National Aquaculture Policy and Zoning Plan for Belize

216 Pages·2004·4.4 MB·English

National Aquaculture Zoning Plan
For
Belize

Schedule I

Prepared By: Tunich-Nah Consultants & Engineering
Mile 6, Northern Highway
Belize City
Phone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
e-mail: [email protected]

Thom Grimshaw
ECOWORKS

November 26th, 2003
Table of Content

I. Summary 1 - 1

1.0 Zoning Methodology and Plan 2 – 10

1.0.1 Elimination Scheme 2 – 5
1.0.2 Inland Zone Classification Scheme 5 – 9
1.0.3 Offshore Zone Classification Scheme 9 – 10

2.0 Culture Systems 11 – 19

2.0.1 Land-based Culture Systems 11 – 14
2.0.2 Cage, Raft and Pen Culture 14 – 16
2.0.2.1 Cage Culture Systems 14 – 15
2.0.2.2 Raft Culture Systems 15 – 16
2.0.2.3 Pen Culture Systems 16 – 17
2.0.3 Extensive Systems For Natural Ponds 17 – 18
2.0.4 Hatchery Systems to Support Aquaculture 18 – 19
2.0.4.1 Freshwater Hatchery Systems 18 – 18
2.0.4.2 Marine Hatchery Systems 18 – 19

3.0 Environmental Quality Standards 19 – 24

3.0.1 Oxygen Relationships 19 – 20
3.0.2 Nitrogen Relationships 20 – 23
3.0.3 Biological and Chemical Oxygen Demand 23 – 24
3.0.3.1 Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) 23 – 23
3.0.3.2 Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) 23 – 24
3.0.4 Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus Relationship 24 – 24
3.0.5 Turbidity 25 – 26
3.0.5.1 Colloid Turbidity 25 – 25
3.0.5.2 Phytoplankton Turbidity 25 – 25
3.0.5.3 Total Suspended Solids (TSS) 26 – 26
3.0.6 Drugs and Antibiotics 26 – 26

4.0 Needed Areas of Study 26 – 27

4.0.1 Integration of Hydrological Data 26 – 26
4.0.2 Integration of Land-Use and Property Data 27 – 27

5.0 Sources of Additional Information 27 – 27

Literature Cited 38 – 30
I. SUMMARY

A provisional zoning scheme is presented, which classifies available land and coastal
resources for aquaculture development into 6 categories and environmental sensitivity.
Each zone is subsequently described with respect to water resource availability,
limitations to development, and selected development recommendations. Seven
categories of culture systems deemed to be suitable for development in Belize are
subsequently described in regard to zone characteristic and environmental constraints.
These presentations are followed by a discussion of water quality relationships and
characteristic in Belize, detailing observed, lethal and recommended limits for12 key
parameter. The primary characteristics of two studies are then outlined in respect of work
needed to elevate the present undertaking beyond its present, provisional status, and a
brief discussion of available sources of technical information relating to aquaculture
practices and impact are presented.

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1.0 ZONNING METHODOLOGY & PLAN

The zoning plan presented in this study was devised by process of eliminating unsuitable
areas for aquaculture development, and the subsequent reclassification of remaining areas
in respect of existing agricultural use, water resource suitability, and where appropriate,
land suitability. The primary characteristics of the aquaculture-zoning plan presented here
are summarized in table 1 and Illustration 1.

1.0.1 Elimination Scheme

Areas unavailable or unsuitable for aquaculture development were deemed to include
areas protected from development by conservation programs, areas having unsuitable
topography, and areas in use for large-scale agricultural production.

Managed conservation areas are shown in light green on the zoning map , and are based
on the compilation map presented by Grimshaw and Wade (2000), and the recently
produced recommendations for the Meso-American Biological Corridor (Meerman
2000).The boundaries for these areas have , however, been simplified by eliminating
minor undulations , with the net result of conservation area being likely to have been
over-represented by perhaps 5% undamaged conservation areas comprising wetlands
protected by the forestry act are shown in dark green on the zoning map , and are based
on the compilation map of wetlands presented by Iremonger &Brokaw (2000).

