Caribbean marine protected areas project: the role of marine protected areas in fisheries management and biodiversity conservation in coral reef ecosystems: final technical report to the United Kingdom Department for International Development

Abstract

The purpose of this project has been to address the issue of decreased catch rates and declining income per unit of fishing effort in Jamaica's artisanal fisheries. This is an issue that is not unique to Jamaica. It is faced by fishers in most of the countries surrounding the Caribbean. The absence of any significant fisheries management, combined with excessive population densities and a lack of employment opportunities, has led to increasing fishing effort in Caribbean coastal fisheries, resulting in recruitment and growth overfishing. Decreased catches are shared by ever-increasing numbers of fishers. The goal of the project has been to generate improved and sustainable livelihoods for communities dependent on coral reef fisheries in target areas by devising strategies for improved management of coral reef resource systems, including the use of marine protected areas.