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Sea Tales @ the Museum

 

The St. Kitts and Nevis’ marine environment was the focus of the St. Christopher National Trust Dasani-Harper’s Heritage House Children’s Storytelling Series “SEA TALES”.

The St. Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network’s Dr. Kimberley Stewart shared a Caribbean based story about the danger plastic creates for the turtles especially the Leatherback Turtle that nest within the Keys Beach area within the St. Kitts’ St. Mary Man and the Biophere.

The Sea Life Sea SKN project through the Anjolique Dance Company (ADC) partnered with the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) to present SKN ‘Sea Kingdom’. The vivid costumes depicting the marine creatures within the St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area and surrounding areas, were from ADC.

The Department of Marine Resources Marine Management Areas and Habitat Monitoring Officer Tricia Greaux accompanied by the Beach and Marine Conservation Officers; Tasia Jones, Ahisha Herbert, Ashadi Duncan, Sasha Kodi Edwards, Luciano Eddy and Locksley Edwards.

The SEA-MAZINGLY animated session featured the; Queen Triggerfish (locally known as Ole Wife), Octopus, Princess Parrotfish (Locally known as Thumb), Rainbow Runner (ocean pelagic/ deep sea fish species), and Lionfish (an alien/ invasive fish, not native to the Caribbean Sea).

 

 

 

 

 

DMR @ Career Exhibition with Work, Eat, Play, Manage themed display

The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) was invited  to participate in  the 2018 National College, Career and Health EXPO organised by the Ministry of Labour on Friday 23rd February, 2018.  The DMR’ s display centered around the different uses of the ocean.

WORK – career based choices were showcased through presentations and officers present answering questions about their being employed within the marine field.

EAT – highlighted the benefits of a healthy sea enriched diet. Promoting the Eat It 2 Beat It SKN Lion fish campaign as well as introducing persons to underutilized species such as the Diamond Back Squid.

PLAY – recreational activities associated with the marine environment. Attendees did a “sea /bucket list challenge” checking off which play sports they have engaged in and were offered new and exciting #DiveIn choices for the future.

MANAGE – sustainably using the resources of the marine environment is key to the DMR. This section explored compliance and enforcement mechanisms conducted by the DMR and future work, Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Resources Act 2016 legislation, Implementation of the Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing Plan and the declaration of the St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area.

The Director, Marc Williams expressed ” We are pleased that the Ministry of Labour has created such a forum for persons to be educated about different career options. Within the past year we have received requests to have interested youth visit the DMR to get a sense of what a career within the marine field is about. At the DMR we want to encourage persons to see the ocean as the true resource that it is and take full advantage of it. ”

The DMR also used this opportunity to launch its partnership with the Anjolique Dance Company’s GEF UNDP Small Grant Proposal See Life Sea SKN project- a visual campaign about the marine environment. The display incorporated the use of high impact presentations through imagery and hands on experience. Unfortunately, the display should have incorporate touch tanks into the display however as climate change affects the marine environment , turbidity in the water prevented the collection of the marine species.

Officers at the exhibition included; Marine Management Area (MMA) and Habitat Monitoring Officer ; Tricia Greaux, Fisheries Assistant; Kharim Saddler, Marine Conservation Officers ;Locksley Edwards , Tasia Jones, Ahisha Herbert and Ashadi Duncan,  and Beach Conservation Officers; Luciano Eddy and Sasha Kodi Edwards.

 

 

 

 

Zing dives in with DMR

The November-December copy of the Zing Magazine – the in flight magazine for LIAT The Caribbean Airline is featuring Tricia Greaux, Marine Management Area and Habitat Monitoring Officer at the Department of Marine Resources.

See sneak peeks of the article below;

What is the most rewarding element of your job?

The ability to share my passion for the marine environment with others daily and to be able to serve as the officer with responsibility for MMAs when St.Kitts and Nevis declared the first MMA, the SKN MMA in August 2016.

What do you do on a typical day – if there is such a thing?

Just like the ocean with its unpredictability, my day is often the same. One day I might be in a high school classroom in St Kitts sharing my passion for the marine environment, the next in Korea being trained as a Sustainable Ocean Initiatives Trainer, or in Grenada becoming a certified Marine Protected Areas Manager. I absolutely love the flow of my job.

What do you like to do in your downtime?

As the Creative Director of the Anjolique Dance Company, our dance pieces create awareness of social and environmental issues (www.anjoliquedance.com). The environment inspires the earrings and hair jewelry that I create, Creative Cultured Creations.  I serve at the Antioch Baptist Church and within my community through the Reach for Recovery SKB Breast Cancer Support Group.

What is your current job title and what exactly does the Department of Marine Resources do?

I am the Marine Management Area (MMA) and Habitat Monitoring Officer at the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) in St. Kitts and Nevis (SKN). The DMR’s vision is “To promote the sustainable use of all living marine resources in all waters of national jurisdiction and areas beyond national jurisdiction of St. Kitts and Nevis.” Using the ecosystem based approach to fisheries management of which you can read more on www.dmrskn.com

ZiNG Caribbean seeks to capture the energy of the Caribbean in a fun, colourful and interesting magazine for the customers of LIAT and people around the world who share our love for this vibrant, beautiful and friendly region. Click this link below to view the ZING EMAG (electronic magazine). http://ta-emags.com/V1/Zing/Z40/

 

 

DFX dives in with DMR

Designing For the Xtraordinary (DFX) Mas Band has donated marine inspired costumes to the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) to boost the aesthetics of the department’s marine environment based awareness efforts. The DMR has partnered with the Anjolique Dance Company to implement a project “SEE LIFE SEA SKN”- a national level visual campaign about the marine environment. This project is primarily funded by the Global Environmental Fund United Nations Development Program Small Grant Proposal.

DFX released their carnival parade troupe “Beauty Everywhere” for Sugar Mas 45 held December 2016-January 2017, highlighting the various aspects of the marine environment. The intimidating section named “Ravage” showcased the Lionfish as an invasive predatory fish species within the Caribbean Sea. The allure of the sea splashing on our beaches below the enchanting Caribbean nights sky was displayed in the royal blue and black section “Seduction”.

Later in July 2017, DFX allowed the DMR to use male and female costumes from the Ravage and Seduction section and also a magnificent Octopus costume from the mas camp. The DMR used these pieces in the Agriculture Open Day display.

The month of September highlights the official handing over of these costumes to the DMR. Marine Conservation Officers will form part of the SEE LIFE SEA SKN project’s Marine Awareness Consortium (MAC). The MAC will serve as the marine environment education catalysts for primary, secondary and tertiary school visits.

DFX – Designing For the Xtraordinary Mas Band is an Entertainment & Design Company that strives to Design, Enhance and Create the Ultimate Experience and Best Service for all, through Music, Photography, Makeup Artistry and Costume Design! For more information contact Corrine Poujade-Flanders at Designing For the Xtraordinary (DFX) Mas Band dfxmasband@gmail.com and www.facebook.com/DFX.

 

Tricia Greaux- MMA and Habitat Monitoring Officer, DMR and Corrine Poujade-Flanders – Designing For the Xtraordinary (DFX) Mas Band at the handing over ceremony.

Octopus Costume

Seduction Costume

Sea Shell Costume

Ravage Costume