Montserrat will gain access to leading scientific expertise and resources as it seeks to establish Marine Protected Areas and ecosystem resilience
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The Caribbean island of Montserrat is the latest UK overseas territory to join the Blue Belt Programme – the UK Government’s leading international marine conservation initiative.
Through the partnership, Montserrat is committing to strengthening marine governance, advancing sustainable fisheries management and pursuing the development of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs).
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The government will work closely with the Blue Belt Programme to implement new science-based fishery management; survey underwater habitats to inform the future establishment of better MPAs, and review and strengthen marine legislation.
This milestone comes on World Ocean Day (8 June) as the Blue Belt programme marks 10 years of delivery, with more than four million square kilometres of ocean safeguarded worldwide – an area just under the size of the EU.
Montserrat will join nine other UK overseas territories in the programme – Anguilla, Ascension Island, British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory, Cayman Islands, Pitcairn Islands, St Helena, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Tristan da Cunha and Turks and Caicos Islands.
Montserrat is known for its globally important habitats and diverse species, including coral reefs, hawksbill turtles – listed as critically endangered by the IUCN – and giant barrel sponges. However, like many Caribbean islands, it is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. From rising sea levels to ocean warming and increasingly powerful hurricanes, the island is shaped by these climate patterns and consequently its habitats can come under threat.
Strengthening the sustainable management of its marine environment will be critical to building resilience and protecting biodiversity.
‘Montserrat’s decision to join the Blue Belt Programme marks a significant step forward in our commitment to protecting the island’s remarkable marine environment,’ said Governor of Montserrat Harriet Cross.
‘Our waters, shaped by both natural beauty and resilience in the face of volcanic and climate pressures, are home to globally important species and ecosystems.’
Since 2016, the Blue Belt Programme has supported the designation and management of globally significant Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), conducted 10 major scientific research expeditions and documented more than 100,000 marine animals through the Global Ocean Wildlife Analysis Network (GOWAN).
