Three local fishermen attached to the Molinere/Beausejour Marine Protected Area (MPA) have been given an opportunity to transform their lives and that of members of the community, having been presented with boats and engines under a project “Climate Resilient Eastern Caribbean Marine Managed Area Network” (ECCMMAN) funded by the German Federal Ministry of the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety.
The two 21 foot fiberglass boats equipped with engines, snorkeling accessories, training package and insurance, funded at a cost of just over $100,000 were handed over to Arrendell Antoine of Happy Hill in St George, and Kimeney Paul and Jonney Charles of Dragon Bay, St George, by the Minister for Fisheries & Forestry, Hon. Alvin Dabreo during a ceremony at Dragon Bay on Sunday.
Both fishermen are members of the recently formed Molinere/Beausejour Marine Protected Area Livelihood Organization, established with a 5–fold objective; namely: promote livelihood opportunities within the MPA for its members; manage the livelihood projects or activities within the area; build capacity within the MPA community for the delivery of career development service; maintain continuous communication between the association and other key stakeholders; and promote climate change adaptation, mitigation and protection of natural ecosystems. The purpose of the boats is to take visitors to and from snorkeling in the Molinere/Beausejour MPA, which includes the Grenada Underwater Sculpture Park.
Grenada is one of five OECS countries to have benefited under this project which is being implemented by Nature Conservancy, where each member country is allocated EC$260,000 to establish a “Seed Fund” to finance innovations that will demonstrate sustainable livelihoods within coastal communities in all countries.
Grenada’s project, the Livelihood Support Fund (LSF) is being implemented by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and operationalized under the OECS small grants procedures.
