Project completion report for grant to the World Wildlife Fund for the development of an implementation plan for Les Arcadins Marine Park, Haiti (Grant no. LAC-0605-G-SS-7041-00)

report on a grant to World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to develop a plan to establish Les Arcadins Marine Park in Haiti to protect a fragile coral reef system there. The grant was a success. WWF produced an Action Plan for the establishment and management of Les Arcadins as Haiti's first marine park. According to the plan, the park will preserve important areas of biological diversity, revitalize the local economy by providing a major scuba diving center for tourists, and contribute to the welfare of nearby artisanal fishing communities. WWF also produced a Resource Document that includes: a qualitative survey of habitat zones in the park area and a list of deep sea species; a semi-quantitative survey of fish species and fishery yields; a survey of sociocultural factors affecting the neighboring artisanal fishing community of Luly; and a study of tourism in Haiti. Certain elements of the project were not fulfilled, due mainly to social and political upheaval in Haiti. The planned educational program was not developed, and the biological survey conducted by WWF is not adequate to support statements in the Action Plan concerning Les Arcadins's great biodiversity and tourism potential. Overall, project studies provide a model for the development of additional marine parks in the Caribbean. However, future studies of this type should include a more rigorous economic analysis of the returns of the proposed park, and discussion of potential adverse effects from tourism. Both the Action Plan and the Resource Document are attached.