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Inception workshop for the St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area Management Plan

The inception workshop for the St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area Management Plan will take place on Monday 11th February 2019 from 9:15 am – 3:00 pm at the Ocean Terrace Inn Conference Room. In efforts to increase stakeholder participation, two week consultations will take place within the following traditional fishing communities: Dieppe Bay 12th, Sandy Point 13th, Old Road 14th , Basseterre 18th, Charlestown 19th, New Castle 20th and Indian Castle 21st from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. The consultant that was contracted to carrying out this management plan is the Caribbean Environment Education Trust with Daven Joseph as lead consultant.

The St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area (SKN MMA) was declared in August 2016. This MMA extends two nautical miles outwards from the marine baseline around the Federation, including Monkey Shoals. Within the SKN MMA, there are five use zones consisting of the Transport Zone, Fishing Priority Zone, Recreation Zone, Conservation Zone and the Mixed Use Zone for both Fishing and Conservation purposes (see attached map).

The rich and diverse ecology within the waters of St. Kitts and Nevis requires proper management as they support livelihood development for users such as fisherfolk, dive operators and the community at large. Inter and intra island travel is critical for our twin island state; notably, is the ocean’s contribution to our tourism sector. The sustainable use of marine resources which provides food security within the Federation are of critical importance. Therefore, ensuring proper marine management and use should be the focus of all stakeholders.

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Off-Shore Fisheries Collaboration for Small Vessels

The St. Kitts and Nevis Department of Marine Resources (DMR) collaborated with fishers to examine the practicality of promoting the off-shore and pelagic fisheries in the Federation. This involved preliminary work in 2017, harvesting Diamondback Squid. Following the successful capture of squid in 2017, the efforts have now shifted towards assessing the use of small open vessels for the harvesting of these resources, and other off-shore resources, to promote a reduction in fishing effort on the near-shore fisheries, while securing and enhancing fishers’ livelihoods.

Mitch Lay, Antiguan fisher and facilitator of the training exercise indicated “This is a great opportunity for fishers in St. Kitts and Nevis to experiment with new techniques so we can all ensure continued fisher livelihood. The equipment used for this training is suitable for small fishing vessels, we have to look out for all fishers.”

Kharim Saddler, Assistant Fisheries Officer at the Department of Marine Resources – “This demonstration included a rig for deep slope snapper fishing and continuing Diamondback Squid Fishing techniques. The Krystal reel proved to be very efficient and versatile. It is particularly suitable for small vessels.”

Director of DMR, Marc Williams – “Continued collaboration in harvesting, value addition and marketing may prove useful in promoting the Diamondback Squid fishery. St. Kitts and Nevis could spearhead a concerted effort to promote this underutilized species for food security and nutrition purposes.”

 

Below are images showing the process for preparing the equipment to be used. Pictured are Mitch Lay-Fisher and Captain  Petulah Huggins – DMR staff;

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RUSVM supports DMR -Aquaculture and Research Opportunities

The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) received a welcomed donation of EC$10,752.80 from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) for its aquaculture project starting this year. Speaking at a Handing-Over Ceremony on March 27 2018, DMR’s Director, Marc Williams, said that the introduction of aquaculture in the Federation is an important initiative that will help to limit the importing of seafood by better meeting the demand of the local market.

“We can help to alleviate some of our food import bills and have a healthier population overall. This is where we are today, but we are hopeful that our collaboration will continue for the foreseeable future,” he said.

Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Eugene Hamilton, thanked RUSVM for its continued support, specifically with this new initiative as it will assist with food security and providing employment in the Federation.

“I am pleased that we are making that step forward with the aquaculture project because I believe that there lies an opportunity for new entrepreneurs. This new initiative will help to make some families financially independent,” he added.

Minister Hamilton highlighted the long standing relationship that RUSVM has with the Department of Marine Resources with research projects including coral reef disease, cetacean stranding, lobster, conch , artificial reefs and support for a coral monitoring program within the St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area (SKN MMA).

