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President: Andrew A. Rosenberg, Ph.D.

MSC Pre-Assessment of the Honduras Caribbean Spiny Lobster Trap Fishery

Submitted to:

WWF-US

By:

MRAG Americas, Inc.

Contact:

Robert J. TrumbleVice President

[email protected]

Prepared by: Mónica Valle-Esquivel, PhD.Senior Fishery Biologist

[email protected]

April 2011

mailto:[email protected]



Table of Contents

LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS..................................................................................... iii

1 Introduction................................................................................................................................ 1

1.1 Aims of the Pre-Assessment..................................................................................................1

1.2 Scope of pre-assessment......................................................................................................2

2 GENERAL INFORMATION........................................................................................................2

2.1 Description of the fishery........................................................................................................2

2.2 Historical background............................................................................................................4

2.3 Fishing Areas.........................................................................................................................4

2.4 Fleets..................................................................................................................................... 4

2.5 Annual Landings.................................................................................................................... 5

2.6 Fishery Management.............................................................................................................8

2.7 Other fisheries in the vicinity..................................................................................................8

2.8 Governance........................................................................................................................... 8

2.9 Disposition of the product.......................................................................................................9

3 STAKEHOLDERS...................................................................................................................... 9

4 EVALUATION PROCEDURE..................................................................................................11

4.2 Principle 1: Health of Fish Stock.........................................................................................12

4.3 Principle 2: Ecological and environmental impacts.............................................................26

4.4 Principle 3: Governance and Management.........................................................................43

5 SITE VISIT REPORT...............................................................................................................59

6 MOVING FROM PRE-ASSESSMENT TO FULL ASSESSMENT............................................59

6.1 Key Issues That Could Lead to Non-conformance in a Full MSC Evaluation.......................59

6.2 Other Issues for Certification................................................................................................62

7 THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS...........................................................................................62

7.1 Assemble Evaluation Team.................................................................................................63

7.2 Setting performance criteria.................................................................................................63

7.3 Fishery Site Visit for Full Assessment..................................................................................63

7.4 Stakeholder consultation......................................................................................................63

7.5 Data collection and review...................................................................................................63

7.6 Performance scoring............................................................................................................64

7.7 Draft report........................................................................................................................... 64

7.8 Peer review.......................................................................................................................... 64

7.9 Dispute Resolution...............................................................................................................64

8 Budget Estimate and Justification............................................................................................65

8.1 Professional Services...........................................................................................................65

8.2 Expenses............................................................................................................................. 65

8.3 Post-Certification Costs........................................................................................................66

9 Time Requirements for Certification.........................................................................................66

10 Conclusions............................................................................................................................. 66

11 Literature Cited........................................................................................................................ 68

APPENDIX A. Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize Lobster Pre-Assessment Site Visit Report.....................72

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LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS

APESCA Asociación Pesquera del Caribe

AGGRA Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment

BMP Best Management Practices

CCAD Comisión Centroamericana de Ambiente y Desarrollo

CI Conservation International

CODEFAGOLF Comité para la Conservación y Desarrollo del Golfo de Fonseca

DIGEPESCA Dirección General de Pesca y Acuicultura, Honduras

FAO Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

FIINPESCA Strengthening of Interdisciplinary Research for Responsible Fisheries in Central American countries (FIINPESCA/OSPESCA/FAO)

FINAPESCA Federación de Pescadores Artesanales

GEF Global Environment Facility

ICF Instituto Nacional de Conservación y Desarrollo Forestal, Áreas Protegidas y Vida Silvestre, Honduras

ICRAN International Coral Reef Action Network

ICRI International Coral Reef Initiative

MAR Mesoamerican Reef

MBRS Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System

MPA Marine Protected Area

MSC Marine Stewardship Council

OSPESCA Organización del Sector Pesquero y Acuícola del Istmo Centroamericano

PRONAPAC Programa Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura, Honduras

PROARCA Programa Ambiental Regional Para Centroamérica (de USAID)

SAG Secretaría de Agricultura y Ganadería de Honduras

SENASA Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria, Honduras

SERNA Secretaría de Recursos Naturales de Honduras

SICA Sistema de Integración Centroamericana

SC Stakeholder Consultations (see Appendix A)

TNC The Nature Conservancy

UNEP United Nations Environment Programme

UNF United Nations Foundation

USAID United States Agency for International Development

WCS Wildlife Conservation Society

WECAFC Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission

WWF World Wildlife Fund

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1 Introduction

1.1 Aims of the Pre-Assessment

The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is an independent, global, non-profit organization. It works to enhance responsible management of seafood resources, to ensure the sustainability of global fish stocks and the health of the marine ecosystem. It is supported by a broad coalition of those with a stake in the future of the global seafood supply. The MSC harnesses consumer power by identifying sustainable seafood products through an eco-label. The MSC has identified the following mission statement:

To safeguard the world’s seafood supply by promoting the best environmental choice.

This report sets out the results of a pre-assessment of the Honduran spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) trap fishery in relation to the Marine Stewardship Councils (MSC) Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing (the ‘MSC standard’). It must be stressed that this report can provide guidance only, and the outcome of a main assessment will be the subject of deliberation by an assessment team and would not be influenced by this pre-assessment.

WWF-US contracted MRAG Americas Inc. (MRAG) to conduct an MSC pre-assessment of the spiny lobster trap fisheries of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Belize. To date, almost all fisheries that have successfully progressed to an MSC Main Assessment have been recommended for certification but with conditions set for continuing certification. These conditions may relate to operational and management functions. The client is then responsible for ensuring that these conditions are met within the required timescale. The client should therefore have authority, or have secured agreement with the relevant organizations, to enact potential conditions should certification be successful. For the Honduras fishery, this is likely to require some degree of cooperation from the Secretariat of Agriculture/ Fisheries Department (SAG/DIGEPESCA).

Honduras and Nicaragua operate around the same platform and it is generally accepted that they share a common resource, hypothesized to pertain to a single stock. These fisheries have thus been analyzed as a unit at various FAO workshops (FAO 2001, 2003, 2007) and external assessments (Guevara 2009, Sosa-Cordero and Ramírez-González 2010). However, there isn´t enough information on ocean circulation or recruitment patterns to either justify or dismiss the single-stock hypothesis or the bank-by-bank approach to management. Therefore, given that the management systems and fishery operations differ substantially in each country, separate MSC pre-assessments were conducted. From a practical point of view, bank by bank management within each country would give a more precautionary approach, as each country would have to manage to maintain the spawning potential from its waters. This is justified in part by the limited alongshore migration of spiny lobster that retains lobster on or near banks.

The MSC encourages pre-assessments of fisheries interested in certification to help the client get a clear picture of whether the fishery is a good candidate for a full certification evaluation, to see what potential issues may arise as part of a full certification evaluation, and to determine the likely costs for a full certification. The client must provide evidence that 1) the policies, management principals, and enforcement programs of the responsible fishery management bodies and fishing fleets can be expected to meet the MSC Principles and Criteria; and 2) that the status of the entire biological stock or stocks of Caribbean spiny lobster utilized by the fishery is healthy, even if the fishery just fishes a small portion of the entire stock(s). This is necessary because the MSC's Standards Council has determined that the biological stock of the species fished must be demonstrated as healthy for a fishery or fisheries to be fully certified. These pieces of information are designed to help a fishery make more informed decisions regarding its ability to move forward with full certification. However, no verification of information occurs during a pre-assessment.

A pre-assessment report that meets all the requirements of the Marine Stewardship Council provides the following information:

1. A short description of the fishery;2. General historical background information on the fishery and area;3. The fishery management policy objectives, regulations, and practices; 4. Identification of other fisheries in vicinity, but not subject to certification;

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5. List of stakeholders in the fishery;6. State of preparedness for assessment, in particular, the extent to which the fisheries systems

are based upon the MSC principles and criteria;7. A discussion of the key issues and factors identified as potentially troublesome in completing

a successful certification assessment based on the MSC principles and criteria,8. A decision as to whether it will be possible to move from the pre-assessment to final

assessment stage; and9. A budget estimate for conducting a full certification assessment.

1.2 Scope of pre-assessment

The MSC Guidelines to Certifiers specifies that the unit of certification is "The fishery or fish stock (=biologically distinct unit) combined with the fishing method/gear and practice (=vessel(s) pursuing the fish of that stock) and management framework."

The definition of the fishery under pre-assessment is therefore as follows:

Species: Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus)

Geographical Area: Atlantic territorial waters and EEZ of Honduras, Central America

Method of Capture: Lobster trap

Stock: South-Central Stock

Management System: Spiny lobster is managed at a regional level by the Organization for the Fishing and Aquaculture Sector of the Central American Isthmus (OSPESCA) and at the national level by the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock, Fisheries Department (SAG, DIGEPESCA).

Client Group: WWF-US

2 GENERAL INFORMATION

2.1 Description of the fishery

The Caribbean spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) is widely distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical waters of the Western Central Atlantic Ocean, ranging from North Carolina, U.S.A., to Sao Paulo in Brazil, and extending through the Bahamas, Bermudas and the Greater and Lesser Antilles (Figure 1). They are commonly found in coastal and shallow continental waters to depths of 90 m (295 feet) or more. Genetic studies suggest that meta-populations may occur, which form part of a much larger regional population (Silberman et al. 1994; Acosta et al. 1997).

Figure 1. Distribution of Panulirus argus ranges from North Carolina (USA) to Southern Brazil (FAO 2007a).

The life cycle of lobsters consist of 4 phases, each of which is habitat-associated. Juveniles commonly occur in seagrasses, mangrove creeks and oyster reefs. Offshore populations consist

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primarily of mature adults that live communally or singly in crevices of rocks and corals, with most lobsters showing high site fidelity. Specimens have a maximum reported total length of approximately 45 cm (1.47 feet), but are more commonly found at lengths of approximately 20 cm (7.9 inches). Growth in the first year averages 5 cm (1.5 inches), with growth thereafter averaging approximately 2.5 cm (1 inch) per year. Females tend to grow somewhat more slowly than males and do not achieve as large a size (FAO 2001).

In general, there is some genetic variability between the northern Brazilian and the Gulf of Mexico populations of this wide-ranging lobster, but because the pelagic lobster larvae disperse very widely, most scientists consider the stocks of the Caribbean basin (including the stocks fished in Florida, the Bahamas, Nicaragua, and Honduras) to comprise a single meta-population. This has profound implications for spiny lobster management. For example, the management of a fishery in one country can have substantial effects on lobster populations in another country (FAO 2001, Ehrhardt et al., 2010, in press). Lobster stocks to the east and southeast of Brazil, however, are not thought to contribute to the main Caribbean spiny lobster population.

For the purposes of assessing the status of lobster populations, four subregions have been identified within the participating countries of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) region, which are based on the nature of the coastal shelves and knowledge of the prevailing currents in the region (FAO 2007a) (Table 1).

Table 1. Countries associated with four major lobster stocks identified within the WECAFC region.

Group Stock Countries

I Northern Stock Bahamas, Bermuda, Cuba (North), Turks and Caicos Islands and United States of America (Florida)

II North Central Stock Belize, Cuba (Southwestern) and Mexico

III South Central Stock

Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, France (Guadeloupe and Martinique), Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Republic Dominica, United States of America (United States Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico)

IV Southern Stock Antigua and Barbuda, Brazil, Netherlands Antilles, Saint Lucia and Venezuela

Honduras and Nicaragua operate around the same platform and it is generally accepted that they share a common resource, hypothesized to pertain to a single stock. The spiny lobster (Panulirus argus) fisheries of the Honduran-Nicaraguan shelf are the most productive in the Mesoamerican Reef region, contributing approximately 13% and 8% of the total production in Latin America, respectively (Table 2). These two countries land substantial volumes annually and generate important income from exports, particularly to the United States. For four decades, industrial (SCUBA and traps) and artisanal fleets of both countries have operated jointly and exerted high fishing pressure upon the shared resource on the Honduras-Nicaragua platform.

Table 2. Main spiny lobster producers in Latin America (FAO 2003).

Cuba 28%Brazil 22%Bahamas 14%Honduras 13%Florida 10%Nicaragua 8%Mexico 3%Belize 2%

Interactions between countries such as legal and black market trade as well as legal and illegal fishing in neighbouring waters further enhance the linkages between countries. It is not unjustified to believe that U.S. food service and retail companies can have a significant impact on the proper use of this resource through their actions.

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The Honduran lobster fishery generates between $30 and $40 million dollars annually and provides employment to approximately 5,180 people involved directly in extraction activities (FAO 2007b). In 2009, Honduras exported a total of 1,264 tons of lobster tails, which generated approximately $28 million dollars . Trends in lobster production have been declining in the region, and Honduras is no exception. According to NOAA import statistics, in 1986 landings surpassed 5,000 tons of lobster tails, and by 2009 they had decreased to 1,265 tons, a 75% drop in two decades.

2.2 Historical background

The lobster fishery in Honduras started to develop in the decade of the 1950s, with a small fleet of shrimp vessels. The fishery grew significantly in the early 1970s, after the lobster banks were identified and characterized during a research project conducted by FAO in 1968 (FAO 2001). A high demand for lobster products in the international market produced a rapid increase in fishing effort. Recent estimates (FAO 2007b) indicate that the industrial fleet may be deploying between 200,000 and 350,000 traps each year.

2.3 Fishing Areas

There are multiple areas along the Caribbean coast of Honduras that are suitable for the exploitation of spiny lobster. The coastline is 680 km long and the continental shelf extends over an area of approximately 4,900 square kilometers. The main spiny lobster banks occur in the Eastern part of the shelf, approximately 260 miles off of Roatan.

The lobster fishery in Honduras is conducted by industrial and artisanal fleets. The industrial fleet centers its activities around the Bay Islands (Roatan, Guanaja) and La Ceiba (Figure 2). This fleet exploits the banks of Rosalinda, Gorda, Thunder Knoll, Media Luna and Lagarto Reef, in the eastern territorial waters of Honduras, and close to the border with Nicaragua. Other exploited banks include Misteriosa and El Rosario, north of the Swan Islands.

Figure 2. Main lobster fishing communities in Honduras: 1) Tela, 2) Utila, 3) La Ceiba, 4) Roatan, 5) Cayos Cochinos, 6) Trujillo, 7) Guanaja. Source: WWF (2005).

2.4 Fleets

The industrial fleet of Honduras has two components: a dive fishery that uses SCUBA as the main fishing method, and a trap fishery that deploys wooden traps. In 2005/2006, the number of registered industrial vessels was 170, with 117 trap vessels and 53 dive vessels (FAO 2007). Both fleets operate in offshore waters, away from the coast, at depths of 7 to 35 meters in the dive fishery, and 30 to 80 meters in the trap fishery. The SCUBA fleet spends approximately 12 days at sea, twice a month, carrying an average of 24 to 60 divers and a corresponding number of dingy boats. The trap fleet consists of large vessels (75-90 ft) that carry an average of 2,500-3,000 traps and haul approximately 1,000 traps per day. The trap fleet uses an average of 202,500 traps (Guevara 2006). A trap vessel fishing trip lasts about 2.5 to 3 months, and freezes the product onboard. Bags of frozen lobster (50 pounds each) are collected every two weeks by supply boats that transport the product to the

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Number of Lobster Trap Vessels and Days Fishing Number of Dive Vessels and Days Fishing

processing plants, where they are packed and exported. The supply boats also provide fuel, water and gear (traps) to the industrial fleet.

Data on the number of vessels by fleet in the lobster fishery are scarce, but data between 1998 and 2007 indicate that the trap fleet has fluctuated between 81 and 133 licensed vessels, with 19,764 to 32,452 fishing days (DVP). During the fishing seasons 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 CPUE averaged 28 and 48 pounds/day and 6,836 and 10,667 pounds/vessel/year, respectively. On the other hand, the diver fleet had between 39 and 77 licensed vessels and between 18,788 and 9,516 days fishing. In 2007, DVP was 10, 736 and CPUE in the 2006/07 and 2007/08 seasons was 58 and 77 pounds/DVP and 14,129 and 18,823 pounds/vessel/year, respectively. The trap fleet currently represents approximately 70% of the total (Error: Reference source not found) (Espinoza-Turcios 2008, Suazo 2008a).

Figure 3. Licensed lobster trap (left) and dive vessels (right) and fishing days per season (Source: Espinoza-Turcios 2008).

The artisanal fleet conducts a subsistence fishery that operates in shallow waters, within 3 miles of the coast. This fleet uses traps, scuba diving, and free diving to capture lobsters. The majority of the artisanal fishermen use diving with hooks; their catch is mainly for self-consumption and to supply the local market (WWF 2005, FAO 2003).

The size of the artisanal lobster fleet is not known exactly, but it was estimated that 5,383 boats and 9,132 fishermen operated in the Caribbean in 1995. At the time, it was observed that in the northern coast of Honduras, particularly in La Ceiba, Cayos Cochinos, and La Mosquitia, approximately 700 artisanal fishermen captured lobster using SCUBA. The use of SCUBA may have significantly increased their fishing power, so the current volume of lobsters captured by artisanal fishermen may not be as negligible as once perceived (Castellón and Sarmiento 2003). In the Mosquitia region of Honduras 88% of the artisanal fishermen capture lobster, and only 12% capture finfish. In this area, 64% of the fishermen use only scuba diving and 24% use only traps (WWF 2010).

2.5 Annual Landings

Available catch statistics for the WECAFC region have shown a steady increase in catches from 1958 through the 1990s, with a decrease since, with recent levels fluctuating around 25,000 mt (Error:Reference source not found). Cuba holds the largest share of lobster production (28%), followed by Brazil (22%), the Bahamas (14%), Honduras (13%), the United States (10%), Nicaragua (8%), Mexico (3%), and Belize (2%). The recent decline in catches observed since 2001 was due mainly to reductions in catch by Cuba, Bahamas and Nicaragua (FAO 2003). It is uncertain whether fishing effort was also reduced in these countries and/or whether the overall abundance of lobster has declined.

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Figure 4. Total Caribbean-wide landings (including Brazil) of Caribbean spiny lobster (P. argus). Source: Ehrhardt et al. (2010).

Within the platform shared by Honduras and Nicaragua, and to a lesser extent with Colombia and Jamaica, it has been difficult to have an accurate time series of catches because each country records catch differently, if at all, and import records use different measures, which require statistically sound conversion factors. Reliable data are available in Nicaragua since 1992 and Colombia since 1993. In Honduras, a routine data collection program has yet to be established.

From the best data available that illustrates trends in this region (FAO 2003), catches show large fluctuations over the period 1970-1997 and some inconsistencies, possibly due to gaps in information during the war in Nicaragua. From a total catch of 8453 tons (whole weight) in 1995, 44.5% was from Honduras, 48.66% from Nicaragua, 2.74% from Colombia, 2.5% and 1.6% from the Pedro Bank and southern shelf of Jamaica, respectively (Error: Reference source not found).

