A guide for planners and managers - IUCN

292 MARINE AND COASTAL
PROTECTED AREAS
FIGURE III-11.
for fish and shrimp, are being
destroyed. Harbors and near-shore
water bodies have become polluted
from raw sewage discharges into
the Montego River (approximately
4.0 million gallons per day over the
last 10 years from the hitherto
dysfunctional sewage treatment
plant). This water pollution (nutrient
enrichment), combined with household
waste, associated leaching, and
sedimentation, has been especially
devastating to the near-shore coral
reef ecosystem (Berger, 1997;
Proposed zoning plan for the Montego Bay Marine Park.
Hitchman, 1997). Oil pollution and
runoff of agricultural fertilizers and
pesticides continually add to the problems. Once luxuriant near-shore coral reefs are
now smothered by macrophytic algae and struggling for survival (Sullivan and
Chiappone, 1994). Impacts from wind blown dust and illegal sand removal are
causing loss of aesthetic value and failure in the rehabilitation of coastal areas.
The Montego Bay Marine Park Trust (MBMPT), charged with conserving this
valuable national resource, is now faced with a long-term and expensive restoration
project.
New NGO management
On September 20, 1996 a bold experiment was undertaken when the Jamaican
Natural Resources Conservation Authority (NRCA) delegated management for the Park
to the MBMPT (a Non-Governmental Organization or NGO) under an innovative comanagement
policy adopted for Jamaica’s National Parks and Protected Area System
(Jameson and Williams, 1999). The MBMPT embarked on an accelerated management
programme for increased effectiveness. The Park headquarters was moved to Pier 1
for easy boat and operational access and start-up funds from USAID were used to
purchase new enforcement boats and office equipment, install mooring buoys and
develop fund raising material. The park is presently staffed by a Park Director, Chief
Ranger, Science Officer, Community Relations Officer, Administrative Assistant,
Receptionist and four Rangers.
A Five Year Management Plan for the expansion of the ongoing Science, Public
Education and Enforcement Programmes and a business plan which outlined costs
for equipment and personnel requirements were prepared. This nation-wide experiment
in public-private management of national marine Parks is starting to show signs of
fruit in Montego Bay (Huber and Jameson, 1999a). However, since NGO management,