Queen Conch

 

Caribbean Spiny Lobster

See link for support provided for Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs)   http://dmrskn.com/ross-university-bolsters-fishing-technology-in-st-kitts-nevis/

He also indicated RUSVM has lent assistance to the Ministry of Health on many initiatives including its research on mosquito-borne diseases such as ZIKA and Chikungunya. “We are very grateful that we have a partnership in Ross. A partnership that has lasted more than 30 years and which I hope is only getting stronger,” said Minister Hamilton.

 

Dean of RUSVM and Professor of Anatomic Pathology, Dr.  Sean Callanan, said “we’re very conscious of the need to invest in empowering people” in particular the fisherfolk.

Professor Callanan said that while the aquaculture project was in the “early stages of a development process and feasibility process, which we’re funding right now, we really should consider it as the start of a strong partnership.”

The delegation from RUSVM included Campus Administrator, Ray Francis; Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations, Adtalem Global Education Inc, Lisa Sodeika; and Director of Civic Affairs and Security Projects, Adtalem Global Education Inc, Veron Lake

RUSVM presentation to DMR

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SKN represented in Fisheries Learning Exchange

“The Department of Marine Resources in collaboration with the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES) and the Department of Fisheries in Saint Lucia hosted a Pilot Fisheries Learning Exchange (FLE) in Saint Lucia on March 7th-9th, 2018. Two fisherfolk leaders, Iroy Marshall and Stephen Moore from Saint Kitts and Nevis visited Saint Lucia to learn from the experiences of several knowledge providers who are instrumental in fisheries and marine resource management.

The main aim of the Pilot FLE was to demonstrate practical guidance for designing and implementing FLEs for Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF), Climate Change Adaptation (CCA), and Disaster Risk Management (DRM).

This learning exchange forms part of the Climate Change Adaption for the Fisheries Sector in the Eastern Caribbean (CC4FISH) Project which aims to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts in the Eastern Caribbean fisheries sector.”

 

 

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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.

 

 

 

 

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6th National Joint Coordinating Committee Meeting

On 13th February 2017 representatives of the Japanese Government and the Department of Marine Resources held its sixth and final National Joint Coordinating Committee meeting at the Old Road Fisheries Complex as they concluded the 5 year Caribbean Fisheries Co-management Project here in the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis. Present were Mitsuhiro Ishida and Minoru Tamura from the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Wilmot Alleyne, Kharim Saddler, Hazelmay Richards and Ashadi Duncan represented the Department of Marine Resources. Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) Fishers included; Lester Richards, Franklyn Challenger, Winston Hobson, Darwin Francis, Michael Samuel, Roger Ottley, Richard Dorsette and Earl Freeman.

Mr Alleyne gave the welcome remarks with a brief overview of the FAD Fishery over the past several years and the formation of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism. He stated “one of the goals of the CRFM is to ensure sustainability. After endless discussions 3 recommendations were made, one was to have a co-management approach to fisheries which is where we are today which was implemented in May 2013.” There were 6 OECS countries involved in the Caribbean Fisheries Co-management project namely, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda and Dominica that explored FAD Fishery.

Mr. Saddler introduced Mr. Kareem Wilkin – Department of Fisheries Nevis, who gave an overview of the activities done within the project period and also the equipment and materials received and distributed among the local FAD fishers such as ropes, swivels, buoys, tents and microphones.

Mr. Tamura gave a brief presentation on Guideline for Fishery Co-management “Facilitating Co-Managed Fisheries in the Caribbean: Good Practices and Guidance from the CARIFICO Experience.” He explained the project’s purpose and target levels which were Country level (developing co-management approaches through pilot project), OECS level (Conducting technical exchange and accumulating lessons learned from pilot project) and Regional level (sharing co-management approaches). Guidelines were done by analyzing information from the countries, workshops and training sessions.

Mr. Saddler and members of the St. Kitts Nevis FAD Fisher Association (SKN FFA) had an open discussion about the way forward in FAD fishery. We have seen that there are several levels of co-management we can reevaluate the collaboration between the DMR and fishers. “Now we have to elaborate on what responsibilities the SKN FFA is willing to accept, however it can change as time goes by but this will be our first priority”, said Mr. Saddler.

