New conservation plan for Toledo

A three-year conservation and development project for the Port Honduras Marine Reserve and Payne’s Creek National Park is being launched tonight in Punta Gorda. The aim is to conserve the resources of these protected areas as well as develop alternative income generating options for local residents. Activities include a fire management plan, demarcation and installation of buoys in the Marine Reserve, and tourism training including kayaking, birding, fly-fishing, diving, and hospitality management. Fish stock assessments will also be carried out in the P.H.M.R. and include lobster and conch, and the development of a honey production strategy. The project, sponsored by the Toledo Institute for Development and the Environment (TIDE) and the Ministry of Natural Resources, is supported by funds from the European Union and is part of a regional programme taking place in twelve Caribbean countries.