From August 5 to 18, our Executive Director Joel Verde (2012 Cohort) and Natural Resource Program Manager Leomir Santoya, participated in the 2018 MAR-leadership workshop that was held at the Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología de la Universidad Autónoma de México (UNAM), in Puerto Morelos. The Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) team trained this generation of leaders in sustainable fisheries management, marine reserves, climate change, fisheries science and management, monitoring and enforcement, blue economy and successful community development models. Joel and Leomir, together with Claudia Matzdorf (who has worked for the NRM Program in the past and is presently supporting SACD’s alternative livelihood projects in the role of a consultant), are representing Belize in this year’s cohort with a focus on sustainable fisheries.
Case studies of good practices in sustainable fisheries and local and global coastal development were presented by experts and trainers from the MAR region, including leaders from previous generations and members of the Executive Committee of MAR-L (Lorenzo Rosenzweig, María José González and Marco Cerezo) and representatives of Friends of Cabo Pulmo, Kanan Kay Alliance, Community and Biodiversity, Wildlife Conservation Society, Belize Fisheries Department, Marine Studies Center, Healthy Reefs for Healthy People, MCCAP, Future of Fish and FMCN, Community Tours Sian Ka’an, Sustentur).
Many thanks to the trainers, Fondo Mexicano para la Naturaleza, MAR Leadership Program and especially Maria Eugenia Arreola, for all the knowledge and experience shared during the 15 days of workshop. We look forward to applying the knowledge gained to work together for a healthy Mesoamerican Reef System and prosperous stakeholder communities!
