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United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs Sustainable Development

Marine Protected Area Co-management Capacity Building in NE Tobago

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Civil society organization
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    Description
    Description
    The Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville (ERIC) implemented a project called: Marine protected area co-management capacity building in NE Tobago 2014-2015.

    The project directly alligned with our mission is to value and integrate diverse knowledge and experiences to manifest a mutually beneficial community of people and the environment for the responsible stewardship of North-East Tobago, from ridge to village to ocean.

    Pre-project, ERIC and stakeholders in NE Tobago had identified the need to increase the capacity of community based organisations in NE Tobago to monitor and eventually co-manage the marine resources in the area. This is critical since a large Marine Protected Area (MPA) is planned in NE Tobago, partly funded by the Global Environment Facility.

    The goal of the project was that Community Based Organisations (CBOs) in NE Tobago are meaningfully contributing to the co-management of their marine resources and the envisaged Marine Protected Area.was
    The project objectives were as follows:
    to conduct 96 community talks informing and update community members or
    groups about the state of their marine resources and the future MPA;
    to make equipment & material, facilities, expertise and training available for conducting biodiversity data collection;
    to monitor the marine biological status within the future MPA over a period of five months and establish baseline and a preliminary data base.

    The members of ERIC and especially the implementation team had the academic background and a sound track record regarding building capacity for CBOs, conducting training related to marine biological monitoring, working with CBOs in NE Tobago and were very familiar with the plans for the MPA.

    ERIC successfully fulfilled all obligations made towards facilitating the capacity-building of participants as well as completing all promised monitoring programmes with in the proposed timeframe. In-fact, ERIC increased its in-kind contribution to better facilitate the needs of the participants in the form of additional training days and sponsored medical assessments. Additionally more participants than anticipated were facilitated in theoretical and First Aid Training. Within budget, ERIC increased the number of trained Reef Check Experts from one person to nine persons. Also a total of 67 dives instead of 60 anticipated dives were conducted.
    ERIC created project and funder visibility through media articles, fb posts and a youtube channel highlighting the project. Staff and trainees of ERIC exhibited at the GEF, SGP, UNDP Knowledge Fair in May 2015.

    The duration of the project was twelve months, the total cost was US$ 92,836, of which US$ 42,836 are provided in-kind and US$ 50,000 were granted by the Small Grants Programme.

    Partners
    Department of Natrural Resources and the Environment, Tobago House of Assembly (Government), North East Sea Turtles (CSO), Speyside Eco Marine Park Rangers (CSO), Parlatuvier Village Council (CSO)

    Goal 15

    Protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss

    Goal 15

    15.1

    By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands, in line with obligations under international agreements

    15.1.1
    Forest area as a proportion of total land area
    15.1.2
    Proportion of important sites for terrestrial and freshwater biodiversity that are covered by protected areas, by ecosystem type

    15.2

    By 2020, promote the implementation of sustainable management of all types of forests, halt deforestation, restore degraded forests and substantially increase afforestation and reforestation globally

    15.2.1
    Progress towards sustainable forest management

    15.3

    By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world

    15.3.1
    Proportion of land that is degraded over total land area

    15.4

    By 2030, ensure the conservation of mountain ecosystems, including their biodiversity, in order to enhance their capacity to provide benefits that are essential for sustainable development

    15.4.1
    Coverage by protected areas of important sites for mountain biodiversity
    15.4.2
    Mountain Green Cover Index

    15.5

    Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species

    15.5.1
    Red List Index

    15.6

    Promote fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources and promote appropriate access to such resources, as internationally agreed

    15.6.1
    Number of countries that have adopted legislative, administrative and policy frameworks to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits

    15.7

    Take urgent action to end poaching and trafficking of protected species of flora and fauna and address both demand and supply of illegal wildlife products

    15.7.1
    Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked

    15.8

    By 2020, introduce measures to prevent the introduction and significantly reduce the impact of invasive alien species on land and water ecosystems and control or eradicate the priority species

    15.8.1
    Proportion of countries adopting relevant national legislation and adequately resourcing the prevention or control of invasive alien species

    15.9

    By 2020, integrate ecosystem and biodiversity values into national and local planning, development processes, poverty reduction strategies and accounts