Figure 5. Time series of catches of Honduras, Nicaragua and Colombia and for the entire platform, 1970-1997 (Source: FAO 2002).

More recent trends for the Central American countries only better illustrate the decline in production of Honduran lobster fishery since the 1990s (Figure ).

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Figure 6. Lobster landings in four Central American countries (South-Central stock). Source: (http://www.globalfishalliance.org/ppts/).

Reliable fishery statistics are not produced by the Honduran authorities on a regular basis. Given that 99% of the total lobster landings are exported to the United States, the best approximations of the monthly and annual landings are provided by the Department of Commerce, NMFS-NOAA (www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/trade), within the import statistics to the United States. The lobster fishery in Honduras has had a dynamic evolution, with a slow development during the initial phase at the end of the 60s, a moderate growth in the 70s and a rapid expansion period during the 80s and 90s. An analysis of the Honduran lobster landings between 1975 and 2008 (Figure ) thus shows a sharp increase in the 80s, with a peak of 1,895 tons (tails) in 1988. Since the mid-90s, there have been marked fluctuations around an average level below 1,500 tons per year. The vigorous behavior of the lobster fishery in Honduras was likely sustained by a stock of considerable magnitude. In recent years, however, the resource has endured high fishing pressure levels exerted by large fishing fleets with extremely high fishing capacities.

According to the most recent FAO workshop report (FAO 2007b), current landings in Honduras are relatively stable, around 1,246 metric tons (MT) with a minimum of 1,019 MT in the 2000/2001 fishing season and a maximum of 1,431 MT in the 2004/2005 season (Figure 7). Estimates of the landings by fleet for the 2004/2005 fishing season were 393 MT of tails from the dive fishery and 644 MT from the trap fishery.

Figure 7. Honduras annual lobster landings (in metric tons of tails) for the period 1975-2008.

Long time series of lobster landings by fleet are not available for Honduras; however, FAO (2007b) noted that total landings from the dive fleet are smaller than those of the trap fleet, but the average landings by vessel are greater for the dive fleet because it is a smaller fleet. During the 2004-2005 season, 90% of the dive vessels landed less than 15 MT, and 38% less than 5 MT. On the other

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http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/st1/trade

hand, 64% of the trap vessels landed less than 5 MT, 99% less than 1 MT and only one vessel landed more than 10 MT. In the 2007/2008 season, the trap fleet represented 75% of the fishery, but only 62% of the total landings corresponded to this fleet (Guevara 2009).

2.6 Fishery Management

The fisheries authority in Honduras is the Fisheries and Acuaculture Department (DIGEPESCA, Dirección General de Pesca y Acuicultura) of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (Secretaría de Agricultura y Ganadería, SAG). DIGEPESCA is the highest authority for the implementation and coordination of fisheries and aquaculture management in Honduras. It is in charge of implementing the National Fishery and Aquaculture Program (Programa Nacional de Pesca y Acuicultura, PRONAPAC), whose mission is to manage all affairs related to the fishing, culture, and protection of aquatic species. This includes the management, utilization and sustainability of all the fishery and aquaculture resources of Honduras (http://www.sag.gob.hn). The Fishing Law (Ley de Pesca 1959), Fishing Rules, Regulations and Executive Agreements form the legal basis for fisheries management in Honduras.

At the regional level, the Organization for the Fishing and Aquaculture Sector of the Central American Isthmus (Organización del Sector Pesquero y Acuícola del Istmo Centroamericano, OSPESCA) is the entity that is responsible for the coordination and pursuit of regional strategies, policies, and projects that lead to the sustainable development of fishing and aquaculture activities. The Fishing and Aquaculture Integration Policy for the Central American Isthmus was implemented on July 1st, 2005, which promotes the harmonization of fishery regulations for common and shared fishery resources. As part of this regional effort, the “Regulations for Regional Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) Fisheries” were implemented on July 1st, 2009, which unify the minimum size limit, the number of traps per vessel, the period of the seasonal closure, the size of escape panels and the prohibition to capture egg-bearing females.

2.7 Other fisheries in the vicinity

Honduras and Nicaragua operate around the same platform and it is generally accepted that they share a common resource (FAO 2001, 2003, 2007; Sosa-Cordero and Ramírez-González 2010). The fishery of Nicaragua also has a large industrial component that uses scuba diving and traps as the main fishing methods, and an artisanal component that operates near the coast with small dingy boats (“cayucos” in Spanish). In far offshore areas and close to the border, there is more interaction between both countries.

Within Honduras, the main other fishery that targets lobster is the industrial diving fleet, which up to 2009 represented approximately 40% of the total landings. This important component of the fishery is beyond the scope of the present assessment; however, it must be noted that the dive fishery was due to be banned in Honduras in 2011 (OSPESCA 2009a), but may not be closed until 2013 (Medina, pers. comm.). The third lobster fishery represented by the artisanal fleet is not known to interact with the trap fishery because it operates in shallow waters near the coast. Its size and total production are not known with any level of precision, but in 2003 it was estimated that 700 fishermen used SCUBA diving to harvest lobster in the northern coast of Honduras (Castellón and Sarmiento 2003).

Other fisheries that occur in the vicinity of the lobster trap fishery are a survey fishery for queen conch (Strombus gigas) (the industrial fishery was closed by CITES in 2005) and a multispecies finfish fishery. Traditionally, the lobster, queen conch and finfish fisheries take place at the banks of Rosalinda, Gorda,Thunder Knoll, Media Luna, and Alligator Reef , located north of parallel 14º 59' 08", (maritime border with Nicaragua), up to Banco Serranilla (maritime border with Colombia) and in the banks of Misteriosa and El Rosario, north of Swan Islands.

2.8 Governance

A significant issue regarding implementation of spiny lobster fishery management policies is the difficulty of defining units of stock due to the protracted planktonic lifespan of the larvae, which disperse in the open ocean before settling in a suitable juvenile habitat (Ehrhardt et al. 2010). For this reason, OSPESCA has classified this species as highly migratory, which, for management purposes

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means that they move during their life cycle in jurisdictional waters of the Central American region and in international waters.

Since the lobster fisheries from Central America were consolidated in the 1960s, a common regional goal has been to achieve a sustainable activity, through the protection of juveniles, egg-bearing females, and the establishment of seasonal closures during the reproductive season. Each fishery, however, had been managed locally and there were different regulations in each country. With the advent of the “Fisheries and Aquaculture Integration Policy for the Central American Isthmus” (OSPESCA 2005), the Central American countries were encouraged to formulate and adopt regional measures through the “Regional Management Regulations for the Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus)” since July 1st, 2009. These harmonized regulations were approved by the fisheries authorities of all the countries in Central America, and thus, the minimum size, number of traps per vessel, the seasonal closure, the size of the escape panel and the prohibition to harvest egg-bearing females were unified (OSPESCA 2009a).

Management of the spiny lobster fishery in Honduras is regulated by the regional SICA/OSPESCA rules that concur with the national fishery regulations. This regional organization, however, has no control over compliance and enforcement of regulations. This endeavour corresponds to the authorities of each member country. The Government of Honduras is ultimately responsible for compliance with national fishery laws and regulations and international agreements.

Within Honduras, the government exists within a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Honduras is both head of state and head of government, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised by the government. Legislative power is vested in the National Congress. The Judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislature. The 1987 constitution of Honduras provides for a four-year term in office for the President, with no possibility of re-election. The unicameral National Congress (Congreso Nacional) has 128 members (diputados), elected for a four-year term by proportional representation. The judiciary includes a Supreme Court of Justice - the Supreme Court of Honduras, courts of appeal, and several courts of original jurisdiction – such as labor, tax, and criminal courts. The judges of the Supreme Court of Justice are elected for seven-year terms by the National Congress.

2.9 Disposition of the product

The industrial fleet has traditionally used the “Cayos Vivorillos” landing site to tranship the product. After two or three weeks at sea, the product is transhipped to supply boats from the Bay Islands, then transported to processing plants, where it is packed and shipped to foreign markets. Approximately 99% of the total lobster landings are exported to the United States, with local consumption limited to about 1%. Normally, the heads are removed at the fishing grounds and the tails and heads are landed separately at the processing plants. The processed lobster products are packed and reported as tail weights of different categories, head meat, and tail meat. Lobster is not commercialized as live product (FAO 2003, 2007b).

In Honduras there is good infrastructure to process fishery products. There are 15 processing plants located in the northern region: Bay Islands (4), La Ceiba (3), Guanaja (8). In 2010, there were 8 plants that processed only lobster products: Roatan (2), La Ceiba (4) and Guanaja (2). They are all registered by the National Agriculture and Livestock Sanitary Service (Servicio Nacional de Sanidad Agropecuaria, SENASA) (FAO 2007b).

3 STAKEHOLDERS

The identification of potential stakeholders in the fishery is specifically undertaken in the pre-assessment due to the requirements for MSC certification. During the pre-assessment, a site visit was conducted in June-July 2010, with the support of the WWF Mesoamerican Reef Program team, where some key stakeholders were identified and interviewed. A site visit report, including a list of participants and interviewees at workshops and meetings is provided in Appendix A.

For a full MSC assessment, as part of the certification methodology, a thorough stakeholder consultation process must be conducted by a certification team. This means that stakeholders must

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be identified, contacted, and their opinions on the certification of the fishery solicited and reviewed by the certification team. This measure is considered part of the due diligence of the certification team to help ensure that no issue (large or small) is missed. It is also a measure included to try to build good will at the outset of the certification process.

The Lobster Trap fishery in Honduras is mainly undertaken by commercial fishermen. Thus, the list of direct participant stakeholders would involve Honduran lobster-trap fishermen. Stakeholder groups that are largely and directly involved in the commercial lobster fishery are noted below.

Fishermen and Cooperatives: Individual fishers Boat captains Asociación de Pescadores Puerto Lempira Comunidades Garífunas Cooperativa Ceibeña Honduran Association of Caribbean Fishermen (APESCA) National Fishing Chamber (CNP) Red de Turismo y Pescadores de Cayos Cochinos

Processors: Caribbean Sea Food (La Ceiba) Inversiones del Caribe (Jutiapa) Pesca del Atlántico (La Ceiba) Perla Mar (La Ceiba) L. de R. S., Sea Pearl (La Ceiba) Mariscos Pescadería (La Ceiba) Mariscos Isleños (Guanaja, Bay Islands) Islander Fisheries, S.A. (Guanaja, Bay Islands) Caribeña, Comargough (Roatan) Mariscos Agua Azul (Roatan) J.B. Sea Food (Guanaja, Bay Islands) Mariscos Hybur (Roatan) Mariscos Sam Empacadoras de las Islas (ANEPMAR)

Honduran and regional management agencies concerned with the lobster trap fishery include: National Institute of Conservation and Forestry, Protected Areas and Wildlife (ICF) Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG) Secretariat of Natural Resources (SERNA) National Service of Agricultural Health (SAG/SENASA) Fisheries and Aquaculture Department (DIGEPESCA) Marina Mercante Honduras (Merchant Navy) Fuerza Naval de Honduras (Honduras Naval Force) Central American Integration System/ Organization for the Fishing and Aquaculture Sector of

the Central American Isthmus (SICA/OSPESCA)

Conservation, academic oriented groups, funding agencies, and International Organizations that have a direct interest in the Honduran lobster trap fishery include:

Chemonics Intl. ECOSUR, Mexico FAO/WECAFC Fundación Cayos Cochinos Global Fish Alliance/ The Spiny Lobster Initiative ICRAN MAREA NOAA Fisheries, USA Roatan Marine Park TNC UNEP United Nations Foundation

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USAID WWF-US WWF-Central America-Mexico

4 EVALUATION PROCEDURE

The following tables provide information about the Honduran lobster trap fishery, with respect to the MSC’s Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing. This is an informational tool to educate the Client about issues within the fishery that might arise during a full MSC assessment. As a preliminary scoring method, each Performance Indicator Category is color coded: Green equals likely to pass (score of >80), yellow equals likely to pass with conditions (score of 60-80), and red means likely to fail (score of <60).

These pre-assessment performance indicators organize the available information in a manner that enhances the analysis and increases the understanding of the issues involved. These indicators will also align this pre-assessment with the format of the generic assessment tree that the MSC requests Certification Bodies to use in full assessments.

Overall, the Honduran lobster trap fishery is likely to fail, due primarily to concerns surrounding the stock status, lack of harvest control rules and a management system in place to implement the strategy to achieve the overall objectives.

The major problems of this fishery are due to the lack of funding for research, capacity building and monitoring and control activities. As a result, Honduras lacks a reliable data collection system, as well as the capacity to process and analyze the fishery data that could inform assessments and guide management decisions. The major problems related to compliance and enforcement include: the inability of the government and industry to control or reduce excess capacity and overcapitalization of the fishery; and the inability to control fishing and commercialization of undersized lobsters and gravid females, to control illegal fishing during the closed season, or to control IUU fishing.

Honduras is, however, shifting toward a regional fisheries management approach, that will help restructure and enhance the fisheries department, improve data collection and analysis, modernize the technology, build local capacity, and harmonize the management regulations with other Central American Nations that fish common resources. The possibility that the fisheries of Honduras and Nicaragua share the same lobster stock will reinforce joint assessments and policies. This regional strategy will ultimately strengthen fisheries management in Honduras and in the region as a whole.

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4.2 Principle 1: Health of Fish Stock

Principle 1 Component

PerformanceIndicatorCategory

Draft Performance Indicator

Outcome 1.1.1. Stock status

The stock is at a level which maintains high productivity and has a low probability of recruitment overfishing.

SG60 SG80 SG100It is likely that the stock is above the point where recruitment would be impaired.

It is highly likely that the stock is above the point where recruitment would be impaired.

The stock is at or fluctuating around its target reference point.

There is a high degree of certainty that the stock is above the point where recruitment would be impaired.

There is a high degree of certainty that the stock has been fluctuating around its target reference point, or has been above its target reference point, over recent years.

To date, the status of the Honduras spiny lobster stock is classified as “overfished” (FAO 2007). No information is available to determine whether the stock is currently above precautionary limit reference points or has a low probability of overfishing, but there are various references, described below, that suggest the probable status of the stock.

The Honduras report from a FAO-WECAFC workshop held in 2006 indicated that the resource may be in critical condition due to problems related to the fishing modalities (fleets and gears), excess fishing capacity, significant lack of control over the landings, commercialization of illegal size lobster and IUU fishing. These issues indicate that the stock is undergoing high exploitation levels, although not assessed quantitatively, but assumed to significantly exceed sustainable levels (FAO 2007b). In addition, landings by fleet are hardly known, so neither the proportion of landings by fleet nor the trajectory of the landings for the trap fishery alone were available for this assessment. The trends examined below are thus for the total industrial landings from Honduras.

Reports from the latest FAO-WECAFC workshops (FAO 2002, 2007b) have indicated that the Honduran spiny lobster stock is overfished, based on trends in total landings since the inception of the fishery and on the large fluctuations that have occurred since. The results illustrated that total landings reached a peak in the mid-80´s and early 90´s, and have dropped substantially since (Figure 7). There are additional references to the unsustainable practices and overcapacity of the industrial fleet that have led to the decimation of the lobster stocks over the past 20 years and to the threats posed by illegal fishing and the prevalent capture of undersized lobsters (WWF 2010, FAO 2007). In addition, in 2002 it was discussed that Honduras, Nicaragua and Colombia share a common stock; that, based on the Nicaraguan assessment, F0.1 has been exceeded and that

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effort has to be reduced in all fleets (FAO 2003).

In 2009, under the project FIINPESCA (within OSPESCA), the status of various fishery resources in the Central American region was analyzed (Guevara 2009). Again, the author found that there wasn’t a complete time series of lobster catches or size-structured data from Honduras to conduct an assessment. However, it was possible to consolidate the information from Honduras and Nicaragua to apply a size-structured cohort analysis model to the whole stock. Preliminary results showed that fishing mortality was higher than sustainable levels (F 0.1), that effort should be reduced by at least 20%, and that annual landings should not exceed 1,200 metric tons (whole weight). The overall status of the stock was considered as overfished. A follow-up pseudo-cohort analysis assessment of the Nicaragua-Honduras stock (Sosa-Cordero and Ramírez-González 2010) concluded that fishing mortality has seriously increased in the last 3 years, that there is high fishing pressure upon all the recruited age classes (3 to 8 years), and that fishing effort is well above the level that would maximize yield per recruit.

This performance indicator receives a failing score because all the information available points toward an overfishing and/or overfished condition and to changes in the age/size structure caused by fishing. In addition, the Honduras trap fishery is an industrial-scale fishery that is likely to have a large impact upon the lobster stock, so alternative methods for assessment of stock status, such as RBF, are not feasible under the FAM assessment tree framework.

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Outcome 1.1.2. Reference points

Limit and target reference points are appropriate for the stock

SG60 SG80 SG100Generic limit and target reference points are based on justifiable and reasonable practice appropriate for the species category.

Reference points are appropriate for the stock and can be estimated.

The limit reference point is set above the level at which there is an appreciable risk of impairing reproductive capacity.

The target reference point is such that the stock is maintained at a level consistent with BMSY or some measure or surrogate with similar intent or outcome.

For low trophic level species, the target reference point takes into account the ecological role of the stock.

Reference points are appropriate for the stock and can be estimated.

The limit reference point is set above the level at which there is an appreciable risk of impairing reproductive capacity following consideration of relevant precautionary issues.

The target reference point is such that the stock is maintained at a level consistent with BMSY or some measure or surrogate with similar intent or outcome, or a higher level, and takes into account relevant precautionary issues such as the ecological role of the stock with a high degree of certainty.

Although biological reference points do not have to be based directly on stock biomass or fishing mortality, no target or limit reference points exist for the Honduran lobster fishery, only for the Honduras-Nicaragua fisheries combined.

Currently there are no time series of relative abundance indices that could inform the assessment on trends in stock biomass. There are only two average monthly estimates of CPUE for the periods 1991-1997 and 2009-2010 (FAO 2001, Sosa-Cordero and Ramírez-González 2010), which are not informative of long-term trends in abundance. There are no data on optimum or maximum yields either. There are current fishing mortality estimates for the Honduras-Nicaragua fishery, based largely on data from Nicaragua (Sosa-Cordero and Ramírez-González 2010), but no reference levels have been calculated due to the lack of consistent information from Honduras.

Preliminary reference points based on a cohort analysis assessment of the Honduras-Nicaragua stock (Guevara 2009) showed that fishing

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mortality was higher than sustainable levels (F0.1), that effort should be reduced by at least 20%, and that annual landings should not exceed 1,200 metric tons (whole weight). Harvesting at F0.1 would maintain a healthy spawning stock biomass, of about 40% of the virgin biomass. These reference levels were, however, the result of a preliminary analysis, and were driven in large part by the (more detailed and complete) data from Nicaragua. A pseudo-cohort analysis assessment conducted in 2010 indicated that fishing mortality levels increased significantly between 2007 and 2010 and that they were substantially greater than natural mortality.