The principle Maya Mountain massif is shown in dark brown on the zoning map, and
defines an area having more than 200 meters above sea level, slopes greater than 30%
and limited soil availability, as defined by King et al (1986-1993). Although almost
entirely protected, this area has been designated as being topographically unsuited for
aquaculture development. The Vaca plateau region west of Maya Mountain massif, is
shown in light brown on the zoning map, and although currently protected as a forestry
reserve, has been classified separately from Maya Mountain massif, for its generally
lower slope and greater soil development, which may offer some limited opportunities for
aquaculture development that would not significantly compromise the overall forestry
management objectives for the area.

Urban areas and their associated outfall zones are shown in black cross hatching on the
zoning map. No comprehensive assessments have been conducted in Belize to due to
determine environmental water quality in areas immediately downstream or surrounding
the countries 10 principal urban areas of Corozal , Orange Walk ,Punta Gorda . Sewage
treatment facilities remain in the early stage of development in Belize and many urban
areas continue to rely on independent septic systems to under capacity sewage treatment
facilities. Consequently a preliminary exclusion zone of 2 kilometers downstream
distance, and/or 1 kilometer in radial distance has been used to define areas unsuited to
food production by aquaculture until such time as field-verified parameters can be
developed and established for this purpose.
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TABLE 1

SUMMARY AQUACULTURE ZONE CHARACTERISTICS

Soil
Suitability For Modal Rainfall Surface Ground
Map Pond Relief (Meters/Yr Surface Water Water Vol Water Vol
Color REFERENCE NAME Construction (Meters) ) Availability (M3/Min) (M3/Min) Principle Limitations Development Potential
ZONE 1: HIGHLY SUITED TO FOOD PRODUCTION BY AQUACULTURE
Topography, Seasonality Of
1.1 Gallon Jug Area Good <100 1 - 2 Seasonal 40 - 400 0.04 - 40 Medium Scale Developments < 75 Ha or 200 TPA/Site
Surface Water Abundance
Seasonality Of Surface Water
1.2 Central New River Area Good <5 1 - 2 Seasonal 40 - 400 0.04 - 40 Medium Scale Developments < 75 Ha or 200 TPA/Site
Abundance
Soil Suitability For Pond
1.3 Southern & Eastern Freshwater Creek Area Poor <5 1 - 2 Seasonal 40 - 400 0.04 - 40 Use Natural Pond For Extensive Production
Construction
Seasonality Of Surface Water
1.4 Northern Freshwater Creek Area Good <5 1 - 2 Seasonal 40 - 400 0.04 - 40 Medium Scale Developments < 75 Ha or 200 TPA/Site
Abundance
Small to Large Scale Developments Ranging From 50 to > 200 TPA;
1.5 Central & Southern Belize Region Good <5 2 - 4 Perennial 0.04 - 400 0.4 - 40 Soil Alluvium, Topography
Ornamentals
ZONE 2: WELL SUITED TO FOOD PRODUCTION BY AQUACULTURE
2.1 Sibun River, Lower Portion Good <5 1 - 2 Perennial 40 - 400 0.04 - 40 Spate Flows & Flooding 3 - 5, 200+ Ha Developments
2.2 Sibun River, Upper Portion Good <5 1 - 2 Perennial 0.4 - 400 0.04 - 40 Spate Flows & Flooding 2 - 3, 200+ Ha Developments
2.3 Lower Rio Hondo, New River & Freshwater Creek Good <5 1 - 2 Perennial 40 - 400 0.04 - 40 Salinity 3 - 5, 200+ Ha Developments, And 2 - 3, 200 + TPA Cage Developments
ZONE 3: MODERATELY SUITED TO FOOD PRODUCTION BY AQUACULTURE
Salinity, Opportunity Cost To
3.1 Middle Rio Hondo and New River Areas Good <5 1 - 2 Seasonal 40 - 400 0.04 - 40 3 - 5, 200+ Ha Developments
Cane Farmers
6 - 8 200 Ha Developments In Secondary Channels, Larger Scale
Soils In The Northeastern
3.2 The Belize River Basin Good <100 1 - 2 Perennial 40 - 400 0.04 - 40 Developments In The Main Channel With Intake Settlement, And
Region,
Ornamentals
Medium To Large Scale Coastal Mariculture Developments In the North-
Soils & Topography Along The
3.3 Central And Southern Belize Region Good <5 2 - 4 Perennial 0.4 - 400 0.04 - 401 Central Region, Small To Large Freshwater Developments In The
Margin Of The Maya Mountains
Southern Region
ZONE 4: SHALLOW WATER AREAS WITH SPARSE SEA GRASS, SAND AND/OR RUBBLE
Passive Production (e.g. Oysters), Small Scale Developments At Densities
4 Near shore And In Chetumal Bay, To 10 Meters Depth --- --- 1 - 4 Perennial --- --- Runoffs, Variable Salinity of < 0.5 Ton/Ha & 0.1 Tones Per Production Unit (cage or pen); Setbacks:
100 Meters From Shore, 200 Meters From Zone-6 Boundaries
ZONE 5: DEEP WATER AREAS IN THE MAIN BARRIER REEF LAGOON
The Barrier Reef Lagoon Channel, Beyond 10 Meters Large Scale Developments At Densities Of 5 Tones/Ha & 1 Ton Per
5 --- --- 2 - 4 Perennial --- --- Wave Height & Fetch
Depth Production Unit (Cage); Setbacks: 500 Metes From Boundaries
ZONE 6: AREAS ASSOCIATED WITH DENSE SEA GRASS AND CORAL
Passive Developments (e.g. Oysters) and Hatcheries Only, With Minimum
6 Dense Sea grass And Reef Habitats --- --- 1 - 4 Perennial --- --- Spacing Spacing of 1 Km Between Each and Setback Of 20 Meters From
Shorelines

