Press Release
For immediate release
1 October 2019
Partnering with Multiple Sectors for Seabird Conservation
On 20 September, Environmental Protection in the Caribbean (EPIC) held a seabird monitoring training workshop for the Sandy Island Oyster Bed Marine Protected Area (SIOBMPA) staff on Carriacou. Training activities included a session on the important roles seabirds play in healthy oceans (such as increasing coral growth), how many seabirds there are and where they are found throughout the Grenadines and key threats to their survival. All present were also trained in using a newly developed custom mobile app created by EPIC for surveying seabirds in the Grenadines, and participated in a field trip to the SIOBMPA to survey seabirds. This app will make it easier for fisherfolk, tour guides and wardens to upload their seabird sightings. The app includes locally-used names, showing the value of local ecological knowledge that is gained through experience by persons such as fisherfolk.
Caught between the realms of land, air and sea, seabirds are often overlooked when it comes to conservation and management. Their importance in cycling nutrients between these realms, however, makes them a critical piece in any marine ecosystem. Juliana Coffey, Project Coordinator for the 2019 “Conservation of Key Offshore Island Reserves” project states “Despite there being at least five seabird species nesting in the MPA, only one non-nesting species has so far been mentioned in the SIOBMPA management plan. EPIC is partnering with MPAs in the Grenadines to update seabird information in their respective management plans. Seabirds are abundant and can serve as a key tourist attraction for the MPAs”. For tourists that do not fish or cannot dive, seabirds are a highly visible marine species that anyone can see. Their diversity and high numbers indicate that they are surrounded by healthy seas and a successful MPA.
The following evening, a seabird session was held in L’Esterre, Carriacou, targeting fisherfolk in the community immediately adjacent to the SIOBMPA. Fisherfolk in attendance shared valuable knowledge and interest in healthy seabird populations, explained the importance of using seabirds to find fish, understand weather patterns and to navigate, as well as discussed which ones were traditionally harvested for nutrition. Those fisherfolk with experience in offshore fishing are quite familiar with types of seabirds not regularly seen near land. Elder fisherfolk shared extensive knowledge about Grenadine islands, not just those adjacent to Carriacou, which illustrates a lifetime of learning about these remote areas. One young fisherman stated that he would like to become more knowledgeable about seabirds as he believes it will make him a better fisherman. He inquired as to whether “different birds mean different fish?”, which was quickly responded by an elder in the group “yes, of course”.
Fisherfolk were shown slides of various threats to seabirds in the Caribbean, such as invasive species (rats, goats, etc.), fires, litter and human disturbance, but were particularly vocal when shown advertisements of entire Grenadine islands for sale on the international real estate market – a transaction which could wipe out an entire colony of seabirds and irreversibly alter the last remaining natural spaces in the region. These islands are not only critical seabird nesting areas, but also serve as biodiversity havens for many other species. They were also very surprised to learn about the global importance of the Grenadines’ seabirds, but also dismayed to hear about global seabird declines.
Fisherfolk were queried as to what types of seabird research they would like to see happen in the Grenadines, and generally agree there should be more data collection on seabirds and investment from the government on both protecting this resource and promoting it as a tourist attraction. All present were interested in tracking studies – to learn about the movements of the seabirds, as well as timing of nesting and migrations, and habitat use. They inquired as to where the seabirds in the Grenadines originate, and were both surprised and proud to learn that most seabirds return to the islands in which they were born – meaning that the ones they see are essentially “Grenadian”. All present thought that involving seabirds as a tourism attraction to the region could benefit fisherfolk by providing a supplemental income. Another young fisherman pushed for the inclusion of seabirds and other local species in school curriculum, stating “If I had learned about these things in school, I would have paid more attention to them growing up”.
EPIC believes that a multi-sectoral approach to seabird conservation and management in the Grenadines is the best strategy for encouraging more attention to the region’s seabirds, and is planning additional meetings with Tobago Cays Marine Park, Department of Forestry in Saint Vincent and continued fisherfolk meetings. Other recent presentations have included Saint George’s University undergraduate Animal Behaviour class, Department of Forestry in Grenada, GRENCODA and an interview on the Government Information Service (GIS) national television show. EPIC will be continuing to meet with various stakeholders throughout the Grenadines to develop a community-based seabird conservation management plan for the transboundary archipelago.
For more information please contact Juliana Coffey, Project Coordinator at juliana@epicislands.org or on WhatsApp (709) 770-6877.
