What will the marine and coastal areas of the Grenadines look like in 50 Years?

14.JAN.11

Funded by grants from the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Global Environment Facility Small Grant Programme (GEF SGP), Sustainable Grenadines Inc. (SusGren) will bring together marine resource users, government officials, community-based organisations, and other stakeholders in order to incorporate a broad range of interests in the development of a framework for the management of the coastal and marine resources that are so important to life in the Grenadines.{{more}}

“SusGren is excited to complement its ongoing efforts in the Grenadines and to be assisting the countries of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines to develop a national marine zoning design that can provide for and balance all marine uses. The project goal is to develop a zoning design that can balance both traditional and future uses such as transportation, fishing, tourism, recreation, industry and renewable energy, while ensuring the protection and restoration of fish stocks, coral reefs, beaches, and other valuable natural resources,” explains Martin Barriteau, the Director of SusGren.

On January 27 and 28, 2011, in Hillsborough, Carriacou, SusGren will be hosting a kick-off workshop for the project. The goal of this workshop is to begin the discussions between user groups to create a regionally appropriate framework for the sustainable development and management of the Grenadines’ marine resources. In order to incorporate the values of marine resource users (fishers, dive shop operators, day tour operators, water taxi operators, yachting community, ferries etc.), in the development of the marine multiuse zoning plan for the Grenadines, three series of meetings will be held on each inhabited island throughout the life of the project. The project duration is from October 2010 to March 2012.

The project will build on pre-existing initiatives in the Grenadine Islands of Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines by the Sustainable Grenadines Project, the University of the West Indies (UWI) Marine Resource and Space-use Information System Project (MarSIS), The Nature Conservancy and the Protected Area Systems Plans developed by both countries. Documentation of policy and legislative gaps and drafting of policies for multiuse zoning collaboration for the Grenadines, along with the creation of an awareness campaign to support multiuse zone planning, will be conducted as part of the project.

On the day before the Multiuse Marine Zoning workshop (January 26, 2011), at the same location, SusGren will be holding another workshop under a different project entitled: Strengthening Reef Management in the Grenada Bank. This workshop will introduce the need for effective networking and collaboration among managers from the three participating marine protected areas (Tobago Cays Marine Park, Sandy Island/Oyster Bed, and Molinere/Beausejour). Current management practices, regulations, and policies to facilitate co-management of protected areas and the marine environment in the Grenadines will be reviewed. Participants will brainstorm means of increasing communication and sharing of information among MPA management staff, and will contribute to developing detailed annual workplans for each MPA that allow for collaboration in monitoring efforts. Small grants and other training components available to MPAs under this project will also be discussed. Funding for this project is being provided primarily by the United States National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, with support from a small grant from the Caribbean Marine Protected Area Network and Forum (CaMPAM).

If you would like more information about these workshops and projects please contact Martin Barriteau (susgrenpm@vincysurf.com) or Molly Brewis (molly.brewis@gmail.com) at SusGren (784 485 8779).