1 For Southern Belize, only.
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Illustration 1
Provisional Aquaculture Development Areas in Belize

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Agricultural areas identified by King, et al (1986-1992) as being used for large-scale
production of grains, citrus and bananas are shown in bright yellow on the zoning map,
and have been classified as being unsuitable for aquaculture development due to these
sector’s extensive use of class 1&11 pesticides with LD 50’s below 2,500 ppm (CF.
Grimshaw and Wade, 2000) and the subsequent potential for live stock contamination.
The King et. Al (1986-1992) land use classification employed here is now, unfortunately,
more than decade out of date, and will require revision before the present aquaculture
zoning exercise can be more authoritatively placed into context with current land use in
Belize.

Setback requirements for inland aquaculture developments will be primarily dictated by
their need to be located outside of riverine flood zones, a good indication of which is
shown on the land system maps developed by King .et. al (1986-1992) as areas marked as
‘1’on flood plains, or by ‘pw’on river and coastal terraces. Coastal mariculture
developments should, in general, be located at sufficient distance from the shoreline for
the top elevations should be adequate to allow for complete drying of ponds for disease
control. Where flood or shore zone are narrow or otherwise not relevant to the
sustainability of enterprise (as may be the case for hatchery facilities), the minimum
distance of 20 meters currently recommended for all developments should be use in
place. Setback requirements for offshore aquaculture developments are specific to and
described for each zone.

1.0.2 Inland Zone Classification Scheme

Inland areas available for aquaculture development have been divided into three
categories based on the extent of agricultural influence within their respective
watersheds.

Zone-1 Areas are shown in dark blue on the zoning map. These areas have the primary
characteristic of being without upstream influence from large-scale agricultural activity
employing class 1&11 pesticides, and therefore have been designated as pristine and
highly suited to food production by aquaculture. The majority of contiguous land area
having Zone-1 eastern margin of the New River Lagoon in north central Belize, and
across the most of north eastern Belize.

Soil suitability in the western region may be limited by rolling topographic relief (local
relief<100 meter). Soils in the central region are generally adequate for pond
development and not limited by rolling topographic relief (local relief < 5 meters). The
southern portion of this zone, however, is limited to water supply from the New River
Lagoon, which is currently protected from development. Soil suitability for pond
construction is poor in region south and east of the jobo Plain land system described by
King et al(1992), but is otherwise amenable to pond construction north of the Freshwater
Creek Forest reserve(local relief < 5 meter). There are many small, natural ponds extant
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within the jobo plain land system and these maybe adapted to extensive aquaculture
strategies by stocking these ponds and harvesting them with traps in dry weather.

