Hurricane Maria was a category 4, when the effects were first felt in St. Kitts and Nevis then increased to a category 5 from Monday 18-Tuesday 19 September 2017. The extensive damage caused by the storm surges has plagued parts of the islands’ coastline. Articles such as http://dmrskn.com/what-to-expect-with-hurricane-maria/ gave insight regarding what to expect.
See below for pictures released from the Department of Marine Resources of the coastline showing locations from the South East Peninsula and Frigate Bay to Basseterre then from Old Road towards New Guinea, Sandy Point then around to Dieppe Bay.
As we prepare for Hurricane Maria, what effects should we expect from this natural phenomenon?
As indicated in this post http://dmrskn.com/impact-of-hurricane-irma-on-fish-landing-sites/ Hurricane Irma damaged fish landing sites in St. Kitts and Nevis. These damages were experienced even as Hurricane Irma passed to the north of the island. Most of the fish landing sites are located on the western side of the islands and are washed by the Caribbean Sea. Hurricane Maria’s path indicates that she would pass south of St.Kitts and Nevis.
It is expected that the brunt of the impact from this hurricane will be felt on our coastline. St. Kitts and Nevis can experience storm surges caused from Hurricane Maria’s high speed winds. Storm surges can be caused by high speed winds create large waves, which when reaching the coast, they no longer have the deep ocean to continue the wave cycle hence pushing the waves unto land. They will produce waves that can inundate the coastline of St.Kitts and Nevis.
Strong gusts of wind combined with heavy rainfall can also impact infrastructure along the coastline.
Fishers and boat owners are advised to dry dock their vessels preferably further inland to avoid or minimize possible damages to their property.
We will keep you updated on the effects of Hurricane Maria after the storm has passed.
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The Department of Marine Resources in collaboration with the Food & Agriculture Organisation (FAO) hosted a National Inception Workshop on May 30th, 2017 at the Solid Waste Management Conference Room. The workshop and launch of the project ‘Climate Change Adaptation in the Eastern Caribbean Fisheries Sector (CC4FISH) allowed stakeholders to be aware of the project’s upcoming implementation activities.
Featured remarks from Hon. Eugene Hamilton, Minister of Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources, et. al. introduced the CC4FISH project and stressed the importance of addressing climate change as it threatens the fisheries sector. For the full speech click this link -https://youtu.be/8iqorM5OdLE .
Dr. Iris Monnereau, CC4FISH Regional Coordinator, explained the variables that led to the introduction of the CC4FISH project to the Caribbean region. She explained that a global vulnerability assessment identified that the Caribbean as being one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change variations in the world. She noted that small islands like St. Kitts and Nevis are more susceptible because of the size, remoteness, low availability of resources and economic instability. Some of the concerns that are arising from climate change include ocean acidification and intense storms or hurricanes.
Ms. Nikkita Browne, CC4Fish National Focal Point at the Department of Marine Resources gave an overview of St. Kitts & Nevis fisheries sector. Dr. Barrington Brown, St. Kitts & Nevis Aquaculture Pilot Project and Environmental Research (SNAPPER) Coordinator presented on “Climate Change and its Impact on Aquaculture/Mariculture”, emphasizing the growing demand on our marine resources which requires an innovative approach.
Ms. Orisia Williams, CC4Fish National Project Coordinator, gave a presentation on the activities planned for St. Kitts & Nevis. Ms. Williams listed some current challenges within the fisheries sector of St. Kitts & Nevis. The activities planned for St. Kitts & Nevis are based on investigations and observations from the Department of Marine Resources.
The upcoming activities for the year 2017 include:
The development of a Sargassum Management Plan
Basic Fisher Training Course at 7 landing sites in St. Kitts and Nevis
Food safety and handling fish training
Mainstreaming of Climate change
Hon. Eugene Hamilton, Minister of Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources, et. al. introducing the CC4FISH project
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.
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The first Regional Workshop on Recreational Fisheries Data and Statistics hosted at the Bahamas Agricultural Industrial Corporation Nassau, Bahamas from 22-25 June 2017. More than 30 regional experts from 12 Caribbean countries attended and Ms Nikkita Browne of the Department of Marine Resources represented St.Kitts and Nevis at this workshop. There was a capacity building focus to increase the collection of recreational fisheries data in the region. Such data can help inform sustainable fisheries management in all fishery sectors at national and regional scales.
This workshop is the 6th meeting of the joint Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC), Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), Organization for Fisheries and Aquaculture of Central America (OSPESCA), Caribbean Fisheries Management Council of the USA (CFMC) Working Group on Recreational Fisheries.
This workshop was supported by the Caribbean Billfish Project, which is a component of the GEF-funded, World Bank implemented, Ocean Partnership for Sustainable Fisheries and Biodiversity Conservation Models for Innovation and Reform (ABNJ) Project, and is being executed by the Secretariat of WECAFC at the Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Various organizations have convened in Nassau, Bahamas for the first Regional Workshop on Recreational Fisheries Data and Statistics.
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Members of the Women In Maritime Association Caribbean (WIMAC) from across the region represented at the first regional workshop on Climate Change Mitigation in Maritime Sector for MTCC Caribbean (Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre) and The Global MTCC Network (GMN) with support from the European Union (EU), International Maritime Organization (IMO) was hosted at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) from June 27-28, 2017.
The WIMAC ladies and gentlemen also attended the inaugural “Enhancing Ocean Governance in the Caribbean Region” symposium from June 29-30, 2017. Which was hosted the Marine Studies of the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited, and Well Services Petroleum Company Ltd. Both conferences had participants from 12 territories across the region.
