When Joel Verde grew up in the coastal community of Sarteneja, Belize, becoming a fisherman seemed to be his only opportunity. But his family encouraged him to follow a different path. Today, he is executive director of the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development. The alliance co-manages Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary with coastal communities: “It was important to gain the trust of the people in the area and let them know that we are agents of protection for their own benefit.”
What role does the ocean have in your life?
When I was young, the people of Sarteneja had two options: to become a fisherman or a small-scale farmer. My father, a fisherman, wanted a different future for his children, because my older brother passed away during a fishing accident. After graduating high school I wanted to support my family to enable my younger brothers to continue their education. I moved away from my home town to end up fishing after all. I actually enjoyed the job, because it made me see the ocean with different eyes: for the first time I truly saw how beautiful it is.
I noticed that other fishermen didn’t see the ocean the way I did. A farmer must first learn how to grow crops in a way that is also beneficial in the long term. But fishermen just started fishing at a young age without being aware of their impact on the marine ecosystem. For my colleagues, it was just a matter of harvesting as much as possible as if the resources were endless. This lack of awareness was very concerning to me.
When I had the opportunity to obtain my tour guide license, I took it with both hands. I worked as a tour guide in the cruise industry for a while. My passion for the ocean and the diving skills I developed as a fisherman made me very successful in this job. When the consequences of a hurricane made it impossible to work with cruise companies for a while, together with other guides I started a tour guide association to promote sustainable tourism opportunities involving the communities. This was the first step in establishing the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development (SACD), of which I became the executive director a few years later.
“We realised that we could not just start arresting people. Banning the people who have been fishing in the area for generations — this would not have never worked. ”
How do you involve communities in coastal management?
The Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is being managed according to a plan that was developed in consultation with the people of five different communities. This includes the village of Sarteneja, the largest user of resources in the area. The reserve was established in 1998, but was a ‘paper park’ with no proper management plan for several years. In 2012, SACD became part of the co-management agreement, making us an official authority.
Belize has national regulations for its protected areas and it is our responsibility to apply those rules. To be honest, it was difficult at first: people were not used to following the rules and some fishermen did not even know they were fishing in a wildlife sanctuary. We realised that we could not just start arresting people. Banning the people who have been fishing in the area for generations — this would not have never worked. Instead, we started educational programmes and developed partnerships with fishermen and other users of the area. We wanted to understand their perspectives on their work and the natural resources.
Our organisation grew from the communities, yet it was important to gain the trust of the people in the area and let them know that we are agents of protection for their benefit. I believe that engagement of the local people in the decision-making processes is one of the most important elements for a successful outcome. It is key that we understand the traditions and needs of people to safeguard our natural resources while at the same time contributing to resilient communities.
“We also looked into alternative income sources. This made clear that fishermen have to be connected to the ocean in their daily work. It is not just their income, it is their way of life.”
In the negotiation process we involve all stakeholders with the objective to establish regulations benefiting both the ecosystems and people’s livelihoods. Currently, we are working with the ministry to see how to implement conditional permits based on the regulations we developed with the communities. We also looked into alternative livelihoods. This made clear that fishermen have to be connected to the ocean in their daily work. It is not just their income, it is their way of life.
We developed a concept called “Pesca Tours” combining fishing activities with community tourism. In addition to fishing, tourists can also join fishermen in their homes to have a home-cooked meal with their families. This way, fishermen have alternative sources of income while continuing their traditional livelihood in a sustainable way. The pandemic has complicated the implementation of this project, but I believe it will have a positive impact on both people’s livelihood, including fisheries, and coastal conservation in the area.
We are working on a “no new fishermen” policy, meaning only recognised fishermen from the area applying traditional fishing methods are allowed to fish in the reserve. The users of the resources are happy with this policy. At this point, the local fishermen are familiar with the regulations of the reserve; some of them help us to report illegal fishing activities. Their appreciation of natural resources is gradually changing. It is a cultural change that takes time.
Today, we combine our educational and outreach programmes with control and enforcement, which means we also have to arrest people now and then. Most illegal fishing is now done by fishermen from outside the area. Since we are in a border area, we have established a good relationship with the Mexican authorities. Through a shared system, we have helped to reduce illegal fishing activities.
“At this point, local fishermen are familiar with the regulations of the reserve; some of them help us to report illegal fishing activities.”
But it is not only people from outside the reserve fishing illegally. Some fishermen believe they are traditional, because they are part of the five communities of Corozal Bay. This only does not entitle them to fish in the reserve. It is also about the techniques they are using.There are regulations in place. But, enforcement is not our only goal. We focus on educating the communities on how to take better care of their coastal and marine resources and make them aware of the importance of sustainable fishing, also for their own long-term benefit.
Our collaboration with WWF takes place at different levels. The Smart Coasts project aims to include climate-smart principles into the management of marine protected areas and coastal development in countries surrounding the Mesoamerican Reef. We provide data for this project, for example on water quality and ecosystems. We also share this information with the communities. More recently, WWF and SACD started working together to communicate about climate change and the benefits of a sustainable use of resources to the communities. We do this both online and offline.
“I still see a lack of engagement from youth. With them being more involved, we could have a brighter future. In community-led conservation it is important that we are all in it together. Young people can be the agents of change.”
At the moment, the coastal development sector is our biggest challenge. The number of buildings being constructed and the destruction of the coastline of the Corozal Bay Wildlife Sanctuary has increased significantly. Through outreach activities we make people aware of the importance of critical ecosystems, such as mangroves, also for the protection of people and their land. This new threat to the coastal ecosystems has a significant impact on fish stocks; we explain to the communities that if we lose the mangroves, the fish stocks will only further decrease because of losing their habitat.
I believe it is important to involve more young people. We already have projects involving youth stimulating them to work in marine and coastal management and, most importantly, show them the importance of our natural resources. I still see a lack of engagement from youth. With them being more involved, we could have a brighter future. In community-led conservation it is important that we are all in it together. Youth can be agents of change. Young people can start their own initiatives, and one initiative building on another leads to a sustainable use of coastal and marine resources. Young people can be the agents of change.
When Joel Verde grew up in the coastal community of Sarteneja, Belize, becoming a fisherman seemed to be his only opportunity. But his family encouraged him to follow a different path. Today, he is executive director of the Sarteneja Alliance for Conservation and Development.