Water resource availability from rainfall in northern Belize ranges from 1to2 meter per
year. Surface water availability in areas away from the main river channels in this region
are seasonal, and range from 40 to 400 cubic meter per minute, but the duration of
surface water availability or abundance is at present, has not been described. Ground
water availability in this region ranges from 0.04 to 40 cubic meter per minute at 10 to 50
meters depth. Taking a modal water supply rate of 40 cubic meters per minute,
multiplying this value by 1,440 minutes per day, and then dividing by 5% as an median
water exchange rate, and 15,000 cubic meters of water per hectare of pond production
suggests that water resources in this region may be able to support a semi-intensive
production facility on the order 75 hectares per water source. This level of water resource
availability indicates that on average, aquaculture production facilities developed in zone-
1 areas of north western and north central Belize would be suited to small and medium
scale enterprises having an annual production of less than 200 tones per annum (season).
Larger facilities maybe supported, however, where water resources can be verified as
having sufficient capacity to support larger scale production, or where aeration, water re-
circulation and seasonal production schemes can be engaged to raise overall annual yield.

There are perhaps a dozen fragmented zone-1 areas distributed along the margin of Maya
Mountains and coastal plain of central and southern Belize. These areas generally have
soils that are suitable for pond production, but they are frequently inundated with fine
alluvium and require liners to control turbidity during the production cycle. Zone-1 areas
in this region may also be limited topographically due to their proximity to the 200 meter
contour.

Water resource availability is generally higher in central and southern Belize , with
rainfall ranging from 2 to 4 meters per annum , surface water perennially available in
amounts of 0.04 to 400 M3/Min, and in southern Belize , groundwater availability in
amounts of 0.4 to 40M3/Min at less than 60 meters depth. Surface water availability is
often compromised by steepness within the upper reaches of the watershed where many
of the Zone-1 areas are located, which in turn render surface water supply in this region
highly susceptible to intense spat flow in wet weather, and shortfalls in water resource
availability in dry weather. Consequently, many, if not most Zone-1 areas in central and
southern Belize will be limited to small-scale, and perhaps seasonal production below 50
tones per annum and/or small-scale production of ornamental livestock. As with northern
sites, however, larger facilities may be supported, where water resources can be verified
as having sufficient capacity to support larger scale production, or where aeration, water
recirculation and seasonal production schemes can be engaged to raise overall annual
yield.

Zone-2 Areas are shown in blue-gray on the zoning map. These areas have less than
15% of watershed area engaged in large-scale agricultural activity employing class 1&11
pesticides. These areas are likely to have large or numerous tracts of land adjoining water
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resources that are free of significant influence from pesticide pollution, and therefore
have been designated as being well suited to food production by aquaculture.

All Zone-2 areas are located in central and northern Belize, either the Sibun Watershed,
or the lower reaches of the Rio Hondo, New River and Freshwater Creek watersheds
respectively. The Zone-2 area situated along the lower portion of New River watershed
supports intermittent sugar cane plantations, but has included with zone-2 classification
because this sectors limited use of class I & II pesticides. Soils in these areas are
generally suited to pond construction, and are not limited by topographic constrains (i.e.
model relief is<5 meter), but the upper reaches of the Sibun watershed contain soil with
fine alluvium which may require the use of liners in production ponds to control
turbidity.

Water resources availability from rainfall can exceed 2 meters per annum in the upper
reaches of the Sibun watershed, and otherwise ranges between 1.5 and 2 meter per annum
in the lower reaches of the watershed. Surface water availability is perennial in the upper
and lower reaches of the watershed where soil have little limestone influence, and
seasonally available the region of the watershed which is more greatly influenced by
limestone. Surface water availability ranges from 0.4 to 400 cubic metes per minute in
the upper reaches of the watershed 40 to 400 cubic meters per minute in the lower
reaches of the watershed, and from 0.004 to 40 cubic meters per minute in the middle
reaches of the watershed. Groundwater availability in the watershed ranges from 0.04 to
40M/min at 150 meter depth in the upper portion of the watershed, and from 0.04 to
40m/min at 10 to 50 meters depth in the lower portion on the watershed. The entire Sibun
watershed is highly susceptible to spate flows and flooding, and yields brackish water at
one location in the lower portion of the watershed already support one large-scale fish
aquaculture venture of 160 hectare (6,000 TPA) design scale and will be likely to be able
to support the equivalent 3 to 5 more such ventures if they can be located within
practical access of water above the high flood mark, and otherwise adequately spaced out
across the watershed so as to create water supply shortfalls for other users in low flow
periods.