Back Row (Left to Right): Suzette Balkaran, Deniece Aiken, Tricia Greaux, April Peters, Katarina McGhee, Colin Young, Kassandra George, Adanna Bonas, Jillianjoy Davis
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The St.Kitts and Nevis Conserving Biodiversity Project Coordinating Unit is hosting an orientation session for the newly recruited Beach and Marine Conservation Officers. The purpose of these Conservation officers is to assist in the maintenance of the marine and coastal environment by encouraging users of these areas to comply with the National Conservation and Environment Protection Act 1989 and Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Resources Act 2016. The protection of the Federations’s fragile eco-system is of paramount importance to these officers who are namely; Leonjo Daniel, Lockskey Edwards, Ashadi Duncan, Tasia Jones, Kaywana Hughes and Jevanito Huggins.
Claudia Drew, Project Coordinator commented “ the Project Coordination Unit has attained one of the critical project milestones towards operationalization of the Marine Management Areas through the employment of Beach and Marine Conservation.”
The orientation training includes; map reading, search and rescue, marine tour to all conservation zones within the St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area, water quality monitoring, and heritage and culture. The Beach and Marine Conservation Officers will also be doing awareness and outreach at the Summer Turtle Camp organized by the St.Kitts Sea Turtle Monitoring Network.
Participants in training with a session facilitator Phynora Ible
The Marine Studies of the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited, and Well Services Petroleum Company Ltd hosted the inaugural “Enhancing Ocean Governance in the Caribbean Region” symposium from June 29-30, 2017. There are 12 participating territories from across the region in attendance and Ms Tricia Greaux – Department of Marine Resources and Mr Nigel Williams- Department of Maritime Affairs are representing St.Kitts and Nevis.
The opening ceremony consisted of several remarks from high ranking Government officials from Ministries of Legal, Defense, Coast Guard and Education as well as the President of Trinidad and Tobago His Excellency Anthony Thomas Aquinas Carmona, ORTT, SC.
Presentations on The status of Ocean Governance in the wider Caribbean and Challenges to Effective Implementation included; The Cartagena Convention: A Caribbean Ocean Governance Framework by Dr. Lorna Inniss, Piracy and Armed Robbery by Judge James L. Kateka, Support to Implementation: IMO’s Integrated Technical Cooperation Programme by Mr Colin Young, Ocean Governance- The Role of the Maritime Services Division by Lieutenant Commander Ronald Alfred. Prior to several panel discussions were presentations on Jurisdictional challenges and Management of resources in the wider Caribbean Sea.
The symposium concludes with action items that were initiated by the partners and territories to play a role in Ocean Governance of the wider Caribbean region.
St.Kitts and Nevis representatives at the Ocean Governance workshop
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The first regional workshop on Climate Change Mitigation in Maritime Sector for MTCC Caribbean (Maritime Technology Cooperation Centre) and The Global MTCC Network (GMN) with support from the European Union (EU), International Maritime Organization (IMO) was hosted at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) from June 27-28, 2017. The conference had participants from 12 territories across the region and Ms Tricia Greaux – Department of Marine Resources and Mr Nigel Williams- Department of Maritime Affairs are representing St.Kitts and Nevis.
The MARPOL Annex VI is a focus of the workshop; climate change indicators such as sea level rise, coastal zone degradation, severe storms and increased temperatures and exploring the impacts of both land and marine based emissions.
“Protect our natural resources…since the blue Caribbean sea joints us rather than separates us” said Mr. Ronald Alfred, Director Maritime Services Division, Trinidad and Tobago.
The importance of this project on a regional level is due to the inter and intra trading within the Caribbean and its impacts on industrial development.The MTCC Caribbean objective is to address the mitigation of emissions in the Maritime sector, focus on the Caribbean as an Emission Controlled Area, facilitate the uptake of available energy efficient technology throughout the Caribbean region, harmonize the approach to data gathering and information sharing, and to endure the commitment to promoting sustainable shipping in the region.
The outcomes of the workshop include understanding the project’s objectives and initiating pilot projects, conducting a needs analysis, creating a framework for implementation with the Caribbean territories thereby encouraging buy-in for the project objectives.
Climate Change Mitigation in Maritime Sector workshop participants
St.Kitts and Nevis participants in the Climate Change Mitigation in Maritime Sector workshop
The first meeting of the Regional Working Group on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (RWG IUU) was held in Barbados from March 1-2, 2017.
The evolution of the RWG IUU into a tripartite group started at the 15th Food Agriculture Organization (FAO) Western Central Atlantic Fishing Commission (WECAFC) meeting which was determined to include Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and Central America Fisheries and Aquaculture Organisation (OSPECA). The overall aim of the RWG IUU is to enhance the regional governance for sustainable fisheries and is supported by the United Nation Development Programme/ Global Environmental Fund (UNDP/GEF) Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem (CLME+) project and FAO.
The meeting objectives included increasing awareness and understanding of IUU fishing problems and to identify possible solutions, build capacity for more effective collaboration in preventing and deterring IUU fishing, and discuss the draft document that would indicate how the RWG IUU would operate and function as well as to develop work plans.
Belize and St.Kitts and Nevis were among several territories making presentations on how to address IUU fishing in their waters. The presentation for St.Kitts and Nevis was conducted by Wilmot Alleyne (Fisheries Enforcement Officer). He focused on the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Resources Act 2016 (FAMRA) and all the relevant parts which speak to IUU within the Federations’ waters. Mr Alleyne also indicated that he also referred to the National Plan of Action on IUU Fishing during his presentation. “Based on FAMRA all of the international instruments that St.Kitts and Nevis are party to has the force of law” said Mr Alleyne.
Subsequent RWG IUU meetings will occur in May and October of this year to complete objectives as outlined in the work plan.
RWG IUU Group photo
RWG IUU in session
Hon. Saboto Caesar , St. Vincent and the Grenadines Minister responsible for Fisheries giving the featured address
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