MPA rangers participate in safety and law enforcement procedures

A number of Marine Protected Area Rangers from Grenada and other regional territories last week Friday completed a one week workshop safety and law enforcement procedures as part of efforts to strengthen local enforcement among the relevant partnerships.

The Chief Facilitator for the workshop was Captain Jayson Horadam of MPA International. According to fisheries officials the workshop occurred, in recognition of the need to increase enforcement capacity and effectiveness at Grenada’s three Marine Protected Areas (MPA’s).

The Training Workshop was held as part of activities under the project “Strengthening of Grenada’s MPA Enforcement Capacity” which funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, through the Grenada Fund for Conservation.

The focus of the project is increasing enforcement capacity and effectiveness at Grenada’s three Marine Protected Areas by working with existing managers and Rangers to better protect and conserve the Marine Protected Areas’ coral reef ecosystems.

The expected long term conservation outcome is the improved health and resilience of Grenada’s three Marine Protected Areas’ coral reef ecosystems through increased awareness, reduction in infractions and existing threats through improved enforcement, management and conservation, as well as strengthened enforcement partnerships and effective education and outreach over time.

The training provide Rangers with the enforcement knowledge and tools necessary to develop and implement an adaptive Marine Protected Area enforcement program that can be used for the long-term management of Grenada’s three Marine Protected Areas. The participants also provided with tools to develop and implement an awareness and communication program, through strengthened local co-operative enforcement partnerships.

Recently, the Grenada court fined two fishermen more than EC$4 000 for illegally fishing in the Moliniere/Beausejour marine protected area. (LS)