Once the reserves are created, facilitators will work with local government to officially recognize the reserves. After paperwork is finalized, the reserves will need to be monitored and surveilled to avoid illegal fishing, users will need to gather ecological data over time to track progress, and the facilitators need to help implement other viable economic strategies and ensure their success. If feasible, reserves serving as a network should be implemented at relatively the same time to contribute to the success of the network.
In this first phase, facilitators of no-take marine reserves should aim to establish trusted relationships with the local communities and resources users that would likely be impacted from the implementation of a marine reserve. This entails the facilitator assessing the social, financial, and leadership structures to determine what the community needs to motivate creating a reserve. Concurrently, facilitators should gather any necessary baseline data to better populate tools that will help to create the reserve.
Decision Tree
Decision Tree
Marine Reserves can directly and indirectly impact coastal resource users and/or associated fishing communities. Each community is different, and their leadership and organization structures will influence the success of a reserve. Identifying key characteristics is important in order to know how best to utilize them for the success. If these user-groups and communities show strong social structure, their participation and involvement in the marine reserve planning and decision-making process can increase the likelihood of its success If the social structure is weak there will be a need to implement capacity building to have effective stakeholder participation and increase the probability of success.
Social Component
