Charles calls for more marine life conservation funding

Agriculture Minister Pearnel Charles Jr says efforts should be made to support all 18 fish sanctuaries across the island. The Government is currently currently spending $40m annually in assisting 10 fish sanctuaries, which focus on preserving and enhancing marine life.

Charles was speaking at last Friday’s closing-out ceremony to mark US Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs’ grant of US$17,000 to support the Oracabessa Marine Trust’s reef restoration project.

The project, carried out over the last two years, was to support coral reef restoration, to include the setting up of a land-based sea urchin nursery, as well as the planting of 500 corals.

At the ceremony at the Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary in St Mary, Charles thanked the US for its assistance and underlined the importance of marine life. He said everyone has a role to play in protecting the environment.

“From our ministry, on a serious note, we will have to do more; myself and Minister Witter, who focuses on fisheries, as well as see the marine space as our greatest opportunity,” Charles said.

“Very often we remark that in Jamaica we have 24 or more times marine space than we do terrestrial, but because we are here, because this is so immediate, so obvious, we spend so much more time and energy on the land.

“We have 18 fish sanctuaries; I understand that we should have two more very soon. Ten of those are supported by the Government, and if you leave it to me as Minister, I would be bold enough to say we should be supporting every single fish sanctuary in this country.

As minister of agriculture, I say we should, and we ought to, because of the importance. It is inconspicuous; it is distant; but it is so, so very close, and we should be supporting every sanctuary.”

POSITIVE RESULT

United States Ambassador to Jamaica Nick Perry lauded his country’s involvement in the project and praised the Oracabessa community for achieving the positive result.

“I’m really happy that these very busy members of the Government can join us here to celebrate the success of this project,” Perry remarked.

He added: “Over the last two years, with support from the US Department of State’s Bureau of Oceans and International Environment and Scientific Affairs, the Oracabessa Marine Trust has made great headway in its reef restoration project. This US-funded initiative has helped restore the reef’s structure and ecosystem using both nature-based and innovative scientific solutions.”

Perry said the project was a wonderful example of a community taking charge of its natural resources and preserving them for future generations, while sustaining local livelihood.

Robert Montague, member of parliament for Western St Mary, expressed delight that the US government thought it necessary to fund the project, noting that the assistance came at a crucial time when sea urchins were dying out in several regions across the Caribbean.

Executive Director of the Golden Eye Foundation and board member of the Oracabessa Marine Trust, Travis Graham, welcomed the support of other fish sanctuaries, noting that several of their representatives turned out for the event.