Management Plan - Glover's Reef Marine Reserve

Contents
South Water Caye Marine Reserve – Management Plan
2010-2015
Introduction..................................................................................................................................... 1
Background and Context ............................................................................................................. 1
Purpose and Scope of Plan.......................................................................................................... 2
1. Current Status.............................................................................................................................. 4
1.1 Location ................................................................................................................................. 4
1.2 Regional Context ................................................................................................................... 9
1.3 National Context.................................................................................................................. 12
1.3.1 Legal and Policy Framework......................................................................................... 12
1.3.2 Land and Sea Tenure .................................................................................................... 15
1.3.3 Evaluation of Protected Area ....................................................................................... 17
1.3.4 Socio-Economic Context............................................................................................... 22
1.4 Physical Environment of Management Area....................................................................... 31
1.4.1 Climate.......................................................................................................................... 31
1.4.2 Geology......................................................................................................................... 33
1.4.3 Bathymetry................................................................................................................... 34
1.4.4 Tides and Water Movement......................................................................................... 36
1.4.5 Water Parameters ........................................................................................................ 37
1.5. Biodiversity of Management Area...................................................................................... 42
1.5.1 Ecosystems ................................................................................................................... 42
1.5.2 Fauna ........................................................................................................................... 57
1.5.3 Economically Important Species .................................................................................. 64
1.5.4 Past and Present Research ........................................................................................... 66
1.6 Cultural and Stakeholder Use of South Water Caye Marine Reserve ................................. 70
1.6.1 Community and Stakeholder Use................................................................................. 70
1.6.2 Recreation and Tourism Use......................................................................................... 70
1.6.3 Educational Use ............................................................................................................ 74
2. Conservation Planning............................................................................................................... 75
2.1 Identification of Conservation Targets................................................................................ 75
2.2 Assessing Biodiversity Viability............................................................................................ 76
Wildtracks, 2009