The (generic) reference points described above were estimated for the combined fisheries of Honduras and Nicaragua. While they could potentially provide some general guidance to fisheries management in Honduras, they are only preliminary estimates and are based largely on the information from Nicaragua and on data from a short onboard observer program. Precise targets and limits for Honduras, however, are not available. Due to this absence of reference levels or of precautionary limits or targets that could guide the fishery toward sustainability, this indicator is likely to fail.

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Outcome 1.1.3. Recovery & Rebuilding

Where the stock is depleted, there is evidence of rebuilding. Probability that strategy for recovery is effective Success of rebuilding

SG60 SG80 SG100Where stocks are depleted rebuilding strategies which have a reasonable expectation of success are in place.

Monitoring is in place to determine whether they are effective in rebuilding the stock within a specified timeframe.

Where stocks are depleted rebuilding strategies are in place.

There is evidence that they are rebuilding stocks, or it is highly likely based on simulation modelling or previous performance that they will be able to rebuild the stock within a specified timeframe.

Where stocks are depleted, strategies are demonstrated to be rebuilding stocks continuously and there is strong evidence that rebuilding will be complete within the shortest practicable timeframe.

There is some information that indicates that the stock may be overfished, but there is no information on the level of depletion or on the need of rebuilding. Thus, there is not a rebuilding program in place. Given the stock status presented in 1.1.1 and the lack of reference points (1.1.2), this performance indicator would likely fail..

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Harvest strategies 1.2.1. Performance of the harvest strategy

There is a robust and precautionary harvest strategy (monitoring, assessment, harvest control rules and management actions) in place.

Strategy evaluated Adaptive strategy

SG60 SG80 SG100The harvest strategy is expected to achieve stock management objectives reflected in the target and limit reference points.

The harvest strategy is likely to work based on prior experience or plausible argument.

Monitoring is in place that is expected to determine whether the harvest strategy is working.

The harvest strategy is responsive to the state of the stock and the elements of the harvest strategy work together towards achieving management objectives reflected in the target and limit reference points.

The harvest strategy may not have been fully tested but monitoring is in place and evidence exists that it is achieving its objectives.

The harvest strategy is responsive to the state of the stock and is designed to achieve stock management objectives reflected in the target and limit reference points.

The performance of the harvest strategy has been fully evaluated and evidence exists to show that it is achieving its objectives including being clearly able to maintain stocks at target levels.

The harvest strategy is periodically reviewed and improved as necessary.

In Honduras there are precautionary procedures in place in the fisheries laws and regulations, both at the national level and at the regional level in Central America, through the harmonized regulations issued by OSPESCA in 2009. The current harvest strategy in Honduras includes access controls, seasonal and area closures, effort controls, gear restrictions, and size limits. The most important regulations implemented by the Fisheries Authority of Honduras are (FAO 2007b, OSPESCA 2009a):

1) Access controls. There is a limited number of fishing licenses by fleet. The industrial lobster fleet is limited to a maximum of 182 vessels, whose license is permanent, non-transferrable, and non-negotiable. If a vessel desires to fish in another country, it must notify the Honduran authorities at DIGEPESCA and obtain authorization from that country. The right to fish in Honduras (license) will expire after 36 months. If a vessel owner sells or transfers a vessel in Honduras, the license is lost and cannot be obtained again. Conversely, if the vessel is sold in a foreign country, the owner can keep the license for a new vessel that carries out the same activity that was originally authorized.

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2) Gear restrictions. Commercial trap vessels are allowed to use a maximum of 2,500 traps per fishing period and dive vessels can have a maximum of 35 divers on board.

3) Characteristics and Dimensions of the Pots or Traps. Traps can only be made of wood, ¼ inch thick, 90 cm long X 60 cm wide X 50 cm high, weight 4 kg., and must have at least one escape opening of 2 1/8 in. (54 mm) between the last slat and the bottom of the trap. Traps made of plastic, wire, or other recycled materials are not permitted.

4) Seasonal closure. Since 2010, all the Central American states agreed to implement a seasonal closure of 4 months, from March 1 st to June 30 each year, except for Belize, that maintains the closure between February 15th and June 14th.

5) Installation and removal of traps. Prior to the beginning of the seasonal closure, lobster fishermen must remove all their traps from the fishing grounds. Each country can authorize to place the traps back in the fishing grounds 10 days before the closure ends.

6) Inventories. Lobster fishermen, boat owners and merchants must report all lobster products in their inventory before the third day of the seasonal closure, which is the only amount that can be sold during this period. Inspections can take place at any time during the closure.

7) Navigation during the seasonal closure. The competent authorities will prevent the departure of all commercial and artisanal lobster vessels during the closure, and they can only navigate for justified reasons or if they have authorization for other fishery.

8) Minimum size. A minimum tail length of 140 mm is required for capture and storage of spiny lobsters. For packaging and trade, the average weight of the packed product must be 5 ounces, with a range of 4.5 to 5.5 oz of thawed tails.

9) Prohibitions. It is prohibited to capture, store and trade lobster females in the reproductive phase, egg-bearing, with spermatheca or molting, or whose eggs have been removed. It is also prohibited to market ground lobster meat or lobster tails without a carapace.

10) Diving. Scuba diving will be prohibited as a method to fish spiny lobster within two years of the implementation of the regional regulations (July 1st, 2009). In Honduras, this regulation was due to be implemented January 1st, 2011, but a request for extension until 2013 has been submitted (A. Medina, pers. comm.).

11) Health and Safety regulations. There are regulations to protect the fishermen from occupational hazards, issued by the Department of Labor and Social Security, Ministry of State (Secretaría de Estado en los Despachos de Trabajo y Seguridad Social). These include measures to protect divers from risks linked to the fishery operations, and establish the general safety and health standards for fishing vessels and diving gear.

Good monitoring and control exist at the local scale through the Association of Lobster Fishers of the Bay Islands that regularly observe if illegal fishing or fishing by unauthorized foreign vessels occurs. However, federal monitoring and enforcement is considered to be less effective (SC 2010). More monitoring activities take place during the closed season, when the fishermen’s association and the Navy conduct joint patrols to control the lobster fleets (FAO 2003). The Federal Unit of Monitoring and Control is in charge of monitoring and control of all the fisheries in Honduras, and civil and military authorities collaborate in the enforcement and compliance of fishery regulations (FAO 2003).

While monitoring of the harvest strategy does not happen on a regular basis, it has been updated and improved frequently, with the latest update at the inception of the regional spiny lobster regulations on July 1st, 2009 (OSPESCA 2009a). Some elements of the harvest strategy have been tested and revised, such as the size limits, the dimensions of the traps and escape openings, the length of the reproductive period and of the seasonal closure, the maximum effort allowed, etc. The performance of the harvest strategy will be better evaluated since the adherence of Honduras to OSPESCA, whose objectives include the improvement of fisheries management in the region (M. Pérez and S. Martínez,

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pers.comm.; OSPESCA 2005, 2009a).

Given that periodic population assessments are lacking and that stock status is only inferred from auxiliary information, evidence that the harvest strategy as a whole is achieving its objectives does not exist. Some elements, have, however been tested as effective (i.e., minimum size compared to size at maturity, size of the escape opening in the lobster traps, maximum number of licensed vessels) both through scientific studies and through the application of similar measures in other lobster fisheries of the Caribbean (WWF 2008, FAO 2007, 2007b).

A precautionary, scientifically based and regionally accepted harvest strategy is in place, and although stock status is unknown and monitoring can (and should) be improved, Honduras is moving toward a solid management strategy. Since there are no clear management objectives that the harvest strategy can be tested against, there is no clear evidence of its effectiveness. This performance indicator can only obtain a conditional pass.

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Harvest strategies 1.2.2. Harvest control rules and tools

There are well defined and precautionary harvest control rules in place

SG60 SG80 SG100Generally understood harvest control rules are in place that are consistent with the harvest strategy and which act to reduce the exploitation rate as limit reference points are approached.

There is some evidence that tools used to implement harvest control rules are appropriate and effective in controlling exploitation.

Well defined harvest control rules are in place that are consistent with the harvest strategy and ensure that the exploitation rate is reduced as limit reference points are approached.

The selection of the harvest control rules takes into account the main uncertainties.

Available evidence indicates that the tools in use are appropriate and effective in achieving the exploitation levels required under the harvest control rules.

Well defined harvest control rules are in place that are consistent with the harvest strategy and ensure that the exploitation rate is reduced as limit reference points are approached.

The design of the harvest control rules take into account a wide range of uncertainties.

Evidence clearly shows that the tools in use are effective in achieving the exploitation levels required under the harvest control rules.

The Honduran spiny lobster stock is suspected to be under high fishing pressure and possibly overfished. However, as noted under previous performance indicators, there are no references to determine true stock status, limit or target fishing mortality rates, catches, or biomass levels. Therefore, to date, no harvest control rules (HCRs) exist that describe how the exploitation rate can be reduced as the stock biomass approaches the limit reference point. In addition, there are no HCRs that describe how the stock can be rebuilt to the target reference point when they are below it.

Due to the importance of HCRs, particularly in a fishery where overfishing may already be occurring and immediate action may be needed before the stock is depleted, this performance indicator receives a failing (red) score. This PI alone could prevent the fishery from obtaining certification.

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Harvest strategies 1.2.3. Information / monitoring

Relevant information is collected to support the harvest strategy stock structure, stock productivity, fleet composition harvest control rule monitoring abundance/removal

SG60 SG80 SG100Some relevant information related to stock structure, stock productivity and fleet composition is available to support the harvest strategy.

Stock abundance and fishery removals are monitored and at least one indicator is available and monitored with sufficient frequency to support the harvest control rule.

Sufficient relevant information related to stock structure, stock productivity, fleet composition and other data is available to support the harvest strategy.

Stock abundance and fishery removals are regularly monitored at a level of accuracy and coverage consistent with the harvest control rule, and one or more indicators are available and monitored with sufficient frequency to support the harvest control rule.

There is good information on all other fishery removals from the stock.

A comprehensive range of information (on stock structure, stock productivity, fleet composition, stock abundance, fishery removals and other information such as environmental information), including some that may not be directly relevant to the current harvest strategy, is available.

All information required by the harvest control rule is monitored with high frequency and a high degree of certainty, and there is a good understanding of the inherent uncertainties in the information [data] and the robustness of assessment and management to this uncertainty.

There are large uncertainties related to the sources of lobster larvae and recruitment processes across the wider Caribbean due to the long duration of pelagic larval stages and to the complex ocean circulation patterns in the region. Thus, the geographical boundaries for most stocks cannot be delimited and there are no clear definitions of independent stocks, including the Honduran stock.

Building on previous FAO/WECAFC workshops, sub-regional FAO/WECAFC assessments assumed that there are four lobster stocks (North, North-Central, South-Central, and South). The Honduras lobster population is thought to be part of the south-central stock, based around Nicaragua, Honduras, Colombia, and Jamaica. This assumption has been based on the distribution of the species, the nature of the coastal shelf

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and the prevailing currents around the region (FAO 2001, 2003, 2007). The spiny lobster larvae are dispersed in the prevailing ocean currents but can be retained in offshore gyres that are persistent enough to constrain their larvae. This may be the case in the Gulf of Honduras off Costa Rica-Panama, where significant larval retention mechanisms are believed to occur (Ehrhardt et al. 2010). Thus, recruitment of lobsters within the Honduras-Nicaragua platform may be highly dependent on the local adult population, although recruitment from external sources is also likely to occur.

Limited information and data are available to determine the overall status and productivity of the Honduran lobster stock. As indicated above, the productivity of the stock may be determined by a wide range of factors, including the local abundance of adults, the abundance of other adult populations outside of Honduras that may supply larvae through ocean circulation patterns, and changes in local environmental conditions that could affect post-larval recruitment, for example. The high yield of the Honduran and Nicaraguan lobster fisheries, however, suggests that it had been a very productive stock until overfishing became a problem and abundance started to drop. Landings patterns are believed to reflect fluctuations in recruitment, particularly if the stock is highly dependent on local production and larval retention is high.

Honduras lacks a reliable data collection system, and processing and analysis of catch records are also lacking (FAO 2007b). Thus, information on total removals can be difficult to obtain for stock assessment purposes. Various FAO workshops and WWF/USAID projects have recommended improvements in the collection of catch, effort, and length-frequency data in Honduras. Currently, the processing plants keep the records of spiny lobster landed, but may not be too precise due to limited resources and qualified personnel. There are inspectors from DIGEPESCA assigned to different regions of the country that collect sale/purchase reports from boat owners and processing plants on a monthly basis. These contain the identification of the vessel and captain, the location fished, the number of traps deployed, the time submerged, and the catch in number and weight. Reports are sent to the Statistics Unit of DIGIPESCA where a catch-effort database is currently under development. The information was previously scattered, and large pieces have been lost, but data for lobster, shrimp and finfish is consistent since 2000, and digitized since 2006. Analysis of this information is being initiated, but there is currently only one qualified person in the statistics department. The Central Bank of Honduras and NOAA Fisheries (USA) collect information on exports from Honduras to the United States (FAO 2003, 2007b, SC 2010).

International, regional, and local organizations (IFREMER, PRADEPESCA, OSPESCA, FIINPESCA, CRIPCCA, DIGEPESCA) have funded spiny lobster research in Honduras, including various monitoring programs, biological surveys onboard fishing vessels and at processing plants, socio-economic assessments, and fishery-improvement projects. In general, fisheries surveys have analyzed population distribution, structure and abundance through the examination of size/age/sex composition of the catch, fishing effort, and fishing areas. Some studies on the reproductive season, morphometric relationships, catch composition and retention by traps with different characteristics have helped to develop or refine harvest strategies, and to monitor the effects of gear on lobsters. However, limited biological sampling is conducted at landing sites and at processing plants on a regular basis to monitor the fishery and length, weight, and sex composition (FAO 2003, WWF 2010).

Recently, some NGOs, particularly WWF, have strived to gather detailed data from the Honduran and Nicaraguan lobster fisheries that can help to inform stock assessments and improve fisheries management in the region. A pilot three-season onboard observer program was implemented in 2007/2008 that successfully collected information on catch, effort, and age/size composition by fishing area, depth, and season. Preliminary analyses using this information have provided information on relative stock abundance (through the standardization of CPUEs), stock status (through preliminary stock assessments that combine data from Honduras and Nicaragua), and on the distribution of the stock along geographic and bathymetric gradients in the Honduran-Nicaraguan platform (WWF 2010, Sosa-Cordero 2010).

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The fishing gear was thoroughly examined in a study (Medina/ WWF 2008) that compared “friendly” traps (2 1/4 inch escape opening) versus standard traps (2 1/8 inch escape opening), which resulted in the implementation of the friendly trap in the federal regulations, thus increasing protection of juvenile lobsters. Also, there have been on-board observer programs to monitor the catch, which have provided useful data for stock assessments.

In addition, as part of the OSPESCA program to improve fisheries management in the Central American region, a new VMS satellite system was implemented in 2010 that will provide information on effort, including the number of boats, the identification and characteristics of the vessels, the locations fished, the duration of the trips, etc. Each industrial vessel should have a VMS system installed, and fishing operations in Honduras are monitored at the DIGESPESCA and OSPESCA offices, in Honduras and El Salvador, respectively (SC 2010, OSPESCA 2009b).

There are sparse data on fleet composition, but the total number of vessels in the industrial spiny lobster fleet of Honduras in the last 15 years has remained relatively stable, between 150 and 200 vessels (Figure 3). In the 2005/2006 season, there were 117 industrial trap vessels (69%) and 53 (31%) dive vessels; in the 2006/2007 season, the proportion changed to 75% trap and 25 % dive vessels, respectively. The industrial dive fishery was due to be banned in 2011, but may not close until 2013 (FAO 2007b,Suazo 2008, SC 2010, A. Medina, pers. comm).

As a result of the recent regional initiatives by OSPESCA, international organizations, and NGOs to improve fisheries management in Central America, there are plans to also improve monitoring of the spiny lobster fisheries, enhance research, build regional databases, build local capacity, and reduce IUU fishing with the aid of VMS (OSPESCA 2005, 2009a, 2009b). At the moment, there is very limited information to assess stock status or to support the harvest strategy in Honduras alone, but combined research, information, and monitoring programs from the region will eventually support the current harmonized strategy. To date, however, Honduras has not monitored stock abundance or removals appropriately or regularly, so this indicator obtains a failing score (red).

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Outcome 1.2.4. Stock Assessment

There is an adequate assessment of the stock.

SG60 SG80 SG100The assessment estimates stock status relative to reference points.

The major sources of uncertainty are identified.

The assessment is appropriate for the stock and for the harvest control rule, and is evaluating stock status relative to reference points.

The assessment takes uncertainty into account.

The stock assessment is subject to peer review.

The assessment is appropriate for the stock and for the harvest control rule and takes into account the major features relevant to the biology of the species and the nature of the fishery.

The assessment takes into account uncertainty and is evaluating stock status relative to reference points in a probabilistic way.

The assessment has been tested and shown to be robust. Alternative hypotheses and assessment approaches have been rigorously explored.

The assessment has been internally and externally peer reviewed.

A regional assessment of the South-Central stock that included Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia and Jamaica was attempted at the 1998 FAO/WECAFC workshop (FAO 2001). An average CPUE of 880 traps per vessel lifted on a daily basis was calculated for Honduras, considering that a vessel introduces between 2,640 and 3,000 traps in the fishing areas. The main assessment methods used were a tuned length cohort analysis (Ehrhardt and Legault, 1996) and a depletion model, which incorporated the data from all the countries in the sub-region. Ultimately, it was the Nicaraguan fishery that drove the results, because this country has detailed biological data and a long time-series of catch and effort, including size and sex composition. Results showed high fishing mortality rates for both sexes under two different selectivity patterns, suggesting that the stock in the entire platform was fully exploited. Additional evidence was presented that indicated that the three countries were fishing one stock and that interactions among fleets should be considered for future assessments, particularly because a relationship between lobster size

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and depth was found, and the data showed evidence of a sequential fishery (FAO 2001).

In 2006, a critical evaluation of the data available for assessment was performed (Guevara 2006), and summaries of catch, effort and CPUE were provided. They were, however, deemed insufficient to proceed with stock assessment analyses. In 2009, under the project FIINPESCA, the status of various fishery resources in the Central American region was again analyzed (Guevara 2009). Again, the author found that there wasn’t a complete time series of lobster catches or size-structured data from Honduras to conduct an assessment. However, it was possible to consolidate the information from Honduras and Nicaragua to apply a size-structured cohort analysis model to the whole stock. Preliminary results showed that fishing mortality was higher than sustainable levels (F 0.1), that effort should be reduced by at least 20%, and that annual landings should not exceed 1200 metric tons (whole weight) (Guevara 2009).

