The region's Caribbean coast is under intense pressure from anthropogenic order, as the populations of the five departments that comprise the region, reach a total of just over 1. 7 million inhabitants which represents 28% of the total population. Most of the population are Garifunas and Miskito (ethnic groups), which are located along the coastal area of the country. These ethnic communities are highly vulnerable, living in poverty and are seriously threatened by the degradation of natural resources. The area also is considered one of the most vulnerable regions of the country and receiving impacts from hurricanes and tropical storms, which left large footprints each year. The Honduran Caribbean is one of the most vulnerable regions in Central America, related to storms, floods and hurricane impacts.
The Caribbean region of Honduras covers an approximate length of 671 km of coastline in addition to 193 km long coast of the Bay Islands. Includes a total of 13 protected areas established and 16 in the process of being declared. The region encompasses a wide range of ecosystems, from coral reefs, coastal lagoons, broadleaf forests, mangrove forests and wetlands, among others. Honduras is part of the Mesoamerican Coral Reef System, the second largest coral reef in the world.
The expression of interest for this project includes 6 protected areas located in the coastal area of Honduras and Honduran Caribbean.
The strategic and thematic lines of intervention for strengthening these marine protected areas are aimed at strengthening the mechanisms and planning tools, management and coordination of protected areas, based on the results of biological monitoring and administration, self-sustainability and visibility of community development opportunities, local participation and socioeconomic development and the professionalization and implementation of services and protected area management capacity building human and equipment (staff and partners and infrastructure surveillance, materials and equipment). << Read less

Strengthen the management and coordination of 6 protected marine areas located in the coastal area of Honduras and Honduran Caribbean.

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Coastal marine resources (beaches, sea grasses, mangroves, coral reefs, snails, lobsters, snappers, groupers, and other valuable species) in Honduras have undergone a severe decline due to unsustainable fishing and tourism practices, habitat alteration and deterioration in water quality. These resources are fundamental as they are the basis for socio-economic development of the area. Of the 23 existing marine protected areas in the National System of Protected Areas of Honduras concerning the conservation of marine resources, some do not have the legal and management mechanisms or the margin required to achieve their conservation objectives. There is also evidence that many of these proposed protected areas and special characteristics but without a definition which heightens marine ecosystem loss and weakens the fragile political structure organization and managerial capacity of local authorities, which threatens these areas. << Read less

Public funds in the budget for the ICF, Reforestation Fund, Forest Reinvestment Fund, The Nature Conservancy, GTZ, municipal governments, NGO’s, WWF, Global Environmental Facility  (GEF)

This project will contribute with the consolidation of co-management, advisory councils, elaboration and implementation of management plans based on the conservation agenda of the Marine Protected Areas that promote sustainable economic activities (fishery, tourism, etc..) and conservation of marine biodiversity, in ways to contribute poverty reduction and accomplish the millennium goals.

Various institutions have a mandate on protected areas of the country. The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment (SERNA) is leading the environmental sector and is a focal point for the Convention on Biological Diversity, Ramsar, Climate Change Convention, and other related conventions. The National Institute of Forest Conservation, Protected Areas and Wildlife (ICF) is the body responsible for regulating the management and use of forest resources, administration and management of protected areas and wildlife of the country.
The Directorate of Biodiversity (DiBio/SERNA), in close coordination with the Department of Protected Areas (DAP/ICF), have been working in themes related to the Work Program on Protected Areas of the Convention of Biological Divertsity and other related conventions. The Department of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG) formulates, coordinates, implements and evaluates policies of fisheries areas, aquaculture and agricultural production and conservation in general. The Directorate General of Fisheries (DIGEPESCA) in conjunction with the SAG is Dibio / SERNA and DAP / ICF accountable for the commitments related to the Ramsar Convention.
Moreover, the Honduran Institute of Tourism (IHT) encourages and promotes tourism as an alternative economic activity to promote national development through the conservation, production and rational use of natural resources and promotion of tourist revenue for community residents within the protected area in the zone. << Read less

Goal 1.1: To establish and strengthen national and regional systems of protected areas integrated into a global network as a contribution to globally agreed goals
Goal 1.2: To integrate protected areas into broader land- and seascapes and sectors so as to maintain ecological structure and function
Goal 1.4: To substantially improve site-based protected area planning and management
Goal 1.5: To prevent and mitigate the negative impacts of key threats to protected areas
Goal 2.1: To promote equity and benefit-sharing
Goal 2.2: To enhance and secure involvement of indigenous and local communities and relevant stakeholders
Goal 3.1: To provide an enabling policy, institutional and socio-economic environment for protected areas
Goal 3.2: To build capacity for the planning, establishment and management of protected areas
Goal 3.4: To ensure financial sustainability of protected areas and national and regional systems of protected areas
Goal 3.5: To strengthen communication, education and public awareness
Goal 4.1 - To develop and adopt minimum standards and best practices for national and regional protected area systems
Goal 4.3: To assess and monitor protected area status and trends
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