The landfall of Hurricane Dean along the East Coast of the Yucatan Peninsula on 21 August 2007
resulted in extensive damage to northern Belize. Hurricane Dean was ranked a Category Five hurricane
on the Saffir Simpson Scale and registered maximum sustained winds of 165 mph with gale force
winds extending up to 60 miles from the centre. Information contained in a Preliminary Report on
Damage Assessment & Needs Analysis, carried out by the National Emergency Management
Organization (NEMO), points to significant damage to the agriculture and fisheries sectors, which
have direct implications on the livelihoods of those persons living in the impacted areas.
The fisheries sector damage assessment indicates extensive loss of equipment by fishermen in the
northern part of the country and predicts loss of stock and future revenue due primarily to impacts of
the storm on crucial supporting habitats.
This project seeks to re-establish the fishing capacity of affected fishermen through the acquisition and
replacement of lost and/ or damaged fishing gear and equipment. Participating fishers will be trained in
sustainable fishing through their participation in sustainable fishing workshops. The project also aims
to reduce potential negative impact on the marine resources particularly potential over-fishing and
unsustainable fishing within the marine protected areas which make up the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve
System ? World Heritage Site.
UNDP is spearheading an initiative to support the recovery of the fisheries sector by channeling
disaster recovery assistance to affected fishermen. UNDP has secured financial support for this effort
from the Singapore Government, the Czech Government, and UNDP TRAC funds. The total project
budget is BZ$ 235,700.00 of which the Belize COMPACT Programme is providing BZ$ 95,500.00

This COMPACT project is therefore part of a larger initiative being facilitated by the Green Reef
Environmental Institute with technical support, monitoring and general oversight provided by the
Belize Fisheries Department.