The latest assessment of the Honduras-Nicaragua spiny lobster stock (Sosa-Cordero and Ramírez-González 2010) included three full seasons of detailed onboard observer data (2007/2008 to 2009/2010), which allowed for a better analysis of the age, size and sex structure of the stock, and of the fishing effort and CPUE by area and depth. While data from Honduras were still scattered, combining these with Nicaraguan information provided a more complete database. In essence, a length-converted catch curve analysis was used to estimate total mortality, and pseudo-cohort analyses and yield-per recruit analyses were used to estimate abundance and fishing mortality rates (F) by age, as well as reference F values. Results showed that the stock is under high and increasing fishing pressure, F=1.23 to F=2.21 from 2007 to 2010; that F is much greater than natural mortality (M=0.36); that older lobsters (ages 7 and 8) have disappeared from the catch; and that fishing effort is well above the level that would maximize yield per recruit. It is important to reiterate that the fisheries database from Honduras is incomplete, so there were significant gaps in the data used in the analyses, and many assumptions had to be made. On the other hand, the similarity of both fisheries, the generally known behaviour of the Nicaraguan fishery, and the fact that they exploit the same stock suggest that trends in abundance and fishing mortality in Nicaragua may generally reflect the status of the whole stock.

While the methods used to analyze the whole Nicaraguan-Honduran stock are appropriate and take the main uncertainties into account, an adequate assessment of the Honduran spiny lobster fishery, alone, has not been performed due to the unavailability of a consistent and reliable database. Thus, stock status remains rather uncertain and reference points and control rules to guide management of this fishery are not available. This performance indicator will fail unless fishery data collection and analysis are improved in Honduras.

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4.3 Principle 2: Ecological and environmental impacts




Retained species 2.1.1. Outcome Status

The fishery does not pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to the retained species and does not hinder recovery of depleted retained species.

SG60 SG80 SG100Main retained species are likely to be within biologically based limits or if outside the limits there are measures in place that are expected to ensure that the fishery does not hinder recovery and rebuilding of the depleted species.

If the status is poorly known there are measures or practices in place that are expected to result in the fishery not causing the retained species to be outside biologically based limits or hindering recovery.

Main retained species are highly likely to be within biologically based limits, or if outside the limits there is a partial strategy of demonstrably effective management measures in place such that the fishery does not hinder recovery and rebuilding.

There is a high degree of certainty that retained species are within biologically based limits.

Target reference points are defined and retained species are at or fluctuating around their target reference points.

Lobster traps are highly selective and few other species are known to be retained. Small fish can generally swim freely in and out of the traps, and very few are retained. There is, however, some bycatch of finfish and other invertebrates (e.g., snappers, grunts and crabs) that are on occasion retained in the wooden traps, but these are thought to be relatively minor. The fish are used for self-consumption during the fishing trips. Because of the high value of the lobster resource, fishers will primarily target lobster during the fishing season, and other species retained are incidental catch. Total removals of crabs (unknown species) are not quantified. Stakeholders, however, mentioned that each industrial vessel may catch and retain approximately 1,500 lbs of crabs per year, which are sold in the local market (SC 2010). There was no information available on the actual species retained or their status, but the lobster trap fishery is not likely to pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to the few species that are retained. Crab catches are believed to fall below the 5-10% of the target catch, therefore, it is highly likely that retained species are within biologically based limits, so this indicator receives a pass (green).

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Retained species 2.1.2. Management Strategy

There is a strategy in place for managing retained species that is designed to ensure the fishery does not pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to retained species.

SG60 SG80 SG100There are measures in place, if necessary, that are expected to maintain the main retained species at levels which are highly likely to be within biologically based limits, or to ensure the fishery does not hinder their recovery and rebuilding.

The measures are considered likely to work, based on plausible argument (e.g., general experience, theory or comparison with similar fisheries/species).

There is a partial strategy in place, if necessary that is expected to maintain the main retained species at levels which are highly likely to be within biologically based limits, or to ensure the fishery does not hinder their recovery and rebuilding.

There is some objective basis for confidence that the partial strategy will work, based on some information directly about the fishery and/or species involved.

There is some evidence that the partial strategy is being implemented successfully.

There is a strategy in place for managing retained species.

The strategy is mainly based on information directly about the fishery and/or species involved, and testing supports high confidence that the strategy will work.

There is clear evidence that the strategy is being implemented successfully, and intended changes are occurring.

There is some evidence that the strategy is achieving its overall objective.

Since the fishery does not retain any main species and the amount retained is believed to be small, a management strategy is not deemed necessary and this PI can obtain a pass (green) level score.

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Retained species 2.1.3. Information / monitoring

Information on the nature and extent of retained species is adequate to determine the risk posed by the fishery and the effectiveness of the strategy to manage retained species.

SG60 SG80 SG100Qualitative information is available on the amount of main retained species taken by the fishery.Information is adequate to qualitatively assess outcome status with respect to biologically based limits. Information is adequate to support measures to manage main retained species.

Qualitative information and some quantitative information are available on the amount of main retained species taken by the fishery.Information is sufficient to estimate outcome status with respect to biologically based limits.Information is adequate to support a partial strategy to manage main retained species.Sufficient data continue to be collected to detect any increase in risk level (e.g. due to changes in the outcome indicator scores or the operation of the fishery or the effectiveness of the strategy).

Accurate and verifiable information is available on the catch of all retained species and the consequences for the status of affected populations.Information is sufficient to quantitatively estimate outcome status with a high degree of certainty. Information is adequate to support a comprehensive strategy to manage retained species, and evaluate with a high degree of certainty whether the strategy is achieving its objective. Monitoring of retained species is conducted in sufficient detail to assess ongoing mortalities to all retained species.

Honduras lacks a reliable data collection and analysis system, so neither removals of lobster nor of other retained species are known with certainty. No information is available either on the species composition or on the amount of retained catch. This information could, however, be obtained through the catch reports and purchase forms collected by fisheries inspectors from DIGEPESCA or from data collected through various on-board observer programs (SC 2010, WWF 2005, 2008, 2010). While the risk to other retained species may be low, it is necessary to identify them and to quantify the catches and the overall proportion of the lobster landings that they represent. Because limited or no qualitative or quantitative information exists and the risk to retained species is unknown, this indicator receives a failing score (red).

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Bycatch 2.2.1. Outcome Status

The fishery does not pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to the bycatch species or species groups and does not hinder recovery of depleted bycatch species or species groups.

SG60 SG80 SG100Main bycatch species are likely to be within biologically based limits, or if outside such limits there are mitigation measures in place that are expected to ensure that the fishery does not hinder recovery and rebuilding.

If the status is poorly known there are measures or practices in place that are expected to result in the fishery not causing the bycatch species to be outside biologically based limits or hindering recovery.

Main bycatch species are highly likely to be within biologically based limits or if outside such limits there is a partial strategy of demonstrably effective mitigation measures in place such that the fishery does not hinder recovery and rebuilding.

There is a high degree of certainty that bycatch species are within biologically based limits.

Evidence from expert opinion in other areas of the Caribbean (i.e., U.S. Virgin Islands) suggests that there is some risk of bycatch of finfishes with lobster traps. While stakeholders did not acknowledge that this problem exists in Honduras (SC 2010), bycatch mortality may be significant and needs to be addressed. Bycatch species composition and status are not known, and there are no known practices to reduce it. Due to the potential risk posed by (active) lobster traps to a number of finfish species, and to the possibility that lost and discarded traps produce ghost fishing, this indicator would fail.

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Bycatch 2.2.2. Management strategy

There is a strategy in place for managing bycatch that is designed to ensure the fishery does not pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to bycatch populations.

SG60 SG80 SG100There are measures in place, if necessary, which are expected to maintain main bycatch species at levels which are highly likely to be within biologically based limits or to ensure that the fishery does not hinder their recovery.

The measures are considered likely to work, based on plausible argument (e.g. general experience, theory or comparison with similar fisheries/species).

There is a partial strategy in place, if necessary, for managing bycatch that is expected to maintain main bycatch species at levels which are highly likely to be within biologically based limits or to ensure that the fishery does not hinder their recovery.

There is some objective basis for confidence that the partial strategy will work, based on some information directly about the fishery and/or the species involved.


There is a strategy in place for managing and minimising bycatch.

The strategy is mainly based on information directly about the fishery and/or species involved, and testing supports high confidence that the strategy will work.

There is clear evidence that the strategy is being implemented successfully, and intended changes are occurring. There is some evidence that the strategy is achieving its objective.

The trap fishery currently operates with a regulated gear that is not yet known to have serious bycatch issues. In order to interact with bycatch species a change or modification in gear type would be required that is not currently permitted under the Fisheries Laws and Regulations of Honduras and Central America. Thus, ongoing monitoring of the gear type employed (friendly trap studies and banning of dive gear) acts to ensure that limited impacts occur (SC 2010; WWF 2008, 2010). Although the general perception in the region is that bycatch is not a major problem in lobster fisheries, the bycatch species composition and status are hardly known, so the management system should be able to demonstrate that no main species occur (such that a strategy is not necessary). Since bycatch is unknown, it’s unknown if a management strategy is needed, so this indicator receives a conditional pass.

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Bycatch 2.2.3. Information / monitoring

Information on the nature and amount of bycatch is adequate to determine the risk posed by the fishery and the effectiveness of the strategy to manage bycatch.

SG60 SG80 SG100Qualitative information is available on the amount of main bycatch species affected by the fishery.

Information is adequate to broadly understand outcome status with respect to biologically based limits.

Information is adequate to support measures to manage bycatch.

Qualitative information and some quantitative information are available on the amount of main bycatch species affected by the fishery.

Information is sufficient to estimate outcome status with respect to biologically based limits.

Information is adequate to support a partial strategy to manage main bycatch species.

Sufficient data continue to be collected to detect any increase in risk to main bycatch species (e.g. due to changes in the outcome indicator scores or the operation of the fishery or the effectiveness of the strategy).

Accurate and verifiable information is available on the amount of all bycatch and the consequences for the status of affected populations.

Information is sufficient to quantitatively estimate outcome status with respect to biologically based limits with a high degree of certainty.

Information is adequate to support a comprehensive strategy to manage bycatch, and evaluate with a high degree of certainty whether a strategy is achieving its objective.

Monitoring of bycatch data is conducted in sufficient detail to assess ongoing mortalities to all bycatch species.

Bycatch species composition and catch amounts are not currently monitored through the catch report form or the sales/purchase records, so only limited information has been collected from onboard observer programs. There was no data on bycatch to inform this assessment but it can be collected in catch reports and in future fisheries-dependent and independent surveys. If the management system requires it, monitoring of bycatch can be improved and must become an essential component of observer programs. Since the risk posed to bycatch species may be significant, but there is no information to understand the status or support measures to manage bycatch, this PI would fail.

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ETP Species 2.3.1. Outcome Status

The fishery meets national and international requirements for protection of ETP species.

The fishery does not pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to ETP species and does not hinder recovery of ETP species.SG60 SG80 SG100Known effects of the fishery are likely to be within limits of national and international requirements for protection of ETP species.

Known direct effects are unlikely to create unacceptable impacts to ETP species.

The effects of the fishery are known and are highly likely to be within limits of national and international requirements for protection of ETP species.

Direct effects are highly unlikely to create unacceptable impacts to ETP species.

Indirect effects have been considered and are thought to be unlikely to create unacceptable impacts.

There is a high degree of certainty that the effects of the fishery are within limits of national and international requirements for protection of ETP species.

There is a high degree of confidence that there are no significant detrimental effects (direct and indirect) of the fishery on ETP species.

Honduras subscribes to international and regional agreements and has developed national legal frameworks that provide specific protection for ETP species (SC 2010). Lobster traps are a selective gear, and although they can retain limited bycatch, incidental capture of ETP species has not been reported in Honduras or elsewhere in the Caribbean. Other lobster fisheries in the vicinity (Sian Ka’an and Banco Chinchorro, Mexico) report that the risk of capturing ETP species with lobster traps, casitas or hook sticks is exceptionally rare and negligible in its impact (MRAG Americas, 2009; in prep.).

No further information was available for this assessment, but evidence from stakeholder consultation indicates that the lobster traps are not considered to pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to ETP species, so information needs to be confirmed and this PI receives a conditional pass.

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ETP Species 2.3.2. Management Strategy

The fishery has in place precautionary management strategies designed to:- meet national and international requirements;- ensure the fishery does not pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to ETP species;- ensure the fishery does not hinder recovery of ETP species; and- minimise mortality of ETP species.SG60 SG80 SG100There are measures in place that minimise mortality, and are expected to be highly likely to achieve national and international requirements for the protection of ETP species.

The measures are considered likely to work, based on plausible argument (e.g. general experience, theory or comparison with similar fisheries/species).

There is a strategy in place for managing the fishery’s impact on ETP species, including measures to minimise mortality that is designed to be highly likely to achieve national and international requirements for the protection of ETP species.

There is an objective basis for confidence that the strategy will work, based on some information directly about the fishery and/or the species involved.

There is evidence that the strategy is being implemented successfully.

There is a comprehensive strategy in place for managing the fishery’s impact on ETP species, including measures to minimise mortality that is designed to achieve above national and international requirements for the protection of ETP species.

The strategy is mainly based on information directly about the fishery and/or species involved, and a quantitative analysis supports high confidence that the strategy will work.

There is clear evidence that the strategy is being implemented successfully, and intended changes are occurring. There is evidence that the strategy is achieving its objective.

International agreements and national laws and regulations applied in Honduras have prescriptions for the protection and conservation of ETP species. Furthermore, the lobster fishery in Honduras currently operates with regulated gear types that are known to have no impact on ETP species. Information to assess this PI was only available from stakeholder consultation. Therefore, a management strategy is not deemed necessary and the fishery meets the green (pass) scoring level.

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ETP Species 2.3.3. Information/ monitoring

Relevant information is collected to support the management of fishery impacts on ETP species, including:- information for the development of the management strategy; - information to assess the effectiveness of the management strategy; and- information to determine the outcome status of ETP species.SG60 SG80 SG100Information is adequate to broadly understand the impact of the fishery on ETP species.

Information is adequate to support measures to manage the impacts on ETP species

Information is sufficient to qualitatively estimate the fishery related mortality of ETP species.

Information is sufficient to determine whether the fishery may be a threat to protection and recovery of the ETP species, and if so, to measure trends and support a full strategy to manage impacts.

Sufficient data are available to allow fishery related mortality and the impact of fishing to be quantitatively estimated for ETP species.

Information is sufficient to quantitatively estimate outcome status with a high degree of certainty.

Information is adequate to support a comprehensive strategy to manage impacts, minimize mortality and injury of ETP species, and evaluate with a high degree of certainty whether a strategy is achieving its objectives.

Accurate and verifiable information is available on the magnitude of all impacts, mortalities and injuries and the consequences for the status of ETP species.

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Although the fishery lacks a management strategy specifically for ETP species, fisheries-dependent and fisheries-independent monitoring of the catch has occurred through different research projects (WWF 2005, 2008, 2010), and there have been no reports of ETP species associated to the lobster fishery. Even if a management strategy for ETP species is not deemed necessary and that monitoring of the gear has also taken place in the past (e.g., research to implement the “friendly traps” that enhance protection of undersized lobsters, WWF 2008), continuous monitoring through catch reports should be implemented to ensure and confirm that no impact occurs. Given the lack of documented information regarding ETP species, the score for this PI can only reach the conditional pass level (yellow).




Habitat 2.4.1. Outcome Status

The fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm to habitat structure, considered on a regional or bioregional basis, and function.

SG60 SG80 SG100The fishery is unlikely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm.

The fishery is highly unlikely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm.

There is evidence that the fishery is highly unlikely to reduce habitat structure and function to a point where there would be serious or irreversible harm.

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Little or no research has been undertaken to demonstrate trends in habitat structure in the regions used for lobster fishing. It remains unclear whether fishing activities contribute to adverse impacts on habitat. The use of lobster traps by the industrial fleet in Honduras, however, may cause serious harm to habitat structure.

According to regulations, each vessel should carry 2,500 traps per season, but up to 4,000-6,000 have been reported (Ehrhardt 2004, SC 2010). Multiple fishing lines with at least 25 traps that are tied together in a string are released at various fishing grounds with depths between 27 and 76 m, and with total disregard of bottom types or habitats. Some evidence suggests that occasionally traps are placed directly on coral reefs (C. Garcia-Saez, pers. comm.). Then, they must be pulled to the surface to release and sort the catch. This process is repeated several times a day with several lines, pulling over 1,000 traps a day (WWF 2005). The harm to habitat becomes more significant by adding up the total number of active vessels (at least 150) and the duration of the fishing season, which can extend to 6 or 7 months.

Another factor that worsens the problem is that the useful life of lobster traps is only about 1.5 seasons, but it is known that old traps are not always returned to port, destroyed or discarded properly, and that they are often left at the fishing grounds. Then, there is not only a ghost effect upon the lobster stock and the bycatch species, but the accumulation of traps on the bottom may cause permanent damage to habitats. The scale, intensity, and characteristics of the fishing operation suggest that the industrial lobster trap fishery poses a serious risk to benthic habitats, including hard and soft coral bottoms, seagrass beds, sand, and rock bottoms, which may serve as essential habitats for lobsters and other reef fish and shellfish species (SC 2010).

There was limited information to evaluate this indicator, but the arguments presented above suggest that this is an issue that must be addressed to improve the fishery. Without studies on habitat damage by traps and a quantitative assessment of the traps discarded at sea or at remote islands and keys, this indicator would fail the fishery.

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Habitat 2.4.2. Management Strategy

There is a strategy in place that is designed to ensure the fishery does not pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to habitat types.

SG60 SG80 SG100There are measures in place, if necessary, that are expected to achieve the Habitat Outcome 80 level of performance.

The measures are considered likely to work, based on plausible argument (e.g. general experience, theory or comparison with similar fisheries/habitats).

There is a partial strategy in place, if necessary, that is expected to achieve the Habitat Outcome 80 level of performance or above.

There is some objective basis for confidence that the partial strategy will work, based on some information directly about the fishery and/or habitats involved.


There is a strategy in place for managing the impact of the fishery on habitat types.

The strategy is mainly based on information directly about the fishery and/or habitats involved, and testing supports high confidence that the strategy will work.

There is clear evidence that the strategy is being implemented successfully, and intended changes are occurring. There is some evidence that the strategy is achieving its objective.

There is no documented evidence of habitat damage caused by the fishery, but it is considered that the current fishing practices, together with the scale and intensity of the fishery, pose a risk to benthic habitats and therefore, a management strategy is required. There are measures in place to regulate the number of industrial vessels (182), the number of traps per vessel (2,500) and the dimensions and materials of the lobster traps (FAO 2007b). Old traps are supposed to be brought back to port and destroyed. (A. Medina, pers. comm.).

