Management of a marine protected area by a local NGO in Honduras: its implications for local communities

Abstract

This study explores the factors that influence the management of a protected area situated on private land as well as the implications of these factors in the interaction between the NGO and the communities associated with this area. The protected area, Marine National Monument Cayos Cochinos, is an archipelago surrounded by reefs in the Honduran Caribbean. This area is home to a highly heterogeneous population of fisherfolk communities –most are members of the Garifuna ethnic group– and wealthy Honduran and foreign landowners. This case study also comprises three fisherfolk communities outside the protected area who fish in Cayos Cochinos. Local fishermen in Cayos Cochinos are settled in community-owned areas; however, these settlements started by the occupation of private lands. Wealthy landowners have either individual land titles or shares of a firm owning four of the islands. The protected area was established through the initiative of this firm to protect the natural resources. This area is nominally co-managed by a local nongovernmental organisation (NGO) and two government agencies; however in practice it is managed solely by the NGO. This study discusses the influence of the nature of the Honduran legislation regarding protected areas and of the co-management agreement on the management of Cayos Cochinos. This research also shows that the management priorities of this protected area are only partially based on the Honduran government’s laws and regulations and the guidelines specific for this area. Lack of government participation in the co-management of the area, financial constraints, influences on the NGO of stakeholders in higher positions of power with respect to it, personal preferences of the NGO managers and issues regarding the communities’ leadership, have all had an influence on the management priorities of the protected area since its constitution. The combined effect of these factors has influenced the management of the NGO towards prioritising the natural resource conservation. This area is managed under a ‘people-out’ conservation paradigm. The adoption of this paradigm has disadvantaged the fisherfolk communities inside and outside the protected area by restricting their access to the natural resources on which their livelihoods are highly dependent. However, the same situation has favoured the private landowners by limiting the access of the fisherfolk communities to the land owned by the former. The privileging of one community sector over another has created conflicts between the NGO and the fisherfolk communities. However, these conflicts have been fuelled by other factors such as the steady contesting of the land titles over the territories occupied by the latter, and by the support that external organisations have given to the latter at the expense of the original owners of the land. This research suggests that local NGOs in charge of the management of natural protected areas might have limited capacity to abide by national conservation and sustainable development priorities due to the likelihood to be influenced by external forces with different priorities.