The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) along with other Caribbean agencies are preparing the first ever marine climate change report card for Anguilla and the rest of the Caribbean, under the Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme funded by the UK government.
Anguilla’s Director of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Ms Kafi Gumbs, described the creation of a climate change report card, by CRFM, as great news.
“It helps bring attention to a topic that is not talked about much in the region, with regard to its impact on fisheries, food security and coastal protection,” she said.
“Caribbean agencies like CRFM, UWI, and the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre, are working with UK agencies that have various expertise and potential to provide financial support,” Gumbs observed.
She is of the view that the Climate Change Report Card would build upon work that will be done by the Department of Fisheries, in collaboration with the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), starting in January 2017.
Gumbs said the Department of Fisheries wrote a joint project proposal, and submitted it to the British Environmental Funding Agency (DARWIN). The project proposal was successful.
The project is entitled “Climate change adaptation in the fisheries of Anguilla and Montserrat.”
Gumbs mentioned that the funding for the three year project led by CANARI totals US$125,862.16. She said the funding of two climate change projects by the British Government in one year, is a sure sign that they have recognized the importance of the topic at hand.
The report card, due to be launched in March 2017, will provide comprehensive, peer-reviewed and highly accessible information on what is already happening, and what could happen in the future.