If a management strategy were necessary, this indicator would receive a failing score for three main reasons: 1) there are currently no regulations to control the physical placement of traps(to prevent traps from being placed directly on reefs or other vulnerable habitats); 2) there are no regulations to dispose of old traps or to limit ghost fishing, and,3) vessels exceed the allotted number of traps substantially.

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Habitat 2.4.3. Information / Monitoring

Information is adequate to determine the risk posed to habitat types by the fishery and the effectiveness of the strategy to manage impacts on habitat types.

SG60 SG80 SG100There is a basic understanding of the types and distribution of main habitats in the area of the fishery.

Information is adequate to broadly understand the main impacts of gear use on the main habitats, including spatial extent of interaction.

The nature, distribution and vulnerability of all main habitat types in the fishery area are known at a level of detail relevant to the scale and intensity of the fishery. Sufficient data are available to allow the nature of the impacts of the fishery on habitat types to be identified and there is reliable information on the spatial extent, timing and location of use of the fishing gear. Sufficient data continue to be collected to detect any increase in risk to habitat (e.g. due to changes in the outcome indicator scores or the operation of the fishery or the effectiveness of the measures).

The distribution of habitat types is known over their range, with particular attention to the occurrence of vulnerable habitat types.

Changes in habitat distributions over time are measured.

The physical impacts of the gear on the habitat types have been quantified fully.

Some benthic studies have been conducted in the region to characterize essential coral reef habitats for fish and shellfish species, particularly around the Cayos Cochinos Marine Natural Monument (WWF 2006, 2008, Comité Cayos Cochinos 2004) and the Media Luna Reef (WWF 2010). Benthic habitat maps and bathymetric models have been developed for coastal and marine areas in the Pacific and Caribbean coasts of Honduras, under different projects (by TNC, WWF, USAID). Then, there is a basic understanding of the types and distribution of main habitats in the area of the fishery, of the main threats to habitats, and of the gaps in the conservation of marine and coastal habitats in Honduras (Global Fish Alliance 2010, http://www.globalfishalliance.org/spiny/resources.html ). There is, however, no information on the nature, scale, and intensity of the impacts of traps on benthic habitats or on gear loss or disposal on fishing grounds. For this assessment, there was no documented evidence of habitat damage caused by the direct contact of traps with the sea bottom, but the fishery is expected to pose some risk to benthic habitats, particularly coral reefs. The lack of any data to help understand the impacts and address this issue results in a conditional pass level (yellow) for this PI.

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http://www.globalfishalliance.org/spiny/resources.html







Ecosystem 2.5.1. Outcome Status

The fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm to the key elements of ecosystem structure and function.

SG60 SG80 SG100The fishery is unlikely to disrupt the key elements underlying ecosystem structure and function to a point where there would be a serious or irreversible harm.

The fishery is highly unlikely to disrupt the key elements underlying ecosystem structure and function to a point where there would be a serious or irreversible harm.

There is evidence that the fishery is highly unlikely to disrupt the key elements underlying ecosystem structure and function to a point where there would be a serious or irreversible harm.

Limited information was available to assess whether the lobster trap fishery causes changes in the trophic structure, biodiversity of the ecosystem or other key elements of ecosystem structure and function. The industrial lobster trap fishery operates in the Mosquitia Banks, away from the main marine protected areas off the coast of Honduras (Bay Islands Marine Park, Cayos Cochinos Marine Natural Monument, Swan Islands Protected Area). There is, however, rising interest in the protection of critical habitats for spiny lobster and other commercial species in the Mosquitia region, including nursery areas and coral reef ecosystems, such as the Media Luna Reef (WWF 2010).

The main goal of the marine reserves is to maintain the overall function and biodiversity of critical or unique ecosystems. Some of these areas have management plans in place (i.e., Cayos Cochinos Management Plan, Comité Cayos Cochinos 2004), which characterize the habitats, ecosystems, and socio-economic structure, and regulate the use of their resources, including spiny lobster. Also, regional organizations (WWF, OSPESCA) are considering the implementation an Ecosystem-Based Approach to fisheries management to conserve coral reefs and associated resources in the Meso-American reef area (WWF 2006, SC 2010). The World Bank commissioned an assessment of the Mesoamerican Reef in 1999, that included Quintana Roo, Mexico, the coast of Belize, the Bay Islands (Utila, Guanaja and Roatán) and Cayos Cochinos in Honduras (World Resources Institute, http://www.wri.org/publication/content/7890). These AGGRA surveys assessed reef health, and results showed that some symptoms of bleaching, disease or damage were already apparent in the Honduran reefs (C. Garcia-Saez, pers. comm.; Kramer and Kramer 2002; Report Card 2010, http://www.scribd.com/2010-Report-Card-for-the-Mesoamerican-Reef/d/44402207).

Despite these ongoing efforts to promote an ecosystem approach to lobster fisheries management (WWF 2006), the lobster stock in Honduras is suspected to be overfished, and the low abundance of lobsters may have an effect on the ecosystem.. The species, however, does not appear to

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http://www.scribd.com/2010-Report-Card-for-the-Mesoamerican-Reef/d/44402207

http://www.wri.org/publication/content/7890




play a major role in the food web (Vidal and Basurto 2003). While some P2 components may have a low impact (i.e., retained species, bycatch and ETP species), traps may cause some damage to essential habitats.Thus, low lobster abundance and the risk of damage to essential habitats could cause some disruption of ecosystem structure and function. Given that there is limited information on these issues, but the potential risks to ecosystem health are expected to be small, this PI receives a conditional pass (yellow).




Ecosystem 2.5.2. Management Strategy

There are measures in place to ensure the fishery does not pose a risk of serious or irreversible harm to ecosystem structure and function.

SG60 SG80 SG100There are measures in place, if necessary, that take into account potential impacts of the fishery on key elements of the ecosystem.

The measures are considered likely to work, based on plausible argument (e.g., general experience, theory or comparison with similar fisheries/ ecosystems).

There is a partial strategy in place, if necessary, that takes into account available information and is expected to restrain impacts of the fishery on the ecosystem so as to achieve the Ecosystem Outcome 80 level of performance.

The partial strategy is considered likely to work, based on plausible argument (e.g., general experience, theory or comparison with similar fisheries/ ecosystems).

There is some evidence that the measures comprising the partial strategy are being implemented successfully.

There is a strategy that consists of a plan, containing measures to address all main impacts of the fishery on the ecosystem, and at least some of these measures are in place. The plan and measures are based on well-understood functional relationships between the fishery and the Components and elements of the ecosystem.

This plan provides for development of a full strategy that restrains impacts on the ecosystem to ensure the fishery does not cause serious or irreversible harm.

The measures are considered likely to work based on prior experience, plausible argument or information directly from the

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fishery/ecosystems involved.

There is evidence that the measures are being implemented successfully.

The potential impacts of the lobster trap fishery on the ecosystem are unknown, but based on the rationale provided above, they would be small and mainly related to the decline in lobster abundance, to bycatch, and to possible habitat damage. A management strategy that addresses ecosystem issues may be necessary, depending on the scale and magnitude of the impacts.

Also, similar to habitat, the potential risk of impact from the fishery is partly controlled by limited entry into the fishery, by MPAs that prohibit fishing within their boundaries (e.g. Cayos Cochinos), and by regulations that limit the number and characteristics of traps. However, it is known that fishing vessels commonly exceed the allotted number of traps (up to 4,000-6,000 per vessel instead of 2,500 as prescribed by law), that they are placed at random sites with disregard of bottom type, and that traps are often lost and old ones discarded at sea (Ehrhardt 2004, SC 2010). Thus, there are some implicit management actions in place to preserve ecosystem function and structure. In addition, the implementation of MPAs and initiatives to use the EBM approach to manage the lobster fisheries in the region will contribute to manage ecosystems appropriately. However, specific actions are needed to address unknown impacts to the ecosystem from excess gear, gear loss, ghost gear, and lobster depletion, so this PI receives a conditional pass (yellow).

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Ecosystem 2.5.3. Information / Monitoring

There is adequate knowledge of the impacts of the fishery on the ecosystem.

SG60 SG80 SG100Information is adequate to identify the key elements of the ecosystem (e.g. trophic structure and function, community composition, productivity pattern and biodiversity).

Main impacts of the fishery on these key ecosystem elements can be inferred from existing information, but have not been investigated in detail.

Information is adequate to broadly understand the functions of the key elements of the ecosystem.

Main impacts of the fishery on these key ecosystem elements can be inferred from existing information, but may not have been investigated in detail.

The main functions of the Components (i.e. target, Bycatch, Retained and ETP species and Habitats) in the ecosystem are known.

Sufficient information is available on the impacts of the fishery on these Components to allow some of the main consequences for the ecosystem to be inferred.

Sufficient data continue to be collected to detect any increase in risk level (e.g. due to changes in the outcome indicator scores or the operation of the fishery or the effectiveness of the measures).

Information is adequate to broadly understand the key elements of the ecosystem.

Main interactions between the fishery and these ecosystem elements can be inferred from existing information, and have been investigated.

The impacts of the fishery on target, Bycatch, Retained and ETP species and Habitats are identified and the main functions of these Components in the ecosystem are understood.

Sufficient information is available on the impacts of the fishery on the Components and elements to allow the main consequences for the ecosystem to be inferred.

Information is sufficient to support the development of strategies to manage ecosystem impacts.

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Limited information was available to assess whether the lobster trap fishery causes changes in the trophic structure, biodiversity of the ecosystem or other key elements of ecosystem structure and function. Only a few studies have assessed coral reef health in the Mesoamerican Reef System (e.g., AGRRA assessments, Kramer and Kramer 2002) or characterized the species composition and habitat structure (ecosystem based fisheries management) in areas fished by the industrial lobster fishermen using traps and diving gear (Media Luna Reef, Honduras and Cayos Miskitos, Nicaragua) (WWF 2010b,c). There is also an ongoing project conducted by The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to identify geo-spatial strata and gaps in coastal and marine conservation in the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of Honduras. This project aims at the implementation and effective management of protected areas by year 2012 (Global Fish Alliance, 2010), which will ultimately help to preserve the coral reef ecosystems that support the lobster fishery.

Also, regional organizations and funding agencies (e.g. WWF, OSPESCA, USAID) are promoting an Ecosystem Approach to fisheries management to conserve coral reefs and associated resources in the Mesoamerican reef area (WWF 2006, SC 2010).

In Honduras, there are several Marine Protected Areas, covering approximately 2.8 % of the territorial waters (World Bank 2008). They have different levels of protection from fishing. Only 1,393 Km2, equivalent to 0.94% of the territorial waters, are fully protected areas (Figure 8). They include the Cayos Cochinos Marine Natural Monument, the Bay Islands Marine Park (Utila, Guanaja, Roatán), and the Swan Islands Protected Area. Some MPAs already have management programs in place that aim at the conservation of biodiversity and ecosystem health (eg., Cayos Cochinos Management Plan, Comité Cayos Cochinos 2004).

MPAs and initiatives to use the EBM approach to manage the lobster fisheries in the region will contribute to manage ecosystems appropriately. However, more information is needed to assess ecosystem health and the overall effects of the lobster fishery, so this indicator receives a conditional pass (yellow).

Figure 8. Marine reserves of Honduras (Source: http://www.wwfca.org/nuestro_trabajo/ mares_costas/protected_areas/logros_honduras/ mapa_honduras/ )

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http://www.wwfca.org/nuestro_trabajo/%20mares_costas/protected_areas/logros_honduras/%20mapa_honduras/

http://www.wwfca.org/nuestro_trabajo/%20mares_costas/protected_areas/logros_honduras/%20mapa_honduras/

4.4 Principle 3: Governance and Management




Governance and policy

3.1.1. Legal and/or customary framework

The management system exists within an appropriate and effective legal and/or customary framework which ensures that it:- Is capable of delivering sustainable fisheries in accordance with MSC Principles 1 and 2; - Observes the legal rights created explicitly or established by custom of people dependent on fishing for food or livelihood; and- Incorporates an appropriate dispute resolution framework.

SG60 SG80 SG100The management system is generally consistent with local, national or international laws or standards that are aimed at achieving sustainable fisheries in accordance with MSC Principles 1 and 2.

The management system incorporates or is subject by law to a mechanism for the resolution of legal disputes arising within the system.

Although the management authority or fishery may be subject to continuing court challenges, it is not indicating a disrespect or defiance of the law by repeatedly violating the same law or regulation necessary for the sustainability for the fishery.

The management system has a mechanism to generally respect

The management system is generally consistent with local, national or international laws or standards that are aimed at achieving sustainable fisheries in accordance with MSC Principles 1 and 2.

The management system incorporates or is subject by law to a transparent mechanism for the resolution of legal disputes which is considered to be effective in dealing with most issues and that is appropriate to the context of the fishery.

The management system or fishery is attempting to comply in a timely fashion with binding judicial decisions arising from any legal challenges.

The management system has a mechanism to observe the legal rights created explicitly or

The management system is generally consistent with local, national or international laws or standards that are aimed at achieving sustainable fisheries in accordance with MSC Principles 1 and 2.

The management system incorporates or is subject by law to a transparent mechanism for the resolution of legal disputes that is appropriate to the context of the fishery and has been tested and proven to be effective.

The management system or fishery acts proactively to avoid legal disputes or rapidly implements binding judicial decisions arising from legal challenges.

The management system has a mechanism to formally commit

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the legal rights created explicitly or established by custom of people dependent on fishing for food or livelihood in a manner consistent with the objectives of MSC Principles 1 and 2.

established by custom of people dependent on fishing for food or livelihood in a manner consistent with the objectives of MSC Principles 1 and 2.

to the legal rights created explicitly or established by custom on people dependent on fishing for food and livelihood in a manner consistent with the objectives of MSC Principles 1 and 2.

Honduras is a member nation of the regional Fisheries and Aquaculture Integration Policy for the Central American Isthmus (SICA/OSPESCA 2005), whose policy explicitly subscribes to the United States Convention on the Law of the Seas, the United Nations High Seas Fishing Agreement for Highly Migratory Species and to the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing.

All fisheries activities within Honduras are regulated by the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG) through the Fisheries and Aquaculture Directorate (DIGEPESCA), created in 1991. Under a cooperative agreement between FAO and the government of Honduras to strengthen the operations of DIGEPESCA as a federal institution, the Project to Modernize the Public Fisheries Sector was implemented. The main products of this project were a Management Plan of the Main Crustacean Fisheries and a Fisheries and Aquaculture Development Plan for Honduras (FAO 2001). To implement its different functions, DIGEPESCA has 9 departments; the following are the most important: Fisheries Research and Technology, Maritime Fisheries, Control and Monitoring, and Statistics, in charge of developing technical measures, enforcement and compliance with regulations, and monitoring and evaluation of the fisheries activities, respectively (FAO 2001, SC 2010).

Natural resources are regulated in Honduras under Article 340 of the Constitution. The General Fisheries Law was issued by the National Congress on May 19th, 1959. In general, this law regulates the protection of fishery resources, in particular turtles, manatees, crustaceans, mollusks and finfishes, making specific mention of seasonal closures. The law also discusses fishing cooperatives and associations, and regulates fishing licenses of artisanal and industrial fishermen. It is noteworthy that very detailed sanctions are described for infringement of the fisheries law. The Law is, however, very general and outdated (SAG 1959; SC 2010)

Due to the urgent need to achieve a sustainable development of the federal marine resources, SAG, through Ministerial Agreement No. 1098-01 issued and implemented the Fisheries Regulations for the Law of 1959, published in the Official Journal La Gaceta on December 20 th, 2001 (SAG 2001). Regulatory measures for the spiny lobster fishery address: fishing licenses, limited entry, fishing gears permitted, number of vessels, traps, and divers, size limits, and a seasonal closure (see 1.2.1. Harvest Strategy) (FAO 2007b). Despite these regulations the legal framework for fisheries management in Honduras is obsolete. In particular, critical regulatory measures are still needed to properly manage the Caribbean spiny lobster fishery. It is generally recognized that momentary political and social pressures often have a greater influence on the short-term management and exploitation of this resource than actual long-term sustainability criteria. Also, the laws do not offer a modern or efficient legal framework to manage the lobster fishery with vision into the future. Rather, they regulate punctual historical events that will not necessarily avoid

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future crisis (Ehrhardt 2004, FAO 2007b).

For many years, management of the spiny lobster fishery has been an important goal of the Honduran fisheries administration, and neighbouring countries, and international organizations have observed it closely. In 1992, the Secretariat of Natural Resources and FAO restructured DIGEPESCA and elaborated a proposal to manage crustacean fisheries (described above), including industrial and artisanal lobster and shrimp fisheries. Also, PROARCA/COSTAS (NGOs), in collaboration with WWF have conducted several workshops aimed at the management of Caribbean spiny lobster. Another project within the SAM (Mesoamerican Reef System) has addressed regional lobster fisheries management issues in the countries included (Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras).

Another strong regional effort to harmonize lobster fisheries management in Central America was led by OSPESCA (see Section 3.8. Governance). In 2005, with the “Declaration of Managua”, Honduras and Nicaragua agreed to apply a set of regulations (seasonal closure, minimum sizes, number of traps, etc.) voluntarily. Revisions of this Declaration in 2007 and 2008 resulted in the inclusion of other four countries and the extension of the seasonal closure to four months. After approval by the Fisheries Authorites of all nations and OSPESCA in 2008, the “Regulations OSP-02-09 for the Regional Management of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) Fishery”, was implemented on July 1st, 2009. This document is legally binding for all the nations of the Central American Isthmus: the Republics of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama (OSPESCA 2009a; The Spiny Lobster Initiative 2010).

Despite all these efforts at the national, regional, and international level, management of this fishery has not been formally restructured in Honduras due to frequent administrative changes that generally benefit the industry´s interests instead of fulfilling sustainable development goals. However, the recent regulatory developments are a major step toward the unification of lobster management in the region, which will ultimately help to consolidate a stronger management system within Honduras.

In summary, Honduras is shifting toward a regional fishery management structure, but the legal framework at the national level is still obsolete and has not been effective for various reasons. Basically, the Laws and Regulations do not establish clear objectives; do not define key concepts such as overfishing, critical stock levels or how to calculate them; and do not describe a process to recover a fishery from overfishing. Also, a number of articles in the law address the rights of fishermen, the fleet composition and vessel and gear characteristics, but none stipulate mechanisms to avoid fleet overcapacity or establish a true limited entry process. In essence, there are regulations in place that could prevent impacts from exploitation, but without a clear definition of sustainability criteria, or a robust fishery management strategy, these regulations will not necessarily lead to the sustainability of the fishery (Ehrhardt 2004). These arguments, added to the current status of the stock and the social and economic problems that have arisen as a result of inadequate fishing practices, suggest that the current legal framework cannot deliver a sustainable fishery in accordance with MSC Principles 1 and 2. In addition, there are no reports that suggest that there is a fair or appropriate dispute resolution framework; rather all decisions appear to be unilateral and based on particular interest groups. The international management framework to which Honduras subscribes is, however, adequate. For these reasons, this PI can attain a conditional pass level (yellow).

