The National Parks Authority (NPA) has mounted a major undertaking that is geared at determining the health and status of the natural marine resources within the Nelsons Dockyard National Park.
The effort has been well received as a large number of stakeholders, some of whom depend on the park’s natural marine resources