By Ximena Flamenco | Project Coordinator
Exchanging experiences and lessons learned from Fish Replenishment Zones (FRZs) is essential for strengthening fisheries restoration and improving the effectiveness of marine conservation efforts. As fish populations continue to decline due to increasing fishing pressure, habitat degradation, and other threats, it has become increasingly important to design FRZs based on sound scientific data and to apply them as strategic tools for fisheries management and ecosystem recovery.
With this in mind and as part of MAR Fund’s webinar series, where partners are invited to present results, lessons learned, experiences and share information regarding projects they have developed, Organización del Sector Pesquero y Acuícola del Istmo Centroamericano (OSPESCA), Community and Biodiversity A.C. (COBI in Spanish) and Healthy Reefs for Healthy People (HRHP) came together to answer the question, why are Fish Replenishment Zones important for the restoration of fisheries?
FRZs are areas of the ocean protected from extractive and destructive activities, allowing entire ecosystems to recover. As fish and other marine organisms increase in abundance within these protected zones, individuals can move beyond the boundaries of the FRZ into surrounding fishing grounds, creating a beneficial “spillover” effect that supports local fishers and contributes to the recovery and sustainability of fisheries.
This webinar was held on August 20, 2026 with the participation of 44 people, with the goal of providing an overview of the current status of fisheries in the Mesoamerican Reef System (MAR) and to analyze Fish Replenishment Zones (FRZ) as strategic tools for their restoration. Through practical experiences and applied approaches, the session explored what these zones are, where they are operating, and how they contribute to generating positive ecological and fisheries impacts.
If you are interested in viewing the webinar, you can find the recording here: https://marfund.org/en/mar-fund-events/#RecordingFRZ
We will keep you posted on the FRZ webinars presented in MAR Fund’s Webinar Series.
The MAR Fund Team.
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