Water resource availability from rainfall ranges between 1.5 and 2 meters per annum in
the lower reaches of the Rio Hondo, New River and Freshwater Creek watersheds.
Surface water availability is perennial and ranges from 40 to 400 cubic meters per minute
but is brackish due to seawater inflow from Chetumal Bay. Groundwater availability in
the watershed ranges from 0.04 to 40 M3/Min at 10 to 50 meters depth and is also
brackish. These watersheds are marginally susceptible to spate flows, and more
frequently influenced by low-level tidal fluctuations. These Zone 2 areas are less likely to
be influenced by shortfalls in water supply, then by land area and salinity, and therefore
should be suited to development of 3 to 5 both medium scale pond production facilities,
and 2 or more medium-scale cage production facilities designed to take advantage of tidal
influence in the area.

Zone-3 Areas are shown in light blue on the zoning map. These areas have greater than
15% of watershed area engaged in large-scale agricultural activity employing class 1&11
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pesticides, and are likely to have select tracts of land adjoining water resources that are
free of significant influence from pesticide pollution. Zone-3 areas have therefore been
designated as being moderately suited to food production of ornamental livestock not
consumed as food Zone-3 areas encompass the lower portions of the Rio Hondo and New
River watershed, The Belize River Basin, and the majority of the coastal plan extending
from central to southern Belize. The lower Rio Hondo and New River watersheds are
extensively developed in sugar cane production and are likely to offer few un-developed
sites for aquaculture use. These circumstances will make the proliferation of aquaculture
development dependent on the opportunity cost it presents to sugar cane farmers, rather
than on water and land resource availability as a first priority as in other areas.

Soil in most Zone 3 areas are largely amenable to pond construction, save and except for
the northernmost portion of the Belize River Basin where it adjoins the jobo plain land
system previously described for the area Zone-1 area south of the freshwater Creek forest
reserve; and the western portion of the basin where it adjoins Karst formations. Much of
the western portion of Belize River basin may also present topographic limitations due to
rolling local relief (i.e. local relief <100 meters).

Water source availability from rainfall in the lower portion of the Rio Hondo and New
River watersheds ranges from 1.5 to 2 meter per annum. Surface water availability along
the main river channel of these watersheds is perennially available in the range of 0.4 to
400M3/Min, and is strongly influence by inflow of seawater from Chetumal Bay.
Surface water availability away from the main river channel in these watersheds is
seasonally available in the range of 0.4 to 400M3/min, and is further reported to contain
high levels of chlorides and nitrates (cf. Grimshaw and Wade, 2000).

The lower region of the Rio Hondo and New River watersheds with Zone-3 classification
may best suited to 3-5 medium-scale, and several small-scale aquaculture facilities,
producing food and ornamental species that are tolerant of eutrophic, brackish water
conditions. Given the poor economic return of sugar cane production to small farmers, it
may be advantages to promote small-scale production facility development in the context
of a regionally focused satellite production scheme, wherein one or more medium scale
producers enjoin and support a number of small-scale satellite producers with inputs,
technical assistance and marketing assistance and marketing assistance in order to reduce
development risk to small scale producers.

Water resource availability from rainfall in the Belize River Basin ranges from 1 to 2
meters per annum. Surface water availability along the main river channel is perennially
available in the range of 0.4 to 400M3/min, and is strongly influence by inflows of
seawater from Chetumal Bay. Surface water availability in the main river channel is
perennially available in the range of 40 to 400M3/Min, and in the secondary channel of
laboring Creek, Roaring Creek and the Macal River in the range of 0.4 to 400M3/Min.
Surface water seasonally available outside of these areas in the Central and eastern
portion of the Belize River basin in the range of 0.4 to 400M3/Min, and in the western
portion of the basin in the range of 0.4 to 40 M3/Min. Groundwater availability in central
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