Guidance: Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme: year 2 projects in the Caribbean

Updated: Grenada case study added

The Commonwealth Marine Economies (CME) Programme aims to support the sustainable growth of Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS) within the Caribbean and Pacific Ocean regions.

The Programme will provide marine data and capacity building in all in scope SIDS. Specific outputs in the second year of the programme in the Caribbean will be:

  1. In St Vincent & the Grenadines work in year 1 will be expanded to provide high quality seabed habitat maps. In addition to new work in Belize, Guyana, and Jamaica.
  2. Ocean acidification sensors will be installed in Dominica, providing real-time observations of coastal water acidity and temperature.
  3. A solar-powered tide gauge will be installed in Belize with a satellite-linked data transmission system that will be connected to the IOC’s Tsunami Early Warning System.
  4. A sustainable Fisheries programme will be developed in the Caribbean SIDS, continuing Year 1 activity to progress Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) accreditation to valuable fisheries.
  5. Work will continue to support future aquaculture development in the Caribbean
  6. A containerised marine environmental laboratory is being manufactured to provide regional access to state of the art marine sensors and technology.
  7. Regional data management training workshops will be held in both the Pacific and Caribbean, to help improve the efficiency, use and economic return on national and regional marine data collection.
  8. Hydrographic Action Plans for in scope SIDS providing an analysis of scientific data and existing local capacity to manage their marine environment, and a commitment from each government to use these in national economic development planning.
  9. Marine Environmental Action Plans and a commitment from each government to use these in national development planning. These plans will provide an analysis of environmental, scientific and sustainability priorities, and an assessment of the oceans management capacity of each country.