INTRODUCTION

Coral reefs are one of our most precious and most threatened ecosystems on earth. Covering less than a quarter of one percent of the world’s tropical oceans, they are home to over 25% of all known fish species. Coral reefs form natural storm breaks, they support hundreds of thousands of island peoples and, as every diver and snorkeller knows, they are prized for their incredible beauty and diversity. They are also an integral part of the regulation of our global climate. Yet coral reefs are being damaged and destroyed at an alarming rate. If the current rate of degradation continues unchecked it has been estimated that 70% of the world’s coral reefs may be lost during our lifetime.

There is a solution: Marine Protected Areas, which are the best tool we have to protect coral reefs. Marine Protected Areas engage local stakeholders in conservation, regulate use to minimize conflict and damage, educate users about the value of coral reefs and the need to protect them. They give advice, enforce rules and conduct monitoring and research to ensure that their management activities are on target. Yet of the 600+ Marine Parks around the world, which include coral reefs (Coral Parks), less than one third are believed to be actively managed and many of those are still unable to meet their management objectives.

That’s where Coral Resource Management comes in. With more than a decade of experience in setting up and running Coral Parks, Coral Resource Management has the vision, skills and expertise to make a real difference by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise between protected areas and by providing a full suite of support services including training, education and internal capacity building. Coral Resource Management is there to help protected areas “get it right”.

Coral Resource Management actively supports coral reef conservation work on Bonaire giving advice, guidance and training to the Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP) management and staff and has been asked to write their management plan for them. Six marine protected areas from around the world are eagerly waiting for the opportunity to work with Coral Resource Management and to learn from Bonaire’s experiences.

Coral Resource Management is actively involved in an on-going initiative of the Central Government of the Netherlands Antilles to set up a Trust Fund for nature conservation. It is also working with the UNESCO World Heritage Centre, Bonaire National Marine Park and Parque Nacional Archipielago Los Roques on a proposed marine transboundary World Heritage site nomination which would include the Antillean islands of Bonaire, Curacao and the Venezuelan island archipelagos of Las Aves and Los Roques.

FUNDASHON PA BON KORAL - CORAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT

MISSION
Coral reefs are amongst our most precious and most threatened ecosystems on earth. Although Coral Parks are part of the solution, many are not functioning well. Coral Resource Management is there to help them “get it right” by facilitating the exchange of knowledge and expertise between parks and by providing a full suite of support services to give them all the tools, information and advice they need to make a difference.

TAG LINE: “making reef conservation really happen”

GOALS
Coral Resource Management seeks to:

1. run individually tailored site based exchange programmes for Coral Park staff, stakeholders and local communities to learn first hand from their peers
2. provide support services to Coral Parks including:
   - giving presentations, seminars, workshops and training
   - providing access to information and best practices
   - providing technical assistance and advice
   - disseminating success stories and “lessons learnt”
3. work with individual Coral Parks to enhance their management capacity and improve the protection for their reef areas
4. raise funds to support site based coral reef conservation and management

OBJECTIVES
GOAL 1: RUN SITE BASED EXCHANGE PROGRAMMES
- develop and maintain a list of Coral Parks which would benefit from site exchanges and open dialogue with them [ongoing]
- work with the six Coral Parks who have expressed a strong interest in taking part in site exchanges to find funding, develop appropriate course content and initiate the exchange process [four underway by the end of 2004]

Coral Parks wishing to participate in site exchanges include:

i. Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel, Mexico
ii. Tubbataha National Marine Park, Philippines
iii. Soufriere Marine Management Area, St Lucia
iv. Parque Nacional Archipielago Los Roques, Venezuela
v. Parque Nacional de Morrocoy, Venezuela
vi. Coastal Zone Management Institute, Belize

- plan and execute meeting of Netherlands Antilles Marine Park Managers [first / second quarter 2004]

GOAL 2: PROVIDE SUPPORT SERVICES
- answer requests for information relevant to coral resource management coming out of the coral list, Caribbean lists and NA Park Managers discussion group [ongoing]
- develop answers to ” frequently asked management questions” [second quarter]
· give presentations at international coral / conservation venues such as:

• WIDECAST AGM - Feb 2004
• ICRS Osaka - Jun 2004
• GCFI 2004 (if they have a strong coral management component)

- develop Coral Resource Management website [throughout 2004]
- access the need for follow up activities and/or support with:

• Greater St Lucia Wetland and KwaZulu Natal Parks department, South Africa [first quarter]
• Sunflower Biosphere Reserve, San Andres Columbia [first quarter]

GOAL 3: ENHANCE MANAGEMENT CAPACITY AND IMPROVE PROTECTION
- write management plan for Bonaire National Marine Park [completed by Dec 2004]
- work with Bonaire National Marine Park and Parque Nacional Archipielago Los Roques on the preparation of marine transboundary world heritage site nomination [tentative nomination Dec 2003, full nomination Feb 2005, support ongoing]

GOAL 4: RAISE FUNDS TO SUPPORT SITE BASED MANAGEMENT
- develop donor database [first quarter 2004]
- initiate major donor acquisition programme [second quarter 2004]
- write grant funding proposals to US and European potential funders [one/month]
- write regular articles for local press on Bonaire and appropriate articles and press releases for the international dive and travel media [local press – weekly; international media – quarterly]

PROGRAMMES
Coral Resource Management actively supports coral reef conservation work on Bonaire giving advice, guidance and training to the Bonaire National Marine Park (BNMP) management and staff and has been asked to write their management plan for them. Six marine protected areas from around the world are eagerly waiting for the opportunity to work with Coral Resource Management and to learn from Bonaire’s experiences.

CORE BELIEFS
Coral Resource Management firmly believes that:

• actively managed coral conservation areas are amongst the most effective means of protecting coral reefs and enhancing the lives and wellbeing of local communities
• supporting and strengthening the active management of coral conservation areas will ensure a future for the world’s coral reefs and the communities which depend upon them
• using the example of successful coral conservation areas will stimulate and inspire other organisations to better manage their coral reef resources
• transferring knowledge of coral reef management techniques to practitioners and stakeholders at the local level is critical in supporting local conservation initiatives
• building long term relationships with organisations and individuals in the field will dramatically increase project sustainability
• taking an innovative, needs based approach to providing direct support and technical assistance gives the greatest hope for long term success
• working to support and strengthen local institutions holds the key to success

GOVERNANCE
Fundashon pa Bon Koral - Coral Resource Management is a non governmental, not for profit foundation (“stichting”), registered on Bonaire in the Netherlands Antilles. It is registered at Bara di Karta z/n Bonaire with headquarters at the Caribbean Club, Hilltop, Bonaire.
The foundation exists as a not for profit (charitable) organization and may accept gifts, donations, contributions be they one time or periodic, bequests, legacies, grants and subsidies along with any other legally obtained monies for the purpose of fulfilling its mission.

BOARD
The Founding Board consists of four Directors, namely:
President: Charles Lodewijk Rudolf (Rudy) Ellis – former Minister / consultant on Bonaire
Vice President: Dr Harris Andrew Friedberg - English literature professor living USA
Treasurer: Leendert Jan van Driel – business consultant living in Holland
Secretary: Francis Dos Winkel –professional photographer and writer living in Belgium

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Executive Director, Kalli De Meyer, has more than a decade of experience in Coral Park Management. She set up and ran the world reknown Bonaire National Marine Park and has worked with countless other coral reef protected areas around the world to improve their management capacity. Kalli is responsible for all of the day to day operations of Coral Resource Management, implementation of policy and directives including fund raising.

(Text provided by Fundashon pa Bon Koral and reproduced here verbatim.)

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