Eco -Auditing the Mesoamerican Reef

The international organization known as the Healthy Reefs for Healthy People has released its 2021 Eco-Audit on the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System.

This year's audit is the 4th that they've done on the coral reef system that stretches just under 700 miles along the coastlines of 4 countries: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. The Mesoamerican Reef, or the MAR, is the largest reef system in the Western Hemisphere. It begins at the northern tip of the Yucatan Peninsula, and it runs all the way down to the Bay Islands of Honduras.

Healthy Reefs for Healthy People is an initiative of over 70 organizations that have been studying the MAR since its formation in 2003. They've published assessment tools like the reef report card and their 4 eco-audits on the overall health of the reef system.

This morning, they released the result of their 2021 Eco-Audit, and in the summary of their findings, they say that Belize is once again leading the other 3 countries taking proactive steps to protect the reef:

Dr. Melanie McField - Director, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People
"The 2021 Eco Audit is now in, and Belize has again secured the highest score with 70% of the recommended management actions now complete. This is followed closely by Honduras, Mexico, and Guatemala. Since our last eco audit in 2016, the regional score increased from 62 to 66%, with Honduras and Guatemala having the largest gains. 12 of the indicators increased 10 remain the same, and 6 actually declined. Sewage and Sanitation finally had a substantial increase, going from 46% to 56%, with all 3 indicators having an increase. Ecosystem-based fisheries from 60 to 72%, with parrot fish protections across the MAR, and several other increases in the protection of fish spawning aggregations. Marine Protect Areas, though actually had a decrease, from 70 to 66%, primarily because we finally adjusted the criteria up to our actual target of 20% in full protection. Private sector engagement is now our lowest theme, indicating an urgent need, but also an opportunity to develop stronger alliances with businesses."

As you heard, that was a snapshot of the performance by all 4 countries. Here now is a summary of Belize's performance in this eco-audit, which was provided by Nicole Craig, the Belize Coordinator of the Healthy Reefs Initiative:

Nicole Craig - Country Coordinator, Health for Healthy People
"Belize's overall Eco-Audit score slightly increased from 68% in 2016 to 70% this year. Belize expanded the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve, to better manage resources on our side of the amazing Cayman Crown Reef. This increases the percent of territorial sea included in Gazetted marine protected areas and demonstrates a collaborative approach to science and conservation. The Revised Fisheries Act empowers fishers with specific rights-based benefits countrywide, raising this action from 40 to 100% implementation. We now have a total of 8 recommendations that have been fully implemented, more than any other country. Belize has some important emerging efforts to engage our private sector directly in conservation, such as the Fish Right Eat Right campaign, which should help us achieve more sustainable seafood. But overall, there is not a high level of private sector engagement or incentives offered by the Government. Belize also urgently needs to improve sewage treatment facilities, given our growing population. This indicator has not improved at all over the last decade."

If you would like a more detailed breakdown of the audit team's assessment of how each of the 4 countries performed in the 28 management actions, you can find a link to a 1 hour-and-20-minute webinar on their Healthyreefs YouTube page (See below).

Channel 7

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2021 Eco-Audit Launch Webinar

Healthy Reefs Initiative in commemoration of the Mesoamerican Reef Day, launches its 2021 Eco-Audit, a rigorous evaluation of the region’s efforts to protect and sustainably manage its coral reefs. This Eco-Audit documents the extent to which 28 recommended management actions have been implemented in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico since our last evaluation in 2016.

2021 Eco Audit Results

We share with you the latest 2021 Eco Audit results for the Mesoamerican Reef and each of its countries: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala and Honduras. You can download all the Means Of Verification in our webpage in our new 2021 Interactive Eco Audit: www.healthyreefs.org.

2021 Eco-Audit reveals low progress in the protection of the Mesoamerican Reef System

On Wednesday, March 10th, the Healthy Reefs Initiative released the 2021 Eco-Audit of the Mesoamerican (MAR) Reef countries. The Eco-Audit is a rigorous evaluation of the region’s effort to protect and sustainably manage the reef system. Belize rated the highest overall score at 70%, followed by Honduras with 66%, Mexico at 64%, and Guatemala with the lowest score of 62%. Belize scored a 12% overall increase, with Guatemala recording the most significant increase at 18%. However, the overall progress increase to 66% from 2016’s 54% is considered far too slow.

The 2016 Eco-Audit urgently called for swift implementation of management action, but the new report says the rate of implementations has declined, and the reefs have suffered in the region. According to the audit, the Mesoamerican reef, mostly along the Belizean coast, faces many intensifying threats; thus, protection measures must increase. The 2020 Mesoamerican Reef Report Card recorded our first decline in reef health over a decade of monitoring. This data was collected before the detection of the stony coral tissue loss disease outbreak. Another problem detected since 2015 is the back-to-back coral beaching and declines in water quality from pollution.

There was a drop in Marine Protected Areas (MPA) from 70% to 66%. The decline is partly due to the grading criteria for the percent of territorial sea and the percent of coral reef area within fully protected replenishment zones. The grading criteria were raised from the intermediate criteria targets detailed in 2011. Both these Replenishment Zone targets are now set to the stated 20% target for full completion, as planned from the first Eco-Audit in 2011 and recommended in the 2008 Report Card. There were also recent impacts to management capacity and enforcement, particularly in Honduras, for MPAs that rely heavily on visitor fees.

Click here to read the rest of the article in the San Pedro Sun

A Health Check on the Status of Belize’s Reef!

The Healthy Reefs Initiative has released the 2021 Eco-Audit of the Mesoamerican Reef countries, which include Belize, Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras.  The study evaluates the region’s efforts to protect and sustainably manage coral reefs.  Compared to the 2016 audit, the latest report shows Belize’s reef score has surpassed the other three countries.  Healthy Reefs for Healthy People created a summary of the findings.

Nicole Craig, Country Coordinator, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People
“Belize’s overall Eco-Audit score slightly increased from sixty-eight percent in 2016 to seventy percent this year. Belize expanded the Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve to better manage resources on our side of the amazing Cayman Crown Reef, this increases the percent of territorial sea included in gazetted marine protected areas and demonstrates a collaborative approach to science and conservation. The revised Fisheries Act empowers fishers with specific rights-based benefits countrywide, raising this action from forty to one hundred percent implementation. We now have a total of eight recommendations that have been fully implemented, more than any other country. Belize has some important emerging efforts to engage our private sector directly in conservation, such as the Fish Right Eat Right campaign which should help us achieve more sustainable seafood. But, overall, there is not a high level of private sector engagement or incentives offered by the Government. Belize also urgently needs to improve sewage treatment facilities, given our growing population and this indicator has not improved at all over the last decade.”

Dr. Melanie McField, Director, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People

“The 2021 Eco Audit is now in, and Belize has again secured the highest score with seventy percent of the recommended management actions now complete; this followed closely by Honduras, Mexico, and Guatemala. Since our last eco audit in 2016, the regional score increased from sixty-two to sixty-six percent, with Honduras and Guatemala having the largest gains; twelve of the indicators increased; ten remain the same, and six actually declined. Sewage and sanitation finally had a substantial increase, going from forty-six percent to fifty-six percent, with all three indicators having an increase. Ecosystem-based fisheries from sixty to seventy-two, with parrot fish protections across the MAR and several other increases in the protection of fish spawning aggregations. Marine Protect Areas, though, actually had a decrease, from seventy to sixty-six percent, primarily because we finally adjusted the criteria up to our actual target of twenty percent in full protection.”

Channel 5