor Creek Mouth Rio Grande

1600

Moho/Stuart Hen & Chicken

Vertical Visibility (cm)

1400

Golden Stream Deep River

1200

Man O War Wilson Caye

1000

S of West Snake Caye East Snake Caye

800

N of Middle Snake Caye S of Punta Negra

600

Astera Site (Punta Negra) Monkey River Mouth

400

N of Monkey River Punta Y Cacos

200

Inside Monkey River Average for PHMR_2009

0 Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

• Highly variable among sites & months

Turbidity – 2009 Vertical Visibility (cm)

700

Average for PHMR_2009

600 500 400 300 200 100 0 Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Dec

• PHMR notoriously turbid • July has lowest vertical visibility levels – most sediment in water – rainy season • March - has highest visibility – dry season

Average Number of Lobsters Hr-1

Spiny Lobster – 2003 to 2009 16 14

GUZ

NTZ

12 10 8 6 4 2 0 2003

2004

2005

2006

2008

2009

• Gradual increase in numbers from 2003 – 2009 • No difference in numbers observed in GUZ & NTZ • Are the NTZ big enough to be effective?

Queen Conch – 2004 to 2009 Average Number of Conch Ha-1

140 120

GUZ

NTZ

100 80 60 40 20 0 2004

2005

2006

2008

2009

• Gradual increase in numbers from 2004 – 2009 • Since 2008, greater numbers in NTZ compared to GUZ • Are the NTZ big enough to be effective?

Live Coral Cover (%)

Live Coral Cover 2003 to 2009 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 2003

2004

2005

2006

2008

2009

• Increase in live coral cover from 2003 – 2009 • Is PHMR effective in protecting coral reefs?

Macroalgae Cover 2003 to 2009 25

Macroalgae Cover (%)

20 15 10 5 0 2003

2004

2005

2006

2008

2009

• Low cover of macroalgae essential for coral recruitment • Decline in macroalgal cover from 2003 – 2005 but increase from 2006 – was this due to mass bleaching in 2005?

Average Number of Reef Fish per 100m2

Reef Fish Density 2003 to 2009 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 2003

2004

2005

2006

2008

2009

• Reef fish essential to maintain low cover of algae through grazing • Large decline in reef fish abundance from 2003 – 2009, no sign of recovery • Could this be due to over-fishing?

Coral Bleaching – October 2009 25

Colonies Affected (%)

20

Pale

Partial Bleach

Whole Bleach

15 10 5 0 East Snake East Snake West Snake South Snake Middle Frenchman Caye 1 Caye 2 Caye Caye Snake Caye Caye

• Bleaching of corals observed in PHMR during October 2009 • On average, 18% of colonies at each site showed signs of bleaching – due to warm water • 48% bleached in 2008 – despite cooler water

Coral Bleaching – December 2009 60

Oct-09

Colonies Affected (%)

50

Dec-09

40 30 20 10 0 East Snake Caye 1

East Snake Caye 2

West Snake South Snake Middle Snake Frenchman Caye Caye Caye Caye

• Decrease in severity & number of colonies bleached by December – 3oC decrease in water temperature • On average, 11% of colonies at each site affected in December

Other Results • Data for the fisheries stock assessment, seagrass monitoring & mangrove monitoring is still being collated & analysed • Results for these areas will be presented later in 2010, either in a newsletter or meeting

Conclusions • PHMR relatively healthy in terms of benthic cover • Coral & macroalgal cover – in delicate balance will be closely monitored for changes in 2010 • Numbers of reef fish are very low • Conch & lobster populations shown minimal recovery • More protection required for key species – conch, lobster, finfish • Recommend increase in no take area from 5% to 15-20% of reserve area

Questions/Feedback?? • Do you have recommendations for monitoring? • What would you like to see monitored? • Do you think we need to increase no take areas?

To contact us after this meeting with suggestions/comments, please feel free to call into the TIDE office in Hopeville, phone on 722-2274 or contact us via email: [email protected]

Port Honduras Marine Reserve Management Plan Revision

Dr. Nicola L. Foster & Mr. Alastair Daly February 26th 2010

What is the Management Plan? • Guidelines to help protect the physical & biological resources of Port Honduras Marine Reserve • Guidelines for monitoring, surveillance & patrolling, to preserve the area • Guidelines to provide education programs & opportunities to the surrounding coastal communities

Why are we revising it? • First management plan completed in 1999/2000 - outdated • Guidelines need to be updated & brought in line with new policies, conservation practices, activities & threats

• Must now review the successes & challenges of ten years of reserve co-management • Ensure the full participation of stakeholders in the process • Determine direction of PHMR management for the next 5 years

What have we done so far? • Completed literature review (internal & external documents) • Reviewed goals of current management plan – To protect the physical and biological resources of the PHMR – To provide education and research – To preserve the value of the area for fisheries – To develop recreation and tourism services – To strive for sustainable financing

What have we done so far? • Reviewed research & monitoring goals - Improve data collection, make compatible nationally & internationally & in turn help preserve our marine habitats & biodiversity -Areas to be monitored include; coral, reef fish, conch, lobster, sea grass, mangroves, turtles, manatee, seabirds, sedimentation rates, water quality & fish stocks

• Identified conservation targets & threats for populations/ecosystems

What have we done so far?

• Adaptive Management Survey:

- Conducted in July/August 2009 by 3 volunteers - Surveyed 88 households & 28 fishers about PHMR • Over 90% of respondents said TIDE should continue to have co-management responsibilities of PHMR

Neither Only DoF Only TIDE

TIDE & DoF 91%

What have we done so far? • Adaptive Management Survey: - But, there were some areas for improvements, particularly in enforcement & outreach 20 Great

Good

OK

Bad & could be improved

No opinion/don't know

15 10 5 0 Research

Education

Conservation of resources

Training

Outreach

Enforcement

What have we done so far?

• Anonymous Questionnaire in October 2009: Q1. The conservation zone currently only covers 5% of the PHMR. How much do you think it should cover?

% Respondents

30 25 20 15 10 5 0 5% (the Increase Increase Increase Increase current to 10% to 15% to 20% to 25% amount)

• Over 80% of respondents think the conservation

zone should be increased to 10% or more

What are we doing now? • Requesting Community Input: – Consult with regular users of PHMR - fisherman, tour guides, etc & involve them in the shaping of the plan – Consult with buffer communities of PHMR – Identify points of contact for each community; • Tanya Garbutt (Monkey River) • Pastor Ray Jacobs & Kenworth Martin (Punta Negra) • Martin Reyes & Dan Castellanos (Punta Gorda)

• Guidance & support from Fisheries Department through entire process

What are we doing now? • Researching conservation practices & policies which may benefit PHMR, its fisheries & stakeholders: – Catch shares – Special licenses – Extension of no take areas from 5% to >20% – Extension of the reserve northward to Rocky Point

We Need Your Input! • Are you happy with the current management of PHMR? • Are there areas for improvement? Where? • What would you like to see included in the new plan? • Where would you put new no take zones (map)? To contact us after this meeting with suggestions/comments, please feel free to call into the TIDE office in Hopeville, phone on 722-2274 or contact us via email: [email protected]

Thank You!!

For more information, please feel free to call into the TIDE office in Hopeville, visit the website at www.tidebelize.org or contact us via email: [email protected]