Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme News - January 2018

The Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme is helping Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to ensure their marine resources are better understood and managed, with the aim of developing sustainable marine economies to create jobs, reduce poverty, ensure food security and build resilience.  UK marine experts from the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO), the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science (Cefas) and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) are working with SIDS to provide them with the knowledge and training they need to manage and develop their marine economies effectively and in the long-term. To this end, national plans are being developed with and for each  country to ensure the Programme leaves a lasting legacy. An updated factsheet is available to download from the CME Programme website Supporting Belize's environmental resilience and safeguarding livelihoods Since much of Belize lies below sea level and is in a region of seismic and hurricane activity, the country is very vulnerable to potentially disastrous coastal inundation.  Recent work conducted by CME Programme will help safeguard Belize's citizens and their livelihoods. In November, the NOC completed the installation of a tide gauge for coastal hazard warning purposes at the Port of Belize, in Belize City. The purpose was to provide the Belize Meteorological Service with the equipment and skills to monitor and mitigate the impact of these hazards, and also enable the co-ordinators of the Caribbean Early Warning System to speed up the release of warning notifications to the wider Caribbean region in the case of extreme events.  In support of capacity building, NOC engineers ensured the Belize Met Service was trained for further tide gauge installations. As a result, the Belize Met Service is planning another installation. Image shows: the tide gauge metal work being fitted. Helping to boost Jamaica's economic development and navigational safety Last November, more than 30 Jamaican stakeholders attended a UKHO briefing on the CME Programme's seabed mapping activity in Kingston and Portland Bight to learn how marine data collection aims to support Jamaica's economic development, as well as ensuring safety at sea.  During the same week, one of the survey vessels was visited by UK Minister of State (Foreign and Commonwealth Office), Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, accompanied by Asif Ahmad CMG, British High Commissioner to Jamaica and the Bahamas, and Rear Admiral Brady. Lord Ahmad tweeted: "Fascinating to visit UK funded #Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme to map seabed around Kingston & Portmore [Portland] #Jamaica. Will provide economic boost with enhanced potential for number & size of ships as well as improving safety of navigation."  The purpose of the survey was to capture important data in key areas of economic significance. Ranked as the fastest growing cruise destination and leading container transhipment hub in the Caribbean region, the navigational charts derived from this survey are expected to improve ships' cargo loading optimisation and access to Jamaican waters, impacting positively on the Jamaican economy and improving safety. Image shows: Over 30 local stakeholders attended the survey briefing in Jamaica. Image shows: Jamaica survey planned area of Kingston Harbour and Portland Bight. Vulnerability of commercial fisheries to ocean acidification in Belize With the aim of supporting sustainable fisheries, Cefas scientists worked with colleagues from the Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute and the Belize Fisheries Department, to collect data for two key commercial species, lobster and conch shell.  This work will provide much-needed evidence to support sustainable fisheries management with regards to current and future expected ocean acidification changes, resulting from marine climate change. The results from this research will help to inform stakeholders and fisheries managers on the current state of these two valuable commercial species, helping to support their local monitoring, long-term studies, and enabling sustainable economic development in Belize and the wider region. Image shows: Belizean fisherman collecting spiny lobsters. Enhancing climate change and environmental resilience in Dominica In September last year Hurricane Maria caused devastation in Dominica, including catastrophic damage to the Fisheries Division in Roseau and many fishing ports previously visited by Cefas staff. The Government of Dominica has re-affirmed its keenness to remain involved in the CME programme. In-country staff have now been relocated to temporary offices and there is a commitment to significantly enhance climate resilience as the country recovers. Representatives from Cefas, NOC and UKHO met with officials from Dominica at a workshop for senior fisheries officials in November (under the auspices of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States – OECS) and all partners are now considering priorities for future CME activities given the new post-hurricane reality, with continued focus on climate change mitigation and strengthening environmental resilience. Image shows: Meeting between Cefas staff and officers from the Fisheries Division in Roseau; coral reef fish on Roseau fish market; Scotts Head Marine Reserve and a satellite image of Category 5 Hurricane Maria on 18th September 2017. Boosting trade and economic development: Guyana survey progress  With the purpose of supporting Guyana's economic development, the surveying of anchorages and port approaches of Guyana's main port - Georgetown, and the Demerara estuary and river is progressing well.  