For better user experience, please use another browser.

Caribbean Rapid Response Grant

Critical funding to continue operations, improve enforcement capacity, and enhance the self-financing capability of Oracabessa Bay Special Fishery Conservation Area

Marine protected area Marine managed area
Management effectiveness
Local communities National/local protected area agency Farmers/fishermen
Enforcement Sustainable financing Monitoring/patrol equipment
49.925.80 EUR Jamaica, Caribbean March 1, 2021 - February 28, 2022

Protected and conserved area(s) concerned

Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary, 555542819;

The BIOPAMA AC Objectives addressed

  • Enhance the management and governance of priority protected areas by addressing existing limitations;
  • Enforce the legal framework required to achieve effective biodiversity conservation in protected areas.

Priority need addressed

  • The government of Jamaica provides core funding for the Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary which is managed by The Oracabessa Marine Trust. However, due to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic the government restricted funding to MPAs. This created challenges for the protected area to implement its management program. In particular the ability to pay enforcement staff, provide fuel for marine patrols and paying utility bills for the fish sanctuary office.
  • With the increased financial constraints operational efficiency is very important. Investment is required to implement tools and build capacity to increase efficiency. To increase resilience to major shocks, in particular the economic shocks, the organization needs to bolster its social enterprise operation, which is a SCUBA diving ecotourism attraction. This social enterprise leverages the ecological gains that the protected area has achieved over the past 10 years to help provide funding for the conservation activities of the protected area. 
  • The economic impact of the pandemic on local communities has resulted in an increased reliance on fishing by community members. To ensure that fisheries resources are not over exploited the marine protected area must be properly managed. This will ensure that fisheries resources are used more sustainably and mitigate negative impacts resulting from the increased fishing pressure. 

Project activities

The project aims to:

  1. Supplement salaries to maintain effective monitoring and patrolling of the protected area;
  2. Increase technical capacity through training in SMART app use and surveillance technology;
  3. Create marketing content and carry out a marketing campaign for the protected area’s social enterprise;
  4. Improve data collection and reporting to World Database on Protected Areas (WDPA) and the government of Jamaica. 

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

The project will protect the gains achieved by the Oracabessa Bay Fish Sanctuary in its 11 years of existence. Financial constraints pose a major operational threat to the protected area and could be disastrous for the local community of Oracabessa and surrounding communities that benefit from spill-over effects. The project will help maintain the current staff cohort comprised of fisherfolk and provide training and equipment to implement new technologies geared at improving operational efficiency.

From the protected area’s establishment in 2010, the fish biomass has increased over 60-fold, after years of overfishing the reefs in Oracabessa Bay whereby catch was found farther out. However, the stability and sustainability of the protected area is at risk, which the project will mitigate. 

Although tourism has slowed, the industry will be key to the post COVID-19 recovery of the community. Continued protection of natural resources is paramount in providing the natural framework for the tourism industry to recover. This project will ensure that the conservation efforts continue to function throughout the pandemic. During this project, the marine protected area will benefit directly from the anticipated recovery of the tourism sector. Marketing support will increase customer awareness of the area’s SCUBA diving and snorkelling social enterprise and provide an online platform for better customer engagement. 

Download the project infofiche.

Implementing organisations

The Oracabessa Marine Trust

Photo credits: Inilek Wilmot, The Oracabessa Marine Trust

Project Articles/Media

Oracabessa Eyes Irish Moss Market: https://fb.watch/8Vuvf_EMZd/

Project Related News

Other Projects in the Region

Rapid Response Grant June 30, 2021 – June 29, 2022
Building community resilience and preserving the marine ecosystem of the Baraderes/Cayemite area

Caribbean

Small Technical Grant May 1, 2022 – September 30, 2022
Assessment of the METT use and update of the tool on nine protected areas

Caribbean

Small Technical Grant December 1, 2021 – November 30, 2022
Improve infrastructure and capacity for monitoring and community development within Iwokrama Forest

Caribbean

Small Technical Grant 15 March 2022 - 14 August 2022
Managing Trinidad and Tobago’s Environmentally Sensitive Areas: First assessment of management effectiveness in Aripo Savannas, Matura National Park and Nariva Swamp

Caribbean

Small Technical Grant 30 November 2021 - 29 April 2022
2021 METT Assessment Baraderes-Cayemite Marine Protected Area

Caribbean

Small Technical Grant 1 January 2022 - 31 May 2022
Implementing adaptive management of the Portland Bight Protected Area through METT-4 assessment 

Caribbean

Small Technical Grant 1 January 2022 - 31 May 2022
Enhancing the Management of Wallings Nature Reserve 

Caribbean

Rapid Response Grant 1 July 2021 - 31 December 2021
Outreach and surveillance to reduce fishing pressures and unsustainable fishing practices in the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve (TAMR)

Caribbean

Rapid Response Grant 5 April 2021 - 4 April 2022
Integrated Agro-Forestry System for Soil Conservation and Reforestation (SAFICSol-Reforestation)

Caribbean

Rapid Response Grant 22 October 2021 - 21 April 2022
Financing Marine Protected Area Management for continued effectiveness through COVID-19 economic crisis Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Caribbean

Rapid Response Grant 15 October 2021 - 14 October 2022
Protection of AWNC lands and biodiversity and continued long term monitoring of key indicator species

Caribbean

Small Technical Grant June 1, 2021 - May 31, 2022
Enhancing Management, Monitoring and Enforcement – Nelson’s Dockyard National Park’s Marine and Coastal Ecosystems

Caribbean

Rapid Response Grant May 1, 2021 - April 30, 2022
Sustenance of monitoring, maintenance and operation of the Pointe Sables Environmental Protection Area and the Pigeon Island National Landmark impacted by COVID-19

Caribbean

Rapid Response Grant February 15, 2021 - February 14, 2022
Bridging the COVID-19 funding gap to maintain the Portland Bight Protected Area

Caribbean

Small Technical Grant September 15, 2020 - April 14, 2021
Improving tourism and visitor management at Lucayan National Park

Caribbean

Small Technical Grant September 19, 2020 - September 19, 2021
Strengthening of coastal zone management initiatives for the Three Bays Marine Managed Area, Haiti

Caribbean

Small Technical Grant October 01, 2020 - July 31, 2021
Boosting EcoTourism Belize to support sustainable conservation in the Maya Golden Landscape of southern Belize

Caribbean

Medium Grant July 01, 2020 - June 30, 2023
Improving the knowledge, monitoring and protection of Mesoamerican reef’s fish, spawning aggregations and replenishment zones

Caribbean

Medium Grant July 07, 2020 – June 06, 2023
Improved management models at four of Belize’s highest priority protected areas

Caribbean

Medium Grant October 14, 2020 – October 10, 2023
Action to promote climate resilience through improved management and sustainable livelihoods in the Enriquillo Lake National Park and surrounding communities

Caribbean

Medium Grant August 03, 2020 - August 02, 2023
Improving management effectiveness – Blue & John Crow Mountains National Park and World Heritage Site

Caribbean