Integrated Marine Ecosystem Management : a learning evaluation

Abstract

The coastal regions of the Dominican Republic and Haiti are facing severe overexploitation of fisheries and degradation of marine ecosystems, threatening ecological collapse. Through its Integrated Marine Ecosystem Management (IMEM) activity, a $1.8 million cooperative agreement implemented by Counterpart International from September 6, 2019, to September 5, 2022, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) aimed to strengthen local governance and participatory management of marine protected areas in the northern coastal border area of Haiti and the Dominican Republic, promoting sustainable fishing and farming practices to reduce pressures on biodiversity within coastal and marine ecosystems. The project pursued three objectives: implement participatory management provisions in designated marine protected areas in both countries; foster local-level, cross-border collaboration and experience-sharing; and disseminate and implement best practices in fishing, farming systems, and ecotourism. While IMEM worked extensively with partners in Haiti, the evaluation team was unable to evaluate the impacts of IMEM in that country due to worsening security conditions during the evaluation period. This evaluation was focused on learning from IMEM’s community engagement activities to inform future marine programming in the region. The evaluation provides an analysis of the activity’s effectiveness in helping communities address environmental challenges and promoting sustainable practices in the coastal and marine ecosystems of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. It reveals that IMEM has achieved significant milestones in its efforts to protect and preserve natural resources, engage local communities, and foster inter-institutional collaboration.