ICRAN

The International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN): A Global Partnership for Coral Reefs, established in the year 2000, is a collaborative effort, aiming to halt the trend of degradation of coral reefs worldwide and to maintain the biodiversity, health and productivity of coral reefs and related ecosystems. It is a contribution by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Fish Center (ICLARM), World Resources Institute (WRI), UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Center (WCMC), Global Coral Reef Monitoring Network (GCRMN), International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) Secretariat, Coral Reef Alliance (CORAL), the founding partners, towards the implementation of the Framework for Action of the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI), the internationally agreed blueprint for conservation of coral reefs. Within ICRI a Strategic Plan was developed. This project will implement selected components of that Strategic Plan and attract other donors to implement complementary elements of the Plan.

In 1995 the Wider Caribbean developed its regional Agenda for Action under ICRI and identified UNEP’s Caribbean Environment Programme (UNEP-CEP) as the regional contact point and facilitator for implementation of the ICRI process. Since then numerous activities have been implemented at the national, subregional and regional level by different organizations and programmes, including UNEP-CEP, which have resulted in greater attention being placed on coral reef issues although not yet at the required levels.

Development of the ICRAN MAR Project

A major outcome of ICRAN during 2003 was the successful negotiation with USAID of a US$1.5 million grant for the ICRAN-Caribbean with matching funds from the UN Foundation. The geographical scope of the project includes primarily the Mesoamerican Caribbean Reef Eco-region (Belize, Guatemala, Honduras & Mexico) and possibly the east coast of Nicaragua. A major activity of ICRAN in the Caribbean will be the implementation of the USAID/UNF US$3 million dollar project of the Mesoamerican Reef Alliance (MAR). This involves a comprehensive set of interlinked activities, emphasizing integrated watershed management, sustainable tourism and sustainable fisheries practices developed in close coordination with Central American Commission for Environment and Development (CCAD) and with the existing GEF/World Bank/CCAD Mesoamerican barrier reef system project (MBRS).

The ICRAN MAR Project responds to the need to halt the degradation and loss of biodiversity in coral reefs and re-establish conditions which guarantee the ecosystem's equilibrium. Recognizing that threats to the ecosystem also originate in agricultural and urban areas which are often far from the coastal region, the project divides its strategy into three components: Watershed Management, Sustainable Fishing and Sustainable Tourism.

See attachement below for information on the ICRAN MAR Project.