The Guyanese Maritime Administration (MARAD) has been fully engaged and an active partner on this project. This information will be used in the comprehensive chart updating programme, which will benefit the safe and confident navigation of ships using the Demerara River when calling Georgetown, and Linden which is an important bauxite ore (aluminium) terminal over 50 miles upstream. Image shows: Planned survey areas of the approach to Georgetown on the Demerara River, Guyana. Global climate change: understanding the potential of seagrass habitats in the South Pacific The potential and importance of seagrass for many Pacific countries, threatened by global climate change is central to research being conducted and supported by CME Programme, with the purpose of supporting climate change mitigation and environmental resilience. This work will contribute valuable data towards an on-going large-scale habitat mapping effort in the region. University of South Pacific (USP) student, Namrata Chan, is being supported to undertake a Masters Degree in Environmental Science.  Her research requires her to map the coverage of seagrass in Suva Lagoon (Fiji), using tools such as satellite data and sophisticated mapping to map the extent of seagrass cover. Namrata's research and its link to SDG14 (Sustainable Development Goal) targets makes it directly relevant to the objectives of CME Programme. In addition, in December, a Cefas team visited Vanuatu to help assess the health of the seagrass beds and understand the capacity of this habitat as a "carbon sink" – there is evidence that seagrass removes large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere.  During their visit, the Cefas scientists worked closely with a network of local experts, both in the field and in the laboratory, with the intention of sharing their knowledge and skills. Images show: Top: Retrieving a sediment core from a submerged seagrass meadow in Efate (Moso Island). Bottom: Namrata Chan, undertaking field work in Suva Lagoon. Understanding the value and impact of accessing natural resources: environmental baselines assessment in Kiribati In November the NOC, hosted a workshop with the Kiribati Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources Development on deep-sea mining environmental baseline assessment.  The workshop aimed to provide a better understanding the of the economic benefits and environmental impacts of developing deep sea mining, with the purpose of supporting Kiribati's sustainable economic development. Image shows: a photo taken during the workshop. Understanding the value of the marine environment: habitat mapping in Vanuatu In late October mini robots were used by the NOC to create a marine habitat map of an area of Vanuatu, to understand the value of the marine environment, in order to inform decisions about the development of the port, and wider sustainable economic development. This will create a full environmental map, with a specific focus on seagrass and coral reef health, to aid planning and sustainable development. For example, a bay in the mapped area may become a Marine Protected Area, but the local government also hopes to build a jetty for large cruise ships there to enable people to easily visit the nearby volcano, Mt Yasur. This could become a major source of income for the area but requires an understanding of the marine habitats and environment. Image shows: NOC scientist, Dr Tim LeBas, with a mini ROV. Helping to optimise the potential for sustainable coastal development and to monitor climate change in Tuvalu Working with the South Pacific Community and Tuvalu Survey Department Surveyors, the UKHO is helping to establish a modern national geodetic network across Tuvalu. This network will improve and update the existing positional accuracy of the geographic features and islands, and will help in identifying and monitoring any changes brought about by climate changes or other factors such as infrastructural developments on the islands' coasts. Importantly, this work will help to support the Tuvalu National Strategy for Sustainable Development 2016 to 2020, and to meet the UN resolution for a Global Geodetic Reference Frame for Sustainable Development. Image shows: Geodetic observations at a newly established survey control benchmark using a UKHO Global Navigation Satellite System. Investigating ocean acidification in Fiji As part of the CME Programme's training and knowledge exchange, the NOC contributed to a workshop in Fiji which provided hands-on training for local and regional experts around the investigation of ocean acidification, resulting from marine climate change. The workshop was co-ordinated by The Ocean Foundation and hosted by the University of the South Pacific. Image shows: Socratis Loucaides, Analytical Science Group Leader and Geraldine Clinton-Bailey, Analytical sciences & method development from the NOC preparing equipment in Fiji.   This email was sent using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: National Oceanography Centre · Waterfront Campus · European Way · Southampton · SO14 3ZH · United Kingdom