LEX-FAOC163593

This Plan lays out strategies to facilitate the improved management of coastal and marine resources. The aim is to attain a sustainable future where healthy ecosystems support, and are supported by, thriving local communities and a vibrant economy. The strategic steps are discussed under four thematic areas: (1) Encouraging Sustainable Coastal Resources Use; (2) Supporting Integrated Development Planning; (3) Building Alliances to Benefit Belizeans; and (4) Adapting to Climate Change. For each thematic area, detailed topical issues and activities are addressed and corresponding guiding principles are presented. The Plan aims to help eliminate hunger and food insecurity through sustainable use and exploitation of coastal and marine resources. The Plan seeks to make agriculture, forestry and fisheries more sustainable. Regarding the first strategic objective (“Encouraging Sustainable Coastal Resources Use”) the Plan includes the following actions: (a) develop a centralized data repository for Belize on ecosystem health and human use activities within the coastal zone; (b) facilitate data accessibility among government agencies and non-governmental organizations for monitoring ecosystem health and human use impacts on the coastal area; (c) establish a national water quality monitoring programme for Belize; (d) develop a long-term national strategy for the scientific monitoring of the health of critical habitats, including but not limited to reef, seagrass, mangroves, and coastline dynamics; (e) prepare annual State of the Coast Report to analyze trends and changes in the coastal zone. Special attention is given to the protection of mangroves, coastal habitats and species conservation. As regards fisheries management, the Plan is focused on the following objectives: sustainable management of fish and fish stocks; promotion of inter-sectoral participation; elimination of overfishing and harmful fishing practices; data collection and management; effective enforcement of compliance with conservation ideals; improvement of the welfare of the fishing community. Further the Plan seeks to enable more inclusive and efficient agricultural and food systems. Regarding coastal agriculture, the Plan recommends these actions: (a) institute best management programmes with agriculture and watershed stakeholders for the development and implementation of best management practices for agricultural land use in order to protect and maintain riparian forests; (b) incorporate the prescription of minimum flow standard for major watersheds into the National Integrated Water Resources Act; (c) monitor water quality; (d) finalize and implement the National Agriculture Food Policy for Belize. The Plan gives special attention to measures aimed at increasing the resilience of livelihoods to disasters. These are some of the actions foreseen in the Plan: undertake initiatives to relocate people who are settled in vulnerable areas, as a precaution against the effects of climate change; diversify income generation options to reduce the number of people who rely on the coastal resource base to support their income; implement proper building standards set and setback distances; limit exponential growth and expansion of communities within 3km of the coastline with high vulnerability to coastal hazards; conduct regular vulnerability assessments of the coastal area in order to understand and to assess the effectiveness of climate adaptation strategies. The Plan also foresees the update of the National Climate Change Policy, Strategy and Action Plan on a periodic basis, and as new climate change data and information becomes available. Section 5 of the Plan is devoted to the Implementation and Coordination Plan. It defines the responsible authorities and implementing agencies for each strategic action.