In an effort to strengthen the management of the Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve in Belize, a socioeconomic monitoring program is being developed. Socioeconomic data should be incorporated into management planning to ensure that measures implemented are responsive to community priorities, needs and mores. Implementing such appropriate measures can thereby encourage community support for conservation. Although the Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve was declared in 1993, comprehensive socio- economic data have not been systematically collected for the site, apart from a couple of surveys in two of the communities that fish the area. Fishing is the most important activity on the Atoll, a traditional area for harvesting lobster, conch and finfish. Tourism is the second major social and economic force, which is developing rapidly with the main activities including snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, and sport fishing.
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