“The goal of co-management includes the desire to promote fairness, the sustainability of fishery resources and shared governance” said Mr. Tamura. The overall goal is to balance Economic Development and Resource Management. In the fisheries co-management we set 8 activities which were :

  • Fisher Consultations (ongoing)
  • Organization (established)
  • Trainings (ongoing)
  • User Rules (established)
  • Catch Data (collected)
  • User Fee (delayed)
  • Marketing (ongoing)
  • Maintenance (ongoing)
  • Promote attributes of activities listed above (ongoing)
  • Create a Sub-Regional Network (Fishermen exchange in Grenada)
  • Technical Exchange (Workshop in St. Lucia 2017)

 

 

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Co-management as an option for the Narrows

A workshop to facilitate the Development of an effective co-management model for The Narrows / Newcastle Bay, St. Kitts and Nevis was held at the St. Paul’s Anglican Church Hall Charlestown, Nevis from January 11 – 13, 2018.  The Organization of American States (OAS) Sustainable Cities, Resilience and Risk Management Project in collaboration with The St. Kitts and Nevis Department of Marine Resources (DMR) with Ms. Janice D. Hodge as the Consultant.

 

Welcome remarks were given by Richard M. Huber, Ph.D., Chief, Sustainable Communities, Hazard Risk, and Climate Change Section, Department of Sustainable Development, Organization of American States. An overview of Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Resources Act of 2016 (FAMRA) regarding MMAs and provisions for co-management “shared management responsibility”  was presented by Maritza Queeley, Port State Control Officer, DMR. Tricia Greaux, Marine Management Area and Habitat Monitoring Officer and Ahisha Herbert Marine Conservation Officer presented an overview of Marine Managed Areas (MMAs), highlighting the St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area with description of zones and boundaries.  Principles of Ecosystem Based Management (EBM) with emphasis on the human dimension in natural resource management and Ecosystem Based Adaptation to Climate Change and Ecosystem Based Fisheries was done by Tasia Jones, Marine Conservation Officer.

 

The second day of the workshop will include an assessment of Stakeholders’ Perceptions regarding co-management of The Narrows / Newcastle Bay facilitated by Janice Hodge. As well as the session to develop a draft co-management model to include responsibilities for all stakeholders.

 

A Field Visit to Newcastle Bay and a Marine Tour of the Narrows to observe the socioeconomic interactions between fishers and community members as fishers return from sea with their catch which they sell to their customers as well as to observe the marine biodiversity that exists within that area.

 

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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/

 

 

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Use It. Protect It. Conserve It. SKN Biodiversity

The Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resource, Cooperatives, Environment and Human Settlement, the Department of Marine Resources, the Department of Physical Planning, and the Department of Agriculture are among the stakeholders supporting this week’s campaign launch.

On the 10th October 2017, ZIZ Broadcasting Station DJ and Radio Host Sinclair “GQ” Liburd interviewed Marine Management Area and Habitat Monitoring Officer-Tricia Greaux, Conserving Biodiversity Project Coordinator- Claudia Drew and Communication Consultant – Sherlene Neal. The discussion surrounded aspects of the branding and communication campaign to increase education and awareness of St. Kitts and Nevis biodiversity areas were highlighted new Protected Areas (Terrestrial/Land) and Marine Management Areas.

The campaign aims to increase dialogue among the general public and some specific target audiences on biodiversity by demonstrating how biodiversity is linked to life and livelihood. It demonstrates the value of protected areas and marine management areas, particularly conservation zones and why it is important to use the resources wisely and conserve natural resources and biodiversity.

“Conserving the biodiversity of St. Kitts and Nevis and using our natural resources wisely is key to the very survival of our country. We need every resident of St. Kitts and Nevis to understand the important role that they play in conserving biodiversity” said Hon. Minister Eugene Hamilton in his address to launch the strategy.

Activities being conducted in conjunction with the launch include a media tour, visits to fishing and farming communities and visits to schools.

In August 2016, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis declared the first ever marine management area. The St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area or SKN MMA is an area for management of the marine resources with 5 use zones – fishing priority, conservation, recreation, transport and mixed use. It spans 2 mile radius around St. Kitts and Nevis and includes Monkey Shoals.

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