Selecting the best mode of governance for marine protected areas (MPAs) especially in developing countries has generated considerable controversy in the academic and policy literature during the last 20 years. In this article, two modesco-management (CM) and adaptive co-management (ACM)are analysed in detail, and an examination is made of an attempt to put these modes sequentially into practice in the first (2003-2009) and second (2008-2013) management plans, respectively, of the Cayos Cochinos MPA (CCMPA) in Honduras. Extensive fieldwork was carried out during 2006-2010 in three communities dependent on the CCMPA (Rio Esteban, Nueva Armenia, and Chachahuate) including key informant interviews, focus group meetings, household surveys, and participant observation. The paper's findings are (1) that while the first plan implemented some CM principles (such as sharing responsibility between government, stakeholders and NGOs) it failed to deliver other CM principles (such as transparency and accountability); and (2) that while the second plan increased participation and transparency, and used a more adaptive approach, it still left many stakeholders out of the decision-making process, and its processes of experimentation, monitoring and social learning were very limited. The fact is that CM and ACM are laudable objectives, but very difficult to implement in full.
This case study contributes to the study of neoliberal conservation and indigenous rights through an interdisciplinary (anthropology and fi sheries management) evaluation of the 2004-2009 management plan for Honduras' Cayos Cochinos Marine Protected Area (CCMPA). The CCMPA was established in 1993, in a region that has been inhabited by the afro-indigenous Garifuna for over 213 years. An evaluation of the CCMPA's 2004-2009 management plan's socioeconomic objectives is situated within the historical-cultural context of a long-standing territorial struggle, changes in governance practices, and related shifts in resource access and control. The article highlights the central importance of local social activism and the relative or partial success that such mobilisation can bring about for restructuring resource governance.
The Cayos Cochinos, a set of two small islands (Cayo Menor and Cayo Mayor) and thirteen coral cays located off the north coast of Honduras, are picturesque in their postcard beauty. A Google search brings up descriptions of the islands as "diamonds in the rough," "a divers' and snorkelers' paradise," "the most stunning scenery ever to behold," "a private paradise." The archipelago's beauty is undeniable, yet the costs of "protecting" its natural attractions are high, especially to the Afro-indigenous Garifuna who have relied on the area's resources since their arrival in the early 1800s. This article addresses the challenges to Garifuna culture and traditions-particularly the practice of fishing-created by the establishment of the Cayos Cochinos Marine Protected Area (CCMPA), and the promotion of ecotourism as a replacement livelihood strategy through the 2004-2009 CCMPA management plan.
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