Roatan Marine Park
Registered
Dear all,
We are writing in regards to the current financial situation of the Roatan Marine Park. The conservation organization was established in January 2005 with the aim of protecting and conserving the natural marine resources of Roatan while enhancing the environment and quality of life within the community. Originally established as the Sandy Bay West End Marine Park, our name was changed to the Roatan Marine Park with the purpose of protecting not just the West End but the entire island.
We have never received any monetary support from the local municipality or Honduran Government. Our primary benefactors are our Members and the divers that purchase the Marine Park User Fee tags and bracelets. With slow season upon us and basic running costs at approximately $7,000 a month, the Park is now in an extreme financial predicament. As you know the recent hurricane threats and the beginning of slow season has resulted in a drop in tourists on the island. Without the divers, our main source of income will be severed. Without funding, we might not be able to finance our most basic functions.
Since our creation approximately 30 months ago, we have grown in strength solely with the support of local businesses and individuals who believe in our vision and wish to assist us. Programs funded with this money include institutional development, daily patrols, development of marine infrastructure, enforcement of regulations, plastic bottle recycling, community development, public outreach, and research and monitoring.
The Park has also been funded partly by grants awarded by WWF, ICRAN, CORAL and PADI Project AWARE. This money has gone towards the improvement and maintenance of the marine infrastructure, a school education program, and raising public awareness through a poster, sign, and brochure campaign.
At present our staff has visited all the schools within the Marine Park area and has educated children in Coxen Hole, French Harbor and Jonesville. In total, over 2,000 kids have seen our presentations on Roatans reef and its importance, and our plastic bottle recycling campaign. We offer free snorkel rental to any island child that visits the office which amounts to roughly 50 a week. In addition, approximately 300 children have had the opportunity to see the reef first hand because of Park sponsored trips on the glass bottom boat situated in West Bay.
In recent months the marine infrastructure has been greatly improved with the additional installation of dive moorings, yacht moorings, and channel markers. We have also helped form the Fishermens Alliance, a community based organization, which has plans to install fishing moorings and Fish Aggregation Devices in the near future. Our Marine Park has also assisted in the establishment of a new Southside chapter based out of Barefoot Cay, Turquoise Bay, and Coco View. This group of conversationalists hopes to work with the local communities of the surrounding areas and mirror our successes.
We write this letter in an appeal to those visiting Roatan. Our organization is dedicated to protecting Roatans reefs but without financial aid, we will be unable to continue in these duties. We ask you to purchase the bracelets and tags at dive shops and also visit our store located in Half Moon Bay in West End where we sell a variety of merchandise and local products.
Please feel free to visit our website for more information regarding our organisation
roatanmarinepark.com
We are writing in regards to the current financial situation of the Roatan Marine Park. The conservation organization was established in January 2005 with the aim of protecting and conserving the natural marine resources of Roatan while enhancing the environment and quality of life within the community. Originally established as the Sandy Bay West End Marine Park, our name was changed to the Roatan Marine Park with the purpose of protecting not just the West End but the entire island.
We have never received any monetary support from the local municipality or Honduran Government. Our primary benefactors are our Members and the divers that purchase the Marine Park User Fee tags and bracelets. With slow season upon us and basic running costs at approximately $7,000 a month, the Park is now in an extreme financial predicament. As you know the recent hurricane threats and the beginning of slow season has resulted in a drop in tourists on the island. Without the divers, our main source of income will be severed. Without funding, we might not be able to finance our most basic functions.
Since our creation approximately 30 months ago, we have grown in strength solely with the support of local businesses and individuals who believe in our vision and wish to assist us. Programs funded with this money include institutional development, daily patrols, development of marine infrastructure, enforcement of regulations, plastic bottle recycling, community development, public outreach, and research and monitoring.
The Park has also been funded partly by grants awarded by WWF, ICRAN, CORAL and PADI Project AWARE. This money has gone towards the improvement and maintenance of the marine infrastructure, a school education program, and raising public awareness through a poster, sign, and brochure campaign.
At present our staff has visited all the schools within the Marine Park area and has educated children in Coxen Hole, French Harbor and Jonesville. In total, over 2,000 kids have seen our presentations on Roatans reef and its importance, and our plastic bottle recycling campaign. We offer free snorkel rental to any island child that visits the office which amounts to roughly 50 a week. In addition, approximately 300 children have had the opportunity to see the reef first hand because of Park sponsored trips on the glass bottom boat situated in West Bay.
In recent months the marine infrastructure has been greatly improved with the additional installation of dive moorings, yacht moorings, and channel markers. We have also helped form the Fishermens Alliance, a community based organization, which has plans to install fishing moorings and Fish Aggregation Devices in the near future. Our Marine Park has also assisted in the establishment of a new Southside chapter based out of Barefoot Cay, Turquoise Bay, and Coco View. This group of conversationalists hopes to work with the local communities of the surrounding areas and mirror our successes.
We write this letter in an appeal to those visiting Roatan. Our organization is dedicated to protecting Roatans reefs but without financial aid, we will be unable to continue in these duties. We ask you to purchase the bracelets and tags at dive shops and also visit our store located in Half Moon Bay in West End where we sell a variety of merchandise and local products.
Please feel free to visit our website for more information regarding our organisation
roatanmarinepark.com