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3.1.2. Consultation, roles and responsibilities

The management system has effective consultation processes that are open to interested and affected parties.

The roles and responsibilities of organisations and individuals who are involved in the management process are clear and understood by all relevant parties.SG60 SG80 SG100Organisations and individuals involved in the management process have been identified. Functions, roles and responsibilities are generally understood.

The management system includes consultation processes that obtain relevant information from the main affected parties, including local knowledge, to inform the management system.

Organisations and individuals involved in the management process have been identified. Functions, roles and responsibilities are explicitly defined and well understood for key areas of responsibility and interaction.

The management system includes consultation processes that regularly seek and accept relevant information, including local knowledge. The management system demonstrates consideration of the information obtained.

The consultation process provides opportunity for all interested and affected parties to be involved.

Organisations and individuals involved in the management process have been identified. Functions, roles and responsibilities are explicitly defined and well understood for all areas of responsibility and interaction.

The management system includes consultation processes that regularly seek and accept relevant information, including local knowledge. The management system demonstrates consideration of the information and explains how it is used or not used.

The consultation process provides opportunity and encouragement for all interested and affected parties to be involved, and facilitates their effective engagement.

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Article 5 of the Fisheries Law provides the competent authority, the SAG/DIGEPESCA, with full rights to modify the laws and regulations in order to conserve the exploitable marine resources. DIGEPESCA has a wide scope of capacities to implement changes to the law, obeying needs from the sector or the government. These changes are implemented through Ministerial Agreements or Decrees and do not need to pass through legislative scrutiny. Once DIGIPESCA has prepared the technical bases to modify or add a regulation, the signature of the Minister and the General Secretary of SAG are sufficient to pass the law and publish it in the Daily Official Journal. This unilateral process, unfortunately, may not always follow sustainability criteria, but rather, specific goals of interest groups within the government or the industry (FAO 2007b, Ehrhardt 2004).

According to the Legal Department of DIGEPESCA (SC 2010), all the relevant organisations and institutions participate in the management process, including government institutions, the fishing industry, and non-governmental organizations. Some of the government agencies are: the Navy, the Merchant Navy, the Secretariat of Natural Resources and Environment (SERNA), the Institute for Forestry Conservation, Protected Areas and Wildlife (ICF), the National Service for Agricultural Health (SENASA). Some NGOs that are very active in the region are WWF, TNC, CODEFAGOLF (Committee for the Conservation and Development of the Gulf of Fonseca). From the fishing industry and processing plants: FINAPESCA (Federation of Artisanal Fishermen), APESCA (Asociación de Pescadores del Caribe), and ANEMARH, EMPROMASA (processing plants of the islands).

Since 1986-1987 and up to 2009, there have been multiple attempts to reform the Fisheries Law of 1959, funded by FAO and NGOs (WWF, with the support of the French Environmental Fund (FFEM)), which have involved multiple sectors in the consultation process and have included outreach programs and public meetings. For various reasons, the process has often lost momentum and has not made it to Congress, so the Law has not been modified. An achievement in 2003 was that Aquaculture and Fisheries were unified in a law proposal, which was open for public review by WWF. The participation of Honduras in regional management initiatives by OSPESCA has elicited new interest to modernize the law (SC 2010). In 2010 the review of the law was initiated, and included the observations from stakeholder meetings conducted in 2009, that involved all fisheries sectors. It will be completed in 2011, with the support of OSPESCA and FAO experts.

The above example shows that even if the management system has a consultation process that is open to all interested and affected parties, it has not been completely effective. Passing regulations, however, is faster and easier because they don´t need to go through Congress, but the process may not be very participatory. There was no information available that outlined the consultation process or indicated whether the roles and responsibilities of organisations and individuals are clear. While the consultation process seeks and accepts relevant information, decisions are generally based on other criteria (e.g., political or economic interests). Thus, the consultation process is not yet well defined, so this indicator can only achieve a conditional pass level (yellow).

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3.1.3. Long term objectives

The management policy has clear long-term objectives to guide decision-making that are consistent with MSC Principles and Criteria, and incorporates the precautionary approach.

SG60 SG80 SG100Long-term objectives to guide decision-making, consistent with MSC Principles and Criteria and the precautionary approach, are implicit within management policy.

Clear long-term objectives that guide decision-making, consistent with MSC Principles and Criteria and the precautionary approach, are explicit within management policy.

Clear long-term objectives that guide decision-making, consistent with MSC Principles and Criteria and the precautionary approach, are explicit within and required by management policy

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The new management policy in Honduras is framed by the Fisheries and Aquaculture Integration Policy for the Central American Isthmus (SICA/OSPESCA 2005) and the Regional Regulations for the Spiny Lobster Fishery (SICA/OSPESCA 2009). The regional policy has explicitly adopted the United States Convention on the Law of the Seas, the United Nations High Seas Fishing Agreement and to the FAO Code of Conduct for Responsible Fishing. These conventions contain international norms and principles for the application of responsible practices, consistent with the precautionary approach, that aim at ensuring the conservation, management and development of aquatic resources with consideration for the ecosystem and biodiversity.

The regional treaty aims to adopt a Declaration of Principles as the foundation of a Regional System of Management and Development of Fisheries and Aquaculture, by establishing joined policies, strategies, harmonized regulations, and programs. The main objective of the OSPESCA policy is to integrate regional actions to strengthen the cooperation among nations to ensure the biological, economic, social, and environmental sustainability of fisheries and aquaculture (SICA/OSPESCA 2005).

Since 2009, the overarching management policy for spiny lobster in Honduras are the “Regulations OSP-02-09 for the Regional Management of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) Fishery” (SICA/OSPESCA 2009), whose main goal is to provide harmonized management regulations for the Central American nations that share this common and emblematic resource. The objective of this regional policy is to attain a sustainable fishery through the protection of juvenile lobsters, gravid females, and seasonal closures to allow recovery of the resource.

The management system has clear long term objectives that are consistent with MSC Principles and Criteria and incorporate the precautionary approach. These guide the decision-making process but in Honduras other political or economic interests sometimes prevail over conservation objectives. With the advent of the Central American Integration Policy and harmonization of regulations, however, Honduras is starting to focus on precautionary management of all fishery resources (SC 2010). This PI thus receives a pass score level (green).





3.1.4. Incentives for sustainable fishing

The management system provides economic and social incentives for sustainable fishing and does not operate with subsidies that contribute to unsustainable fishing.

SG60 SG80 SG100The management system provides for incentives that are consistent with achieving the outcomes expressed by MSC Principles 1 and 2.

The management system provides for incentives that are consistent with achieving the outcomes expressed by MSC Principles 1 and 2, and seeks to

The management system provides for incentives that are consistent with achieving the outcomes expressed by MSC Principles 1 and 2, and explicitly

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ensure that perverse incentives do not arise.

considers incentives in a regular review of management policy or procedures to ensure that they do not contribute to unsustainable fishing practices.

No subsidies or otherwise perverse incentives were identified within the management system, but explicit incentives for sustainable fishing were not identified either. The management system, however, protects artisanal fishermen from abuses by the industrial fleet. Also, the Honduran government through cooperative agreements with other countries (e.g., Spain) and international organizations (USAID) is funding development projects and finding economic alternatives for displaced artisanal fishermen. There are also incentive programs managed by OSPESCA that aim at achieving sustainable fishing practices in the region (SC 2010).

While no details on incentives were available for this assessment, the general perception is that several international organizations are helping the Central American nations, including Honduras, to find economic and social incentives to fish sustainably or to find other alternatives for subsistence that are not detrimental to their health or to the health of the fishery resources (e.g., closure of the lobster dive fishery) (Castellón y Sarmiento 2003; Espinoza-Turcios 2008; WWF 2005, 2010; MAREA presentation in The Spiny Lobster Initiative 2010). In addition, international agencies, through OSPESCA, have helped to fund the installation of VMS systems onboard industrial vessels, and satellite monitoring units for each member country. Also, financial aid (e.g., USAID) received through NGOs have helped to enhance onboard observer programs that collect data and monitor fisheries operations. All these will help to support more sustainable fishing practices in Honduras (SC 2010). This indicator can therefore receive a pass level score (green).

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Fishery- specific management system

3.2.1. Fishery- specific objectives

The fishery has clear, specific objectives designed to achieve the outcomes expressed by MSC’s Principles 1 and 2.

SG60 SG80 SG100Objectives, which are broadly consistent with achieving the outcomes expressed by MSC’s Principles 1 and 2, are implicit within the fishery’s management system.

Short and long term objectives, which are consistent with achieving the outcomes expressed by MSC’s Principles 1 and 2, are explicit within the fishery’s management system.

Well defined and measurable short and long term objectives, which are demonstrably consistent with achieving the outcomes expressed by MSC’s Principles 1 and 2, are explicit within the fishery’s management system.

The “Regulations for the Regional Management of the Spiny Lobster Fishery” harmonize the minimum size limit, the number of traps per vessel, the length and time of the seasonal closure, the prohibition to harvest gravid females, and the size of the escape panel. The main general objective of this regional policy is to attain sustainable lobster fisheries in Central America. While clearly, the national policy in Honduras subscribes to this regional framework, there isn´t a management plan in place that lays out the short and long term objectives of the fishery. Although they are implicit in the management system, there are no clear specific objectives outlined for the lobster fishery, therefore this indicator receives a conditional pass (yellow).

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3.2.2. Decision-making processes

The fishery-specific management system includes effective decision-making processes that result in measures and strategies to achieve the objectives.

SG60 SG80 SG100There are informal decision-making processes that result in measures and strategies to achieve the fishery-specific objectives.

Decision-making processes respond to serious issues identified in relevant research, monitoring, evaluation and consultation, in a transparent, timely and adaptive manner and take some account of the wider implications of decisions.

There are established decision-making processes that result in measures and strategies to achieve the fishery-specific objectives.

Decision-making processes respond to serious and other important issues identified in relevant research, monitoring, evaluation and consultation, in a transparent, timely and adaptive manner and take account of the wider implications of decisions.

Decision-making processes use the precautionary approach and are based on best available information.

Explanations are provided for any actions or lack of action associated with findings and relevant recommendations emerging from research, monitoring, evaluation and review activity.

There are established decision-making processes that result in measures and strategies to achieve the fishery-specific objectives.

Decision-making processes respond to all issues identified in relevant research, monitoring, evaluation and consultation, in a transparent, timely and adaptive manner and take account of the wider implications of decisions.

Decision-making processes use the precautionary approach and are based on best available information.

Formal reporting to all interested stakeholders describes how the management system responded to findings and relevant recommendations emerging from research, monitoring, evaluation and review activity.

By law, SAG/DIGEPESCA is the only competent authority to make management decisions for the exploitation and conservation of marine fishery

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resources. There is no information to demonstrate that the decision making process leads to effective strategies for management. In Honduras, there is limited research, monitoring or evaluation of fishery resources, so management decisions are not based on a solid understanding of the state of the resources or on serious issues identified. The decision making process is not transparent; therefore, this indicator cannot pass and obtains a red (failing) score.

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3.2.3. Compliance and enforcement

Monitoring, control and surveillance mechanisms ensure the fishery’s management measures are enforced and complied with.

SG60 SG80 SG100Monitoring, control and surveillance mechanisms exist, are implemented in the fishery under assessment and there is a reasonable expectation that they are effective.

Sanctions to deal with non-compliance exist and there is some evidence that they are applied.

Fishers are generally thought to comply with the management system for the fishery under assessment, including, when required, providing information of importance to the effective management of the fishery.

A monitoring, control and surveillance system has been implemented in the fishery under assessment and has demonstrated an ability to enforce relevant management measures, strategies and/or rules.

Sanctions to deal with non-compliance exist, are consistently applied and thought to provide effective deterrence.

Some evidence exists to demonstrate fishers comply with the management system under assessment, including, when required, providing information of importance to the effective management of the fishery.

There is no evidence of systematic non-compliance.

A comprehensive monitoring, control and surveillance system has been implemented in the fishery under assessment and has demonstrated a consistent ability to enforce relevant management measures, strategies and/or rules.

Sanctions to deal with non-compliance exist, are consistently applied and demonstrably provide effective deterrence.

There is a high degree of confidence that fishers comply with the management system under assessment, including, providing information of importance to the effective management of the fishery.

There is no evidence of systematic non-compliance.

Many of the regional assessments have indicated that capture of “illegal” lobsters (undersized or gravid females) is a common practice in Central America, particularly in Honduras and Nicaragua. These illegal catches are not monitored or quantified and are mostly used for self-consumption or commercialized in local markets. It is generally accepted that fishing of undersized lobsters is a major problem in Honduras and has resulted in a serious disruption of the age structure and the abundance of the stock (FAO 2002, 2003, 2007, WWF 2005, 2010, SC 2010). No evidence was

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presented for this assessment that indicated that illegal lobsters are discarded as bycatch; most reports suggest that they are generally retained and marketed locally or internationally. Export of illegal lobsters into the US is known to occur, but goes mostly undetected, although some well-known criminal cases have been prosecuted and sanctioned with jail and fines (P. Raymond, pers. comm., NOAA presentation at Global Fish Alliance 2010, SC 2010).

MCS in Honduras is the responsibility of DIGEPESCA in collaboration with the Navy. Around the Bay Islands, fisheries surveillance is conducted jointly by the Navy and APESCA, the local industrial fishermen association (FAO 2003). However, there isn´t a formal agreement between these different government entities to conduct joint surveys, except for Cayos Cochinos. There the Navy collaborates closely with the protected area authorities to ensure that illegal fishing doesn’t occur (C. García-Saez, pers. comm.). In general, it is necessary to improve the surveillance system, because it occurs mostly during the closed season for spiny lobster

The Fisheries Monitoring and Control Unit of DIGEPESCA is the entity in charge of compliance and enforcement of regulations for all fishery related activities. Civil and military authorities collaborate in the enforcement of management regulations. The dual function of DIGEPESCA inspectors, as enforcement agents and data collectors does not help to have an effective control of the fishery, or to receive unbiased and accurate information (Ehrhardt 2004).

Since years 2000-2001 some vessels started to use VMS systems in Honduras. Since July 2010 satellite monitoring systems became compulsory under the regional fishery management policy of OSPESCA (2005, 2009b). To date, VMS systems have been installed in most industrial vessels and a “Satellite Monitoring Unit” set up at the DIGEPESCA headquarters in Tegucigalpa. The main goals of this system are to prevent, reduce, and eliminate IUU fishing and to strengthen fisheries management in each country and the region. The system can control the departures of fishing vessels from port, monitor their activities at sea, and detect irregular movement or illegal fishing practices. It can signal alerts for entries and departures from/ to port, zone violations, forbidden zones, gear violations, rendezvous (transhipment of product at sea), incoherent movement, expired licenses, and speed violations. An agreement among SAG, the Navy and the Merchant Navy to monitor these activities is being developed. DIGEPESCA’s role is only monitoring, with the support of regional inspectors on site. Violations to fisheries laws and regulations are notified to the Director of DIGEPESCA, who communicates with the Merchant Navy. Sanctions to all violations are issued by the Naval Base, in accordance with the Fisheries Law (SC 2010).

The Fisheries Law contains a series of sanctions that not only apply to fishermen and processing plants, but also to the whole chain of custody of a product that is captured by infringing the law. In the case of the capture, commercialization and consumption of undersized lobsters, the law clearly stipulates that all the levels involved shall be submitted to severe penalties. These provisions of the law are not being met by the enforcement authorities in Honduras (Ehrhardt 2004). Also, various references indicate that there is systematic evidence of non compliance with lobster regulations, in particular undersized and gravid lobsters continue to be harvested and commercialized, the number of traps per vessel exceeds the legal amount, and illegal fishing occurs during the closed season (FAO 2001, 2003, 2007).

The MCS system in Honduras is overall weak because there are very limited resources to ensure compliance with regulations. The main

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problems include the inability of the government and the industry to control excess capacity and overcapitalization of the fishery, to control fishing and commercialization of undersized lobsters and gravid females, illegal fishing during the closed season, or IUU fishing. The use of VMS will strengthen the surveillance and monitoring capacity in the region. Due to these problems, this indicator would fail the fishery.

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3.2.4. Research plan

The fishery has a research plan that addresses the information needs of management.

SG60 SG80 SG100Research is undertaken, as required, to achieve the objectives consistent with MSC’s Principles 1 and 2.

Research results are available to interested parties.

A research plan provides the management system with a strategic approach to research and reliable and timely information sufficient to achieve the objectives consistent with MSC’s Principles 1 and 2.

Research results are disseminated to all interested parties in a timely fashion.

A comprehensive research plan provides the management system with a coherent and strategic approach to research across P1, P2 and P3, and reliable and timely information sufficient to achieve the objectives consistent with MSC’s Principles 1 and 2.

Research plan and results are disseminated to all interested parties in a timely fashion and are widely and publicly available.

According to the DIGEPESCA Department of Research and Technological Transference, Honduras does not have a management-oriented research plan for any of the fisheries, including lobster. There has not been a fishery policy that guides research, so research programs are not developed based on resource management needs. Basically, all research follows the precautionary principle.

The Honduran Government (DIGEPESCA, Department of Research) does not have the capacity to conduct research, all the research programs are accomplished through agreements with Universities, research centers (e.g., CEMU, Center for Marine Ecology in Utila), or NGOs (WWF, TNC). In 1996-1997, IFEMER (France) and the European Union funded fishery research centers in Roatán and the Bay Islands (CRIPCCA), which conducted biological research on spiny lobster. These were closed down after a few years of operation. Other research projects have included biological monitoring surveys, onboard observer programs, and biological sampling at processing plants (WWF, DIGEPESCA, FIINPESCA). Observer programs have analyzed the population structure through size composition, and have determined the distribution, reproductive and spawning seasons, size-weight relationships, fishing effort, fishing areas, catch and catch composition. Sampling in processing plants has helped to understand the size and sex composition of the catch, as well as the volume of the landings (FAO 2001).

There is an urgent need to build capacity at DIGEPESCA, both to instruct inspectors to collect accurate information, and to train and hire more

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statisticians and stock assessment scientists to process the data (Ehrhardt 2004, FAO 2007).

External consultants and international organizations, however, have conducted assessments of the lobster fishery of Honduras using different data sources from industry, government, and NGOs. Also, International cooperation through OSPESCA seeks to enhance fisheries research programs, improve data collection and build regional databases, to address the information needs of management (SC 2010; Ehrhardt 2004; FAO 2007b; OSPESCA 2005; Sosa-Cordero and Ramírez-González 2010).

While there isn’t an official research plan in Honduras, other agencies and organizations have provided and distributed some of the information needed to guide management decisions, so this indicator can obtain a conditional pass score level (yellow).

