Abstract

The Grenadine islands are comprised of thirty-nine islands and cays between the mainlands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Grenada, covering a region rich in biodiversity that features the most extensive coral reef ecosystem in the southeastern Caribbean. In 2011, the Grenadines Network of Marine Protected Areas (GNMPA) was created with three founding marine protected areas (MPAs), and is currently comprised of six ecologically connected MPAs. It is one of only three transboundary MPA networks in the Caribbean region. From the outset, the member MPAs desired greater cooperation with each other on long term biophysical monitoring. However, actually coordinating and implementing joint monitoring activities across international borders, in an MPA management setting with limited financial, human, and technical resources, proved a challenge. Finally, at the sixth Annual GNMPA meeting in 2016, when network members and key stakeholders met to share challenges and best practices, they worked together with partner NGO Sustainable Grenadines Inc. to create an annual Network Monitoring Calendar, displaying planned biophysical monitoring activities across the network, identifying opportunities for collaboration and resource-pooling, and highlighting complimentary strengths and weaknesses to facilitate peer-based training and learning exchanges amongst the MPAs. We will explain the process of arriving at this calendar, progress on implementation, lessons learned to date, such as on supporting communications, and how a conservation calendar for MPA bio-physical monitoring can encourage the application of best management practices based on sound science.

PDF Preview