10 January 2018
Two members of the FCO-led Blue Belt programme team, Martin Collins from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), and Craig McGarvey from the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), will be arriving on the RMS St Helena today, Wednesday 10 January 2018. Arriving on Saturday, 20 January, will be another member of the team, Tammy Stamford, also from CEFAS.
The Blue Belt is a programme which has been providing funding to support the scientific assessment, implementation, management, monitoring and surveillance of the existing and developing large-scale Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in the UK’s Overseas Territories.
The team will be on-Island to gain a more detailed understanding of the issues, challenges, and opportunities facing St Helena, as well as to build relationships with the programme’s stakeholders. This will help maximise the benefits of the Blue Belt programme to St Helena, building on work already underway including a vital tuna tagging programme and strategies to prevent illegal fishing in St Helena’s waters.
The team will be meeting with a variety of people during their time here including marine industry representatives, SHG officials and Councillors. The team also plan to give a presentation to the public on the Blue Belt programme at the Museum on, Friday 12 January, at 7pm – members of the public are encouraged to attend.
Craig will leave the Island on Sunday, 14 January, while Martin will remain here until Saturday, 3 February. Tammy is due to leave the Island on Sunday, 11 February.
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SHG
10 January 2018