    15.9.1

    (a) Number of countries that have established national targets in accordance with or similar to Aichi Biodiversity Target 2 of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020 in their national biodiversity strategy and action plans and the progress reported towards these targets; and (b) integration of biodiversity into national accounting and reporting systems, defined as implementation of the System of Environmental-Economic Accounting

    15.a

    Mobilize and significantly increase financial resources from all sources to conserve and sustainably use biodiversity and ecosystems

    15.a.1

    (a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments

    15.b

    Mobilize significant resources from all sources and at all levels to finance sustainable forest management and provide adequate incentives to developing countries to advance such management, including for conservation and reforestation

    15.b.1

    (a) Official development assistance on conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity; and (b) revenue generated and finance mobilized from biodiversity-relevant economic instruments

    15.c

    Enhance global support for efforts to combat poaching and trafficking of protected species, including by increasing the capacity of local communities to pursue sustainable livelihood opportunities

    15.c.1
    Proportion of traded wildlife that was poached or illicitly trafficked

    Goal 14

    Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development

    Goal 14

    14.1

    By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities, including marine debris and nutrient pollution

    14.1.1

    (a) Index of coastal eutrophication; and (b) plastic debris density

    14.2

    By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans

    14.2.1

    Number of countries using ecosystem-based approaches to managing marine areas

    14.3

    Minimize and address the impacts of ocean acidification, including through enhanced scientific cooperation at all levels

    14.3.1
    Average marine acidity (pH) measured at agreed suite of representative sampling stations

    14.4

    By 2020, effectively regulate harvesting and end overfishing, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, in order to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible, at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics

    14.4.1
    Proportion of fish stocks within biologically sustainable levels

    14.5

    By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information

    14.5.1
    Coverage of protected areas in relation to marine areas

    14.6

    By 2020, prohibit certain forms of fisheries subsidies which contribute to overcapacity and overfishing, eliminate subsidies that contribute to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and refrain from introducing new such subsidies, recognizing that appropriate and effective special and differential treatment for developing and least developed countries should be an integral part of the World Trade Organization fisheries subsidies negotiation

    14.6.1

    Degree of implementation of international instruments aiming to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing

    14.7

    By 2030, increase the economic benefits to Small Island developing States and least developed countries from the sustainable use of marine resources, including through sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture and tourism

    14.7.1

    Sustainable fisheries as a proportion of GDP in small island developing States, least developed countries and all countries

    14.a

    Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries

    14.a.1
    Proportion of total research budget allocated to research in the field of marine technology

    14.b

    Provide access for small-scale artisanal fishers to marine resources and markets

    14.b.1

    Degree of application of a legal/regulatory/policy/institutional framework which recognizes and protects access rights for small‐scale fisheries

    14.c

    Enhance the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources by implementing international law as reflected in United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which provides the legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources, as recalled in paragraph 158 of "The future we want"

    14.c.1

    Number of countries making progress in ratifying, accepting and implementing through legal, policy and institutional frameworks, ocean-related instruments that implement international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, for the conservation and sustainable use of the oceans and their resources

    Name Description
    14.2 By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration in order to achieve healthy and productive oceans
    14.5 By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas, consistent with national and international law and based on the best available scientific information
    14.a Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology, taking into account the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission Criteria and Guidelines on the Transfer of Marine Technology, in order to improve ocean health and to enhance the contribution of marine biodiversity to the development of developing countries, in particular small island developing States and least developed countries
    67 Reef Check Surveys to assess ecosystem health in NE Tobago
    96 peer to peer community talks about benefits and implications of a MPA and gathering stakeholder views
    Marine Ecology, MPA, Suba Dive and Reef Check Training for six community based field technicians
    In-kind contribution
    42800
    Financing (in USD)
    50000
    No progress reports have been submitted. Please sign in and click here to submit one.
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    Timeline
    01 June 2014 (start date)
    01 August 2015 (date of completion)
    Entity
    Environmental Research Institute Charlotteville, Tobago and GEF SGP T&T.
    SDGs
    Geographical coverage
    Charlotteville, Tobago, Trinidad and Tobago
    Other beneficiaries
    The environment and communities in North East Tobago
    Ocean Basins
    North Pacific
    Communities of Ocean Action
    Marine and coastal ecosystems management, Scientific knowledge, research capacity development and transfer of marine technology
    More information
    Countries
    N/A
    Contact Information

    Aljoscha Wothke, Director, CEO