Frequently asked questions

Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is a public process of analysing and allocating the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic and social objectives that have been specified through a political process. –2009 IOC – UNESCO Guide 

The outcome of the Marine Spatial Planning process is a plan to manage activities in the marine space while also considering how these activities may change due to climate change or other long-term pressures. MSP is a way to bring together ocean users and interested parties to create a comprehensive picture of where activities occur, where activities are compatible with each other and the natural environment, and where activities create conflicts. In this way, MSP provides an inclusive and coordinated approach to allocate marine spaces to achieve the abovementioned ecological, economic, and social goals. 

The use of Marine Spatial Planning is not a new process in Belize. Most notably, a similar process was utilized in the development of Belize’s Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Plan 2016 as a tool for achieving integrated coastal zone management. This included the creation of human use zoning maps, the identification of conflicts, recommendations to address these conflicts, and the identification of key actors capable of providing management interventions. 

The Government of Belize is leading the development and implementation of the Marine Spatial Plan. The Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute, under the Ministry of Blue Economy and Civil Aviation, has been designated as the lead agency for the MSP process. The role of the government in the development of the MSP is to ensure that commitments under the Blue Loan Agreement and the Conservation Funding Agreement are met, and that an inclusive, participatory, and transparent process is undertaken. As such, a governance framework was created to support the planning, promotion, and synchronization of policies related to the MSP. At the executive level, a committee established by the Office of the Prime Minister provides executive-level decision making and administration. A Steering Committee and Core Team, each comprised of government and non-government stakeholders, will collect, develop and manage technical, sectoral, and public inputs and provide recommendations to the Executive Committee. The governance framework ensures coordination and collaboration between ministries, agencies, and partners to promote the creation of a plan that facilitates activities in Belize’s ocean. The MSP shall be developed and completed using international best practices to ensure the decision-making framework is transparent, inclusive, equitable and is supported by the best available science and a participatory process to achieve a balance between the protection of marine ecosystems and demands for development in an open and strategic manner.

Marine Spatial Planning is a comprehensive and strategic planning process that requires the input of multi-sectoral stakeholders. The outcomes of the process are expected to benefit all users, whom may be direct and indirect users, through the identification of strategies for climate change adaptation, the long-term protection of key ecosystems that are essential for the well-being of nature and people, improved integration and communication between government ministries with maritime jurisdictions, increased business certainty with the establishment of zones compatible with sustainable uses, and securing long-term access for sustainable fishing. In addition, the plan will identify and allocate areas for complementary uses to leverage synergies while simultaneously reducing conflicting uses. Management actions and strategies that can be taken to ensure that all uses last well into the future will be adopted and implemented through policy creation and management plans.   

The management of any new zones identified during an MSP will integrate with existing policy, legislation and regulations wherever possible.  It may be necessary, depending on the zone category and objectives, that new policy and legislation are required. However, under the agreements signed by the Government of Belize, a Government Strategic Allocation (GSA) was created to provide the funding support to the Government to achieve the commitments linked to the blue bond debt conversion agreement. Funds from this Strategic Allocation can be used to aid agencies in developing and implementing the strategies to improve management and enforcement to promote sustainable fisheries and protection for biodiversity. Also, the inclusive and participatory nature of MSP creates improved communication and synergies between government agency mandated to enforce regulations related to marine protected areas. 

All interested parties are invited to learn about and contribute to the MSP Process. Stakeholder engagement will entail multiple opportunities for individuals to participate in, or contribute to, the MSP Process. These opportunities will consist of community meetings, consultations, focus groups, forums, and open houses where you will be given opportunity to stay informed about the MSP Process, contribute your knowledge and information, or express your views and opinions.  To ensure that the planning process balances ecological, economic, and social objectives will come from users in the fishing, tourism, maritime transportation, and energy sectors. 

Milestone 1 – No later than six (6) months after signing the Agreement, the National Assembly shall approve and the Government shall formally sign into law and Gazette the commitment made by the Government on April 2, 2019 to expand High Protection for Biodiversity Zones to 11.6% of Belize’s Ocean. Upon achievement of this Milestone, Belize will have 11.6% of its Ocean in High Protection for Biodiversity Zones and 9.0% of its Ocean under Medium Protection for Biodiversity Zones, for a total of 20.5% in Biodiversity Protection Zones and Marine Protected Areas (MPA).  

 Milestone 3 – No later than one (1) year after signing the Agreement, the Government shall initiate the process of developing a MSP for its Ocean by: (i) designation of a lead ministry or agency for the MSP process and (ii) establishment of a MSP steering committee comprised of senior level officers or employees from governmental and non-governmental stakeholders from sectors/areas including fisheries, coastal zone management, tourism, water resources, shipping, environment, finance, academia and energy. A representative of the Nature Conservancy will be a member of the MSP steering committee. For the avoidance of doubt, the Government shall have full discretion to determine whether the governmental stakeholders participating in the MSP steering committee are Ministry or agency-level members   

 Milestone 4 – No later than three (3) years after signing the Agreement the Government shall formally sign into law and Gazette Biodiversity Protection Zones covering a total of 25% of its Oceans.  

 Milestone 6 – No later than five (5) years after signing the Agreement, (a) the National Assembly shall approve and the Government shall formally sign into law and Gazette Biodiversity Protection Zones covering a total of 30% of Belize’s Oceans or the percentage stated in the MSP; and (b) the MSP shall have been completed and approved by the National Assembly, signed into law, and Gazetted and Implemented.  

 Milestone 8 – No later than eight (8) years after signing the Agreement Belize shall have approved Management Plans for the Biodiversity Protection Zones, and the ministry with authority over such plans shall have signed the Management Plans.  

  Additional environmental commitments made by the Government of Belize, but not addressed by the MSP will be delivered under Milestones 2, 5, and 7.   

Milestone 2: Designation of Public Lands within the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (“BBRRS”) as Mangrove Reserves. No later than six (6) months after signing the Agreement, the National Assembly shall approve and the Government shall formally sign into law and gazette the designation of all remaining public lands within the BBRRS as strict mangrove reserves as outlined in Decision 43 COM 7B.21, which law shall include a permanent ban on the sale of public lands within the BBRRS.  

 Milestone 5. Integrated Coastal Zone Management Plan2 (“ICZMP”). No later than four (4) years after signing the Agreement, the National Assembly shall approve and the Government shall formally sign into law and gazette the revised Coastal Zone Management Act3 and ICZMP4, which ICZMP shall include a chapter on marine and coastal biodiversity offsets.  

 Milestone 7. International Union for Conservation of Nature (“IUCN”) Green List Areas. No later than six (6) years after signing the Agreement, the Government shall apply to have at least three (3) formally designated marine protected areas in Belize’s Ocean listed as IUCN Green List Areas (as that term is used by IUCN), and shall provide evidence of confirmation from the IUCN of receipt of the applications.  

A large component of the MSP will be analysing the uses of Belize’s marine spaces to determine where activities are occurring. In some cases, there may be conflicts arising from the uses of areas, in others, there may be opportunities for compatible uses. Through the planning process the needs of users are identified, allowing conflicts to be minimized while benefits are maximized. The MSP will also take existing sectoral management measures into account and seek to develop complementary management measures that contribute to a comprehensive marine governance system.  

While it is not easy to measure the impacts of MSP, it has been shown that MSPs can support blue economy growth, particularly in emerging sectors. Nevertheless, MSP seeks to address over exploitation of marine and coastal recourses including of fisheries resources and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, environmental impacts and spatial use conflicts arising from tourism and coastal development.