Protected and conserved area(s) concerned

Savannes Bay: Pointe Sable Environmental Protection Area (PSEPA)

The BIOPAMA AC Objectives addressed

Enhanced management and governance of protected or conserved areas.

Priority need addressed

Enhanced management and governance of protected or conserved areas

Project activities

Project funding will support piloting of governance and capacity building measures intended to improve the effective management and sustainable use of coastal and marine resources. In the main the project scope will address issues related to the use of coastal and marine resources within a protected area, that includes potential user conflicts; deterioration of coastal and marine habitats and unregulated and unsustainable practices. The project will also contribute to the long-term goal of effectively managing resources and resource users and supporting the sustainable livelihoods within the PSEPA. These include:

• Mapping, zoning, and demarcation of the areas in Savannes Bay that is dedicated solely for the cultivation of seamoss, and which does not impact on other resource users;

• CVQ and HAACP certification and registration for sea moss farmers who wish to farm in Savannes Bay and export their product.

• Establishing necessary governance mechanisms and foundational and operational documents, of an interim body that will ultimately lead to the formation of a Cooperative of Sea Moss Farmers in Savannes Bay.

The change the project implementation will bring for the protected area(s)

This project will improve management and governance of Savannes Bay’s natural resources through interventions that regulate and promote sustainable livelihoods through sustainable use of resources within the protected area including zoning and the certification of seamoss farmers. It is envisaged that the project activities will help to:

• Contain sea moss farming within a specified area thereby preventing encroachment into the PSEPA;

• Reduce encroachment and stabilize and enhance the PSEPA which is already suffering from beach compaction, coastal devegetation, erosion and sedimentation of drains and the barrier reef;

• Curtail conflicts with other resource users in the bay whose own livelihoods are impeded by uncontrolled sea moss farming; and

• Reduce ecosystem and resource degradation in Savannes Bay because of uncontrolled seamoss farming; and

• Reduce praedial larceny since only certified farmers will be able to sell their product.

Download the project infofiche.

Implementing organisations

Saint Lucia National Conservation Fund

Department of Fisheries

Photo credits: © Mr McAllister Hunt

Project Related News

04 April 2021 Consultancy: Environmental and social management systems (ESMS) support

12 December 2020 BIOPAMA Action component: information sessions for the Small Technical Grants for Assessments

12 December 2020 Funding available for governance and management assessments

08 August 2020 Six million Euros made available for conservation action to counter COVID-19 impacts

07 July 2020 Rapid Response Grants: information session for the Caribbean stakeholders

06 June 2020 New grants available: BIOPAMA Action Component

02 February 2020 Full speed ahead for BIOPAMA’s grant-making facility in 2020

01 January 2020 BIOPAMA funding: Small Technical Grants 2019

12 December 2019 Small Technical Grants – Information session

08 August 2019 Medium grants: Caribbean information session