Port Honduras Marine Reserve (PHMR)

The crystal clear blue Caribbean waters of the Port Honduras Marine Reserve is home to the popular Snake Cayes where visitors can find white sand beaches, migratory birds and even boa constrictors! PHMR, as we fondly call it, is a 160 square mile marine reserve recognized for its high biodiversity; with a robust belt of mangroves on the coast that provide the critical link between terrestrial and marine environments, the area serves as habitat for various endangered species including the West Indian Manatee, the American saltwater crocodile and the Morelet's crocodile.

Port Honduras Marine Reserve, though only declared in 2000, has been under the watchful eye of the Toledo Institute of Development and Environment (TIDE) since its inception six years ago. The management system for PHMR has 5 primary goals: to protect the physical and biological resources of the reserve by creating a zoning plan for preservation, to provide educational and interpretive programs as well as developing appropriate protocols for researching and monitoring the resources, to preserve the value of the area for fisheries and genetic resources by protecting habitat through patrolling and surveillance, to develop recreational and tourism services that are sustainable, and to strive for sustainable financing through user fees and other strategies.

Patrolling and surveillance are absolutely necessary to assure compliance with the reserve’s regulations. Our rangers patrol the reserve to reduce threats to the reserve such as gill net use, illegal fishing, over fishing, under size catch etc. These patrols also help to monitor activities within our conservation ‘no take’ zone and our preservation zone. TIDE is stepping up its presence in the reserve by developing a community ranger program, whereby local fishermen and tour guides will be trained to assist staff rangers through an integrated communications system.

Positive effects of TIDE's management of the marine reserve directly reach local communities; by patrolling for illegal fishing activities, TIDE's efforts keep the fish populations sustainable and therefore provide adequate fish -- the major food staple in the area -- for human consumption. In addition, the reserve has become essential to the fly-fishing community; protecting the fish populations has resulted in a booming sustainable business for local guides and businesses.

TIDE continues works with individuals in order to develop sustainable alternative incomes for them and their families. TIDE’s Ecotourism program has worked along with former fisherman from all three villages to encourage sustainable alternative livelihoods such as fly-fishing, snorkeling tours and kayaking. To this date, some of the best fly-fishing guides in the country have been trained by our staff. As a result, former fisherman are now calling us to report illegal activity; tour guides now realize that gill nets and other illegal fishing methods are threatening their business.