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3.2.5. Monitoringand management performance evaluation

There is a system for monitoring and evaluating the performance of the fishery-specific management system against its objectives.

There is effective and timely review of the fishery-specific management system.SG60 SG80 SG100The fishery has in place mechanisms to evaluate some parts of the management system and is subject to occasional internal review.

The fishery has in place mechanisms to evaluate key parts of the management system and is subject to regular internal and occasional external review.

The fishery has in place mechanisms to evaluate all parts of the management system and is subject to regular internal and external review.

The lobster fishery provides limited information with which to monitor the performance of some of its components (e.g., MCS) within the management system. Also, it is not known if any evaluation of management performance is made within the lobster fishery. It is believed that effective and timely reviews of the fishery-specific management system are not conducted, since the fishery does not yet have clear fishery-specific objectives to evaluate against. For these reasons, this indicator would fail (red score).

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5 SITE VISIT REPORT

The site visit to Honduras in June 2010 was part of a larger trip to Central America to gather information on spiny lobster fisheries directly from stakeholders. The trip included visits to key local and regional stakeholders in Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize, and El Salvador. The information obtained during the site visit was used to inform the principles evaluated under this pre-assessment. A full site-visit report is included in Appendix A that contains relevant activities by country, conducted to obtain more comprehensive information on all the fisheries. These included attendance to a Lobster Workshop in La Ceiba, Honduras and a visit to the OSPESCA office in San Salvador to interview officers from this regional organization. A summary of the main activities conducted in Honduras (and the other countries) is included in the Appendix.

6 MOVING FROM PRE-ASSESSMENT TO FULL ASSESSMENT

6.1 Key Issues That Could Lead to Non-conformance in a Full MSC Evaluation

Under the MSC system, when an evaluation team finds the fishery does not meet the MSC standard in a given area, the area is identified as a non-conformance. There are a few areas where this could occur in the Honduras lobster fishery. In addition to these areas, there are issues that arise that can rise to the level of controversy and objection under the MSC system, where stakeholders outside the fishery may object to the fishery being certified. Again, in this fishery there is the potential for this to occur in a few areas.

Key Factors that could lead to non-conformance or controversy (score below 60):

Principle 1

Outcome: Stock status. The official status of the stock is “fully exploited“ or “overfished”, with no information available to determine whether the stock biomass has fallen below any reference points. The distribution and boundaries of the stock are relatively well known, and it is generally agreed that it is shared with Nicaragua, so perhaps a joint assessment is more informative than attempts to analyze the Honduras stock alone. Joint analyses also suggest an overfished status. IUU fishing is occurring, which puts more pressure on the stock, particularly due to the excess removal of undersized lobsters.

Outcome: Reference points. The MSC methodology requires that a fishery have target and limit reference points that are appropriate for the stock. To date, Honduran lobster does not have precautionary reference points, except preliminary estimates for the Honduras-Nicaragua stock. In this case, fishing mortality was greater than sustainable (F0.1) levels.

Outcome: Recovery and rebuilding. If the stock is overfished, a rebuilding plan needs to be developed and implemented with appropriate measures that are consistent with the level of depletion and the target stock levels.

Harvest strategy: Harvest control rules. No fishery-specific harvest control rules exist to describe management action in response to changes in the fishery and/or changes in stock status in relation to reference points.

Harvest strategy: Information and monitoring. The overall stock structure of lobster within the Greater Caribbean is unknown. However, it is hypothesized that the Honduras population is linked to other stocks in the South-Central Caribbean region. Fisheries statistics, including catch and effort data, are collected but are insufficient to monitor the productivity of the fishery. Information on the number of licensed vessels is available, although the total number of active fishing gear (lobster traps) used per season, remains unknown, but it´s expected to be approximately twice the regulated number. Fishery removals are monitored through obligatory landing forms and catch information supplied to processing plants. There is, however, not sufficient information to support

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the current harvest strategy; in particular, it is important that stock abundance and removals be monitored appropriately and on a regular basis to build a solid fishery database.

Outcome: Stock assessment. Using limited fishery and biological information, assessments of the Honduras and Nicaragua lobster population were made in 2007 and 2010 using a length-converted catch curve analysis. The results indicate that estimates of fishing mortality are unrealistically high, but may be used to identify relative trends in the combined fishery. The results indicate fishing mortality in 2009/2010 has increased from the previous two seasons, whilst catches have declined from a peak reported in 1991. The current assessment does not provide information on the status of the stock biomass and cannot be related to biological reference points. Only a relative fishing mortality reference level is provided. Many assumptions were made in these assessments to make up for the lack of consistent fishery data from Honduras, and results were largely driven by the Nicaraguan fishery.

Principle 2

Retained species: Information and monitoring. Little is known of the species retained or the amount harvested with lobster traps, but some species, such as crabs, may need to be monitored. The proportion and composition of retained species need to be obtained to determine the level of risk posed by the lobster fishery.

Bycatch: Outcome status. There is a potential risk of bycatch posed by (active) lobster traps and by lost and discarded traps.

Bycatch: Information/Monitoring. The risk posed to bycatch species may be significant, but there is no information to understand the status or support measures to manage bycatch.

Habitat: Outcome status The lobster fishery is expected to cause serious damage to coral reefs from direct contact of traps with corals, seagrass beds, and other habitats. Also, traps are often discarded at sea, possibly causing permanent damage to soft and hard coral structures. The scale, intensity, and effects of traps on habitat have not been evaluated but are expected to pose some risk.

Habitat: Management strategy. A management strategy may be necessary to ensure that the fishery does not pose a risk to habitats. Currently, there are no regulations to control the physical placement of traps or to discard old traps, and

Habitat: Management strategy. Regulations are in place to limit the number of traps per vessel and the material and size of the traps, but not to control the physical placement of traps on the substrate or to properly dispose of old traps. Also, the vessels exceed significantly the number of traps allotted by law, increasing the risk to habitat. These potential risks must be addressed by the management system.

Principle 3

Fishery-specific management system: Decision-making process. SAG/DIGEPESCA is the only competent authority to make management decisions for the exploitation and conservation of marine fishery resources. Also there is limited research, monitoring or evaluation of the fishery, so management decisions are based on the precautionary approach and the best available information. The whole management system needs to be restructured to have an efficient decision-making process that can define and meet management objectives.

Fishery-specific management system: Compliance and enforcement. A number of MCS mechanisms exist and are implemented within the lobster fishery, but there are major problems related to poor compliance and enforcement of regulations. These include the inability of the government and industry to control excess capacity and overcapitalization of the fishery, to control fishing and commercialization of undersized lobsters and gravid females, illegal fishing during the closed season, or IUU fishing. Overall, MCS need to be strengthened to ensure compliance with the regulations in force.

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Performance of management system. The lobster fishery provides limited information with which to monitor the performance of some of its components (e.g. MCS etc) within the management system. It is believed that effective and timely reviews of the fishery-specific management system are not conducted, since the fishery does not yet have clear fishery-specific objectives.

Key Factors that could lead to a conditional pass (score between 60 and 80) or controversy:

Principle 1

Harvest strategies: Performance of the harvest strategy. In recognition of the challenges faced by monitoring and enforcing a large industrial fleet across a large platform, shared with other countries (Nicaragua), a precautionary harvest strategy has been developed for the lobster fishery. Limited monitoring, however, is unable to determine whether the harvest strategy is actually working and achieving its objectives. This is confounded by the lack of information on the status of the stock and associated limit reference points. The harvest strategy has recently been harmonized with other Central American Nations. This regional effort will help to monitor performance of the overall strategy.

Principle 2

General All topics: Information/monitoring (yellow or red score). While conversations with

DIGEPESCA and NGOs suggest satisfactory status of ecosystem components (with the possible exception of habitat), no information was available to confirm this. We suggest that WWF conducts literature reviews to compare the Honduran fishery with other fisheries that have information, and assess whether these could provide sufficient information to draw inferences to confirm the status. For example, observations of interactions (or lack of interactions) of protected species with lobster fishing vessels or gear in nearby areas could provide a compelling extrapolation to Honduras. Similarly, analyses of trophic dynamics of lobster populations in other areas could provide insights for Honduras. Additionally, a program to quantify ongoing observations by biologists and enforcement officers could provide information relevant to retained species, bycatch, protected species, and habitat.

Retained, Bycatch and ETP Species: Information/Monitoring (yellow or red score). There is no adequate monitoring of any of these components. Species composition and amount harvested or discarded can be collected in the monthly catch reports submitted to DIGEPESCA.

Factors Bycatch: Management strategy. Although bycatch is not a major problem in lobster fisheries,

the bycatch species composition and status are hardly known, so the management system should be able to demonstrate that no main species occur (such that a strategy is not necessary).

ETP Species: Outcome Status. Lobster traps are not expected to represent a threat to ETP species, however, this has to be confirmed through surveys or interviews with fishermen.

Habitat: Information/monitoring. Baseline information is available on the distribution of main habitat types within Honduras. However, no information is available to determine the level of risk the fishery poses on the nature, distribution and vulnerability of the main lobster habitats.

Ecosystem: Status. No information is available to determine the impact of the lobster fishery on the trophic structure and function of the ecosystem. However, the lobster fishery retains only a few species, and discard bycatch or ETP species are negligible. As such, the potential impact of the fishery on the trophic structure and function is likely to come directly from changes in the abundance of lobster. Also lost lobster traps could lead to ghost fishing of adult lobster and bycatch species.

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Ecosystem: Management strategy. Regulations are in place to limit the number of traps per vessel and the material and size of the traps, but not to control the physical placement of traps on the substrate. Specific management actions are needed to address unknown impacts to the ecosystem from excess gear, gear loss, ghost gear, and lobster depletion.

Ecosystem: Information/Monitoring. Limited information on ecosystem health, function, or structure was available for Honduras. Similarly, analyses of trophic dynamics of lobster populations in other areas could provide insights for Honduras. Additionally, a program to quantify ongoing observations by biologists and enforcement officers could provide information relevant to retained species, bycatch, and protected species.

Principle 3

Governance and policy: Legal and/or customary framework. There is a legal framework in place with fisheries regulations that can be used to manage the fishery and promote sustainable utilization of the resource. The 1959 Fisheries Law, however is obsolete and has not been efficient. The incorporation of Honduras into a regional management framework and the adoption of a unified policy will strengthen governance in Honduras.

Governance and policy: Consultation, roles and responsibilities. A multi-agency approach is used to manage the fisheries sector (e.g. DIGEPESCA, SERNA, the Navy, the Industry, etc), but their functions, roles and responsibilities need to be better defined. The management system includes a consultation process with various stakeholders, but no formal procedures are in place.

Fishery-specific management system: Fishery-specific objectives. With exception to the general long term objectives of the fishery, and the implicit objectives in the national and regional policy, there currently are no fishery-specific objectives. A Fishery Management Plan for spiny lobster does not exist.

Fishery-specific management system: Research plan. Due to a number of financial constraints and limitations in human capacity, there is currently no active fishery-specific research plan. Research conducted by external institutions have provided some of the information needed to guide management decisions This research does not consistently address issues with stock status and ecosystem impacts of the fishery. There is an urgent need to obtain funding for research and to build capacity at DIGEPESCA to collect and process fishery data. A list of research priorities have been identified from various lobster workshop reports. Regional cooperation through OSPESCA will to enhance fisheries research programs, improve data collection and build regional databases to address the information needs of management.

6.2 Other Issues for Certification

We believe moving from the pre-assessment stage to the full assessment stage is not recommended for this fishery at this time. If however, the client believes that it can provide positive information dealing with the areas of possible non-conformance and controversy we have outlined above, moving to a full assessment should take into account working relations with the management authorities. The government and NGOs need to have good working relations with vessel owners, captains, fishermen, and processing plants, and should advise them of the interest to proceed in advance.

It is our opinion that a full assessment cannot be pursued at this time given all the issues encountered in this pre-assessment. The ultimate decision rests with the client, but we predict some difficulties and substantial controversy until the key problem areas identified above are addressed.

7 THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS

To carry out a successful certification of the Honduran lobster fishery, the certification team must make sure it follows the required steps. We have outlined the steps below to inform the readers as to what would occur should a full certification be sought by the fishery. We also believe that a successful full assessment will depend on a comprehensive stakeholder consultation process, which in and of

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itself will be a significant portion of the MSC evaluation process given the number of fishing nations and conservation groups interested in these fisheries.

7.1 Assemble Evaluation Team

MRAG would select a team with appropriate expertise and experience. Before making a final selection of team members, stakeholder groups (industry, government, and conservation groups) would be interviewed for their concerns and their opinions on the available and appropriate experts.

The most significant issue at this step will be to ensure that at least one agreed expert has significant expertise in lobster fishery biology and stock assessment.

7.2 Setting performance criteria

A generic set of Performance Indicators and scoring guidelines for fisheries has been assembled by the MSC (the Fishery Assessment Methodology Version 2 – FAM v2). The team will review the generic set of Performance Indicators and scoring guidelines and make recommendations where required to the MSC for any modifications found necessary for the evaluation of the fishery. The assessment team will announce on the MSC website that the fishery will use FAM v2 for the assessment.

7.3 Fishery Site Visit for Full Assessment

The best location for a site visit where the key stakeholders can meet with the assessment team must be selected. It is possible that two places will be needed to meet the industry and the government in Honduras, as traveling within the country can be cumbersome. It is recommended that La Ceiba, Honduras be used to hold meetings with the industry, non-governmental organizations and local government representatives. Meetings with federal government agencies and regional organizations should be held in the capital city, Tegucigalpa.

La Ceiba, Honduras is a coastal city closest to Roatan, where the largest lobster fleet and processing plants are located. La Ceiba is well communicated by roads, maritime routes and airports. Representatives from the industry (fishermen, captains, boat owners, processors) and from local NGOs and government agencies should be able to travel to this location if it is not their center of operations.

The key government agencies, in particular the Fisheries Department (DIGEPESCA) are located in Tegucigalpa. Government representatives from this and other Federal Agencies, as well as representatives from OSPESCA should be able to meet in this location.

7.4 Stakeholder consultation

The MSC certification process requires that the evaluation team meets with stakeholders of the fishery and allow them to provide input regarding the certification of the fishery. There is no specific requirement to address directly or indirectly the concerns raised by the stakeholders, but it is obvious that if legitimate concerns are raised they must be taken into consideration by the evaluation team. Stakeholder consultation is necessary for two reasons: (1) it allows the stakeholders to voice opinions so they are engaged in the process, and (2) it provides the evaluation team with the widest possible views of the fishery so that the team can successfully cover all aspects of the fishery in the evaluation process.

The stakeholder consultation is not designed to be an open-ended process, nor one of casting aspersions. Stakeholders will be asked to submit issues in writing and to provide supporting documentation. Political arguments and arm-waving accusations are less likely to merit much consideration, as they provide nothing for the evaluation team to critically examine with regard to the fishery's performance.

7.5 Data collection and review

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With indicators selected, performance levels identified, and stakeholders interviewed, the team will collect and review all necessary and relevant information to assess the fishery. This will mean meeting with and interviewing all relevant scientists and staff engaged in the management of the fishery. The team will be requesting documentation on the status of stocks, management operations, management regulations, enforcement, environmental impacts, gear, etc. The team will also be asking for data on bycatch, discards, implications for threatened and endangered species, ecosystem impacts from gear, ecosystem impacts from removal of Panulirus argus, ecosystem productivity, and more.

7.6 Performance scoring

After all data is reviewed, the team will meet to work through a consensus process of scoring each performance indicator to determine if it meets or exceeds the minimum performance levels set forth by the MSC Principles and Criteria. The findings of this meeting will determine if each of the fisheries pass the certification process.

7.7 Draft report

A report will be drafted and sent to the Client for internal review. This helps to ensure that the team has not seriously missed or misinterpreted any information pertinent to the evaluation of the fishery. The evaluation team will then take the comments of the Client and revise the report as appropriate.

7.8 Peer review

The last task required of the MSC in the certification process is having the final draft report peer reviewed by experts of equal or greater stature to those conducting the evaluation. Several issues need to be addressed by the peer review process.

1. Peer reviews must determine if the information included in the assessment has been accurately reported and that there are no other data, which have been ignored or overlooked which would give a contrary picture of the fishery.

2. A peer review must determine if the management in the fishery is comprehensive and that arrangements for management and research investigations which have, or are planned to be undertaken, for the fishery, are adequate for resource protection and management of this type of fishery.

3. Lastly, a peer review must determine if the assessment procedures, practices, and results meet the certification standards of the MSC.

To accomplish all these tasks, the peer review team should have a high level of technical competence, regional expertise, and objectivity (especially as defined by stakeholders outside the industry).

7.9 Dispute Resolution

The Honduran lobster fishery appears to have some areas where a controversy could arise. Therefore, it is important to plan ahead and be prepared in the eventuality that an objection occurs.

The MSC has instituted an Objections Procedure that is an avenue for any person or organization to dispute the findings of an MSC fishery assessment. The first step to be taken by any organization or individual wishing to complain about the certification process or outcome is to lodge a formal complaint with the certification body or organization that conducted the evaluation. The Certification Company and its team of experts must then with reasonable effort answer the complaint and try to come to some agreed conclusion.

If the complainant cannot be satisfied by the Certification Company and its expert team, then the complaint can be elevated to a formal complaint to the MSC itself. Once elevated to this level, the MSC will require that the certification company and its experts provide answers to the specific issues in the complaint to the MSC Accreditation Officer, the MSC Standards Committee, and finally to the MSC Board of Directors.

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The time commitments for resolving disputes can vary considerably, especially if there are numerous complaints. As stated previously, we believe that there are no significant issues that should generate complaints in this fishery. However, as a contingency we would advise the Client to be prepared if a dispute is lodged to follow the resolution process through both in terms of time and budget.

8 Budget Estimate and Justification

8.1 Professional Services

Each fishery is slightly different in terms of the amount of time required to travel to and meet with fishery managers, fishery scientists, and stakeholders. In addition, each fishery has a different amount of information to review and understand. All of these factors play a role in estimating a final budget. We give all these factors careful consideration and use our past experience to estimate the time requirements for the different steps in the certification process in preparing an estimated budget for an assessment project. Given our recommendation not to proceed with a full assessment, we have not prepared a budget, but have described the tasks required to complete a full assessment:

1. Team selection2. Review and revise Performance Indicators3. Review submitted fishery data4. Interview Key Fishery managers, scientists, and stakeholders

a. Managers, Scientistsb. Stakeholders (industry and conservation organizations)

5. Fishing vessel inspections6. Evaluating and scoring fishery against Performance Indicators7. Reporting

a. Draft reportb. Discuss conditions/requirements with applicant/clientc. Revise draft\ report based on client commentsd. Revise draft report based on peer review commentse. Revise draft report based on public review process

8.2 Expenses

Estimates for travel and related expenses are difficult to estimate. Expenses vary based on location of each assessment team member; the number of meetings required between the team and fisheries managers, fisheries scientists, and stakeholders; and the changing market structure for airlines and hotels. It is estimated that the assessment team will need to have at least 3 meetings and working sessions. The first meeting would initiate the project and review the performance indicators and scoring guidelines. A second meeting (the site visit) is required to interview fishery scientists and managers, and key stakeholders. This meeting will also include a consultation with the client. A third meeting is required to evaluate and score the fishery against the performance indicators. In some cases, the assessment team is able to score the fishery at the end of the second scheduled meeting. If this can take place, it reduces the need for a third meeting and therefore eliminates the additional costs. However, it is important to note that it is often impossible to determine at the outset of a project whether a third meeting will be required, as the basis for the decision is often how well other tasks have been completed by the end of the interviewing processes.

To estimate expenses we will assume that the team working sessions can be held in one place (in La Ceiba most likely) located as centrally as possible to the locations of the key people identified for interviews. Since there may be a need to hold meetings in more than one location (La Ceiba and Tegucigalpa) to successfully interview managers, scientists, and stakeholders, then travel related expenses could be increased.

In summary, expenses will be estimated on best available information and at current market rates, and are subject to change. Estimates will be provided under separate cover to protect confidential information, and will be based on:

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Airfares Hotels Food Ground Transport Meeting Facilities Miscellaneous (phone, fax, copying, etc.)

8.3 Post-Certification Costs

7.3.1 Dispute Resolution

The MSC has instituted an Objections Procedure that is an avenue for any person or organization to dispute the findings of an MSC fishery assessment. The initial step in the Objections Procedure involves the assessment team, and involves responses to specific complaints that may be raised by an objecting party. The costs for this are hard to predict, but estimates are provided with the budget under separate cover.

The second part of the MSC Objections Procedure involves a major review of the assessment process by an Objections Panel convened by the MSC. This is not the responsibility of the client, but the MSC Objections Panel does have the right to call on the original evaluation team to answer questions. At this time we are unable to provide any additional guidance on the possible costs for this part of the objections process.

7.3.2 Chain of Custody

Under the MSC program, each processor must also get qualified to make the claim that products come from a certified fishery and can carry the MSC logo. The Chain of Custody would be examined and documented to the extent possible for the client. A separate cost estimate could be prepared to cover this issue should the fishery be certified.

7.3.3 Annual Surveillance

An MSC certification requires that there is an annual audit of random aspects of the fishery and its operations. This is normally a limited operation, conducted by 2-3 team members in a period of a few days site visit and a brief report. The cost of a routine annual surveillance for this fishery could be expected to be up to 15%-20% of the initial certification costs. However, this could go higher or lower. For example, if the full assessment sets forth a number of conditions, or major aspects of the fishery change after certification, the surveillance costs could be higher. On the other hand, if the fishery evaluation goes smoothly and there are few issues, the costs for surveillance could drop to as low as 5%-10% of initial certification costs.

9 Time Requirements for Certification

From the initiation of a certification evaluation, we anticipate that it will take a minimum of 8-10 months to complete the entire certification process, but that an assessment would more likely run for 12-15 months. This is based on 4 items:

1. Full cooperation from the Honduran lobster fishery and the various fishers in accessing information/data about the policies, fishing practices, and management of the fishery.

2. Full cooperation from the MSC3. Cooperation from stakeholders in eliciting comments4. Availability of appropriate experts to participate on the evaluation team and on the peer

review panel.

10 Conclusions

Based on the information available, it is anticipated that the fishery is unlikely to pass a full MSC assessment based on a number of key performance indicators. These are based primarily on a lack of information or knowledge on the status of the resource, stock assessments and development of

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biological reference points, harvest control rules and a review of the performance of the management system. We do not recommend moving forward from the pre-assessment stage into the full assessment stage for this fishery at this time.

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APPENDIX A. Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize Lobster Pre-Assessment Site Visit Report

6 July 2010

By: Mónica Valle-Esquivel, Ph.D.

Site Visit: 14 June- July 1st, 2010

Countries: Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize, El Salvador

Background

The objective of the Pre-Assessment is to provide a focus for the certification body planning the full assessment. This part of the process provides a basis for understanding the fishery in the context of the MSC Principles and Criteria for Sustainable Fishing, and informs the client of the likelihood of achieving certification of their fishery. The Pre-Assessment will clarify with the client the philosophy and expectations of the MSC and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the fishery with respect to the Principles and Criteria of the MSC.

The spiny lobster fisheries of Honduras, Nicaragua, and Belize are independent fisheries, with substantially different modes of operation, even if hypothetically they may share the same biological stock. In particular, the fisheries of Honduras and Nicaragua are large-scale, commercial fisheries, while the fishery of Belize operates at a smaller scale. Fishing methods also differ among countries. At present, the regulatory framework is being harmonized across Central America by a regional management agency (OSPESCA), but the management systems also differ substantially among countries.

The first two steps in the Pre-assessment, as enumerated in the original proposal have been accomplished:

1. Set up initial meetings in Honduras, Nicaragua, and Belize in coordination with WWF to review the process and requirements of the pre-assessment.2. Appoint an appropriately qualified individual or team to conduct the pre-assessment evaluation; for this pre-assessment MRAG will use in-house staff.

This report summarizes the site visit conducted to meet key stakeholders in the three countries covered by the pre-assessment, as well as in El Salvador, where the headquarters of the regional organization, OSPESCA is located. Monica Valle conducted all interviews and was accompanied by WWF staff (Alicia Medina and/or Pablo Rico) to visits in Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador, and by Nadia Bood to the visit in Belize.

Site Visit Objectives Attend the Lobster Symposium organized by the Lobster Initiative (USAID) and WWF.

Lead a workshop to introduce MSC and MRAG to key stakeholders attending the Symposium; describe the Pre-Assessment process and the three MSC principles.

In each of the three countries of the pre-assessment (Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize), meet with key stakeholders from the government and industry, and others if possible (scientists, NGOs).

In El Salvador, meet with key representatives of OSPESCA.

Identify other stakeholders that may provide additional information for the pre-assessment.

Visit fishing cooperatives, fishing docks, and processing plants to observe the fishing operations on site.

Identify and collect documentation relevant to the pre-assessment (not provided in advance by the client).

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Activities by Country

1) HONDURAS

1. La Ceiba, Honduras

a) Spiny Lobster Symposium.

The Lobster Initiative (funded by USAID) and WWF-Central America organized a one-day symposium to bring together approximately 200 stakeholders involved in the lobster fisheries of Central America, particularly Honduras, Nicaragua, and Belize. Guests included: fishermen, cooperatives, industry, government officials, scientists, NGOs, and funding agencies. The key note speakers at the plenary session included the Lobster Inititative’s Director, top-ranking officials from the Honduran Department of Fisheries (DIGEPESCA), from the regional fishery management organization (OSPESCA), from the main OSPESCA fishery management project (FINPESCA); scientists involved in lobster fishery stock assessment; the NOAA Law Enforcement, and Environmental Defense Fund, an NGO that is pursuing a pilot catch-share program in Belize.

After the 4-hour plenary session, the group was divided into 3 concurrent workshops, one of which was to introduce stakeholders to the WWF-MRAG Americas-MSC Pre-Assessment. Outcome: The plenary session of the symposium provided an overview of the lobster fisheries in Central America and in Honduras in particular. Most of the key-note speakers were identified as important people to interview during the pre-assessment visit, given their historical knowledge of the fisheries and their role in local or regional fisheries management. Their presentations contained important information for the MSC Pre-Assessment.

People identified as key to the MSC Assessment (see Table A1): Sergio Martínez- Former coordinator of the FINPESCA Project. Currently Scientific Director of

the MAREA Project (Chemonics, Intl.).

Eloy Sosa Cordero – ECOSUR, Mexico, Researcher. Stock Assessment advisor to WWF and the Belizean government.

Manuel Pérez- SICA (Central American Integration System)/ OSPESCA (Regional Unit for Fisheries and Aquaculture)

Gabriela Pineda- Director in Chief DIGEPESCA, Honduras (Directorate of Fisheries).

Paul Raymond- NOAA Fisheries, Law Enforcement Division

Lawrence (Larry)- Environmental Defense Fund (Catch Shares in Belize)

Renaldi Barnutti- Nicaragua Department of Fisheries, Stock Assessment Scientist

Comments: There was limited time during the plenary session to meet each of the identified individuals, but most were informed of and/or invited to the WWF/MRAG/MSC workshop that followed.

b) WWF/MRAG Americas/MSC Workshop

People/contacts: The list of Workshop Participants is provided in table 1.

Alicia Medina from WWF-Central America introduced the project. Monica Valle from MRAG Americas provided an overview of MRAG-Americas, MSC Certification, and the steps involved in an assessment and pre-assessment of a fishery following MSC principles. Jenny Mutton from the Coral Reef Alliance introduced a seafood certification program for restaurants. Sergio Martínez from Chemonics, Intl. presented the MAREA program (Regional Management and Economic Alternatives Program for Aquatic Resources). Workshop attendees introduced themselves and described their role in local or regional lobster fisheries.

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Outcome: Workshop attendees understood the goals and methods of the MSC pre-assessment and expressed interest in collaborating with WWF/MRAG Americas.

Comments: Given that there were three concurrent sessions going on, some key stakeholders chose to attend other workshops, so attendance was moderate to low. Most people were Honduran stakeholders, there was only one person from the Nicaraguan Dept. of Fisheries (Renaldi Barnutti) and one person from EDF/Belizean Dept. of Fisheries (Adriel Castañeda).

c) Weekend Visit to Sambo Creek, a Garifuna fishing community near La Ceiba

The Garifuna native people have traditionally fished for conch and lobster in the shallow areas near the coasts of Honduras. The visit to the Sambo Creek community illustrated the type of vessels and gear used by the artisanal conch and lobster divers off the coast and near the Cayos Cochinos and Bay Islands, Honduras. Mr. Víctor Córdova, a representative of the Artisanal fishery, gave his views of the lobster fishery and the regulations.

2. Roatan, Honduras- The main commercial trap lobster fisheries of Honduras occur off of Roatan. The following places were visited and the people cited were interviewed.

a) Kenny Mc Nabb- represents the Industry and is the President of the largest cooperative of commercial lobster fishermen in Roatan. The Mc Nabb family is one of the most powerful in the commercial trap lobster fishery. They own 9 vessels. Mr. McNabb provided a good insight of the fishing operations and the industry´s views of regulations, enforcement, and fisheries management in Honduras. The lobster season was about to open that night, so a tour around the MacNabb facilities, docks and boats, and brief interviews with captains and crew clearly illustrated the fishing operations that take place around Roatan.

b) Hybor packing plant and docks. The plant was closed but the visit provided a broader perspective of the fishing operations in Roatan.

c) Roatan Marine Park (NGO) – Wendy Noira described the mission of her organization, particularly focused to outreach and education programs in marine conservation around Roatan.

3. Tegucigalpa, Honduras- Interviews were held at DIGEPESCA (Directorate of Fisheries) with the following departments/people:

a) Director INPESCA (National Fisheries Institute)- Gabriela Pineda. Biol. Pineda provided a historical perspective of fisheries management in Honduras, described the structure and role of each department in the Directorate, her views of the problem areas in lobster fisheries, the goals in national and regional fisheries management, and the interaction with OSPESCA and other countries´ fishery management organizations.

b) Satellite Monitoring and Vessel Tracking Unit- Lenin Alfaro and Daisy Baraona demonstrated the recently donated VMS systems and software. A fully operational, sophisticated satellite monitoring unit is in place.

c) Legal Advisor- Mr. Luis Morales described the history of Fishery Laws and Regulations and law enforcement in Honduras

d) Director of Research and Technology- Biol. Eloísa Espinoza described the fishery research programs and the problem areas in the lobster fisheries of Honduras.

e) Chief of the Fishery Statistics Department- Mr. David Logo described the data collection system, the data sheets, the fishery statistics and the plans for data analysis.

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2) NICARAGUA

1. Managua- INPESCA (National Fisheries Institute of Nicaragua). A meeting was held with the Director of INPESCA (Rodolfo Sánchez), the Chief of Fisheries Research (Renaldi Barnutti), and the Chief of Monitoring and Control (Orlando Calero). They covered various aspects of stock assessment, fisheries management and research in Nicaragua and described the lobster fishery in detail.

2. Corn Island- Visit to industry was cancelled due to Storm Alex. A conference call with Mr. George Morgan (industry representative) will be scheduled at a later time.

3) Belize City, BELIZE

1. Belize Fisheries Department. The Director of the Department (Beverly Wade) was not present, but was informed of the meeting with the Director of Capture Fisheries (Mauro Góngora), the Chief of the Lobster program (Kenneth Esquivel), the EDF-Catch share program liaison (Adriel Castañeda), and the local WWF representative (Nadia Bood). Mr. Góngora provided a short glimpse of the lobster fisheries in Belize, of the research conducted at the Department and of the fishery management system. He also gave a presentation of preliminary lobster stock assessment results.2. Northern Fishing Cooperative- Meeting with plant manager (Robert L. Usher), coop President, 5 fishermen, Fisheries Department (Mauro Góngora) and tour of the docks and processing/packing plant.3. National Fishing Cooperative- Meeting with Chairman of the Managing Committee (Pedro Alvarez) and plant visit.4. Visit to the docks- Interviews with lobster fishermen (free divers/hooks), captain (Mandy Góngora, Mauro´s brother).

4) San Salvador, EL SALVADOR

1. SICA/OSPESCA (Central American Integration System/Regional Unit for Fisheries and Aquaculture).

The Research Director (Manuel Pérez) and Scientific Advisor (Jorge López) of OSPESCA described in detail the regional fishery management and research programs led and financed by OSPESCA since its creation. They highlighted the harmonized lobster fishery management regulations issued in 2009, and the achievements of the FINPESCA project (2005-2010), which focused on specific problems of the main fisheries of Central America, including lobster. OSPESCA has compiled and analyzed important information from all the countries in Central America, and has done significant progress in standardizing regulations and data collection systems. OSPESCA provided a “guided tour” of their website, which contains clear descriptions of all the programs, data, institutions and people involved in regional fisheries research and management.

2. MAREA Program-Chemonics Intl.

Sergio Martínez, the former leader of the FIINPESCA/OSPESCA program and now Chief Scientist of the MAREA Program described the achievements of FIINPESCA in regard to regional (lobster) fisheries assessment and management. He also described the new program, MAREA (Regional Management and Economic Alternatives Program for Aquatic Resources), which contains an important Spiny Lobster component and intends to enhance and continue some of the research initiated by FINPESCA.

Comments/Conclusions Most stakeholders had not been informed of the Pre-Assessment visit or knew what an MSC

certification involves. Thus, meetings with most agencies and people had not been scheduled in advance and the travel and meetings were planned along the way. Despite the short notice, most of the important stakeholders were interviewed but meetings were generally too short and

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a significant amount of time was spent introducing ourselves and describing the MSC process to each of the persons or groups interviewed.

Travelling around countries and cities in Central America is cumbersome. All flights, no matter how short the distance, have at least one or two stops. Half of the time was spent travelling from one city to the next, as planned in the original schedule.

Important contacts were made (or re-established) in the 3 countries and in the OSPESCA office in Salvador.

Some information was gathered on the 3 MSC principles for the 3 countries. A larger proportion of the interviews were held in Honduras, so all aspects of the MSC Pre-Assessment were covered. In Nicaragua, there was only one short meeting, yet productive because the key assessment and management people were present. In Belize, the meetings were too short and only one key (assessment) person was present (Mauro Gongora). Too much time was spent visiting docks and processing plants in Belize.

Documentation was not provided prior to the site visit. WWF-Central America staff have now provided several electronic documents for Honduras and a few for Nicaragua.

The fisheries officers in Nicaragua did not provide any written documentation, but suggested visiting their webpage and downloading information.

No information was received from the Belizean officers either, except for a draft lobster stock assessment (not official). Some information is available on their webpage and Mr. Gongora is willing to collaborate with this project.

OSPESCA did provide written copies of some documents and showed the availability of all relevant data and information on their website.

Next steps

It is important that the client continues to collect the necessary information to conduct the Pre-Assessment, particularly from Belize and Nicaragua.

Table A1.

Interview participants for the MSC Pre-Assessment. Honduras, Nicaragua, Belize and El Salvador. 14 Jun – July 1st, ,2010

Name Organization CountryKey note speakers at the MSC Workshop, Lobster Symposium, La Ceiba, HondurasSergio Martínez Former coordinator of the FINPESCA

Project. Currently Scientific Director of the MAREA Project (Chemonics, Intl.).

El Salvador

Eloy Sosa Cordero ECOSUR, Mexico, Researcher. Stock Assessment advisor to WWF and the Belizean government.

Mexico

Manuel Pérez SICA (Central American Integration System)/ OSPESCA (Regional Unit for Fisheries and Aquaculture)

El Salvador

Gabriela Pineda Director DIGEPESCA, Honduras HondurasPaul Raymond NOAA Fisheries, Law Enforcement

DivisionUSA

Lawrence Epstein Environmental Defense Fund (Catch Shares in Belize)

Belize

Renaldi Barnutti Nicaragua Department of Fisheries INPESCA, Stock Assessment Scientist

Nicaragua

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Personal interviewsPablo Rico Fisheries Technical Officer, WWF HondurasKenny McNabb and other interviews with captains from Water Edge Company

President, Industrial Fishermen Association, APESCA

Roatan, Honduras

Wendy Noira Technical staff, Roatan Marine Park (NGO)

Roatan, Honduras

Victor Cordoba Fisherman Sambo Creek, HondurasLenin Alfaro and Daisy Barahona

GIS Staff, Control and Satellital Monitoring Unit, DIGEPESCA

Tegucigalpa, Honduras

Luis Morales Legal Department, DIGEPESCA Tegucigalpa, HondurasEloísa Espinoza Research and Technology Unit,

DIGEPESCATegucigalpa, Honduras

Gabriela Pineda Director, DIGEPESCA Tegucigalpa, HondurasDavid Lobo Statistical Unit, DIGEPESCA Tegucigalpa, HondurasRenaldi Barnutti Research Fisheries Unit, INPESCA Managua, NicaraguaRodolfo Sánchez Director INPESCA Managua, NicaraguaOrlando Calero Monitoring and Control Coordinator,

INPESCAManagua, Nicaragua

Manuel Pérez OSPESCA San Salvador, El SalvadorJorge López OSPESCA San Salvador, El SalvadorSergio Martínez MAREA – USAID Project, former

FIINPESCA CoordinatorSan Salvador, El Salvador

Mauro Góngora Fisheries Department Belize City, BelizeRobert Usher Northern Fishing Cooperative Belize City, BelizePedro Alvarez National Fishing Cooperative Belize City, BelizeAdriel Castañeda Fisheries Department Belize City, BelizeMandy Góngora and other fishermen

Artisanal Fishermen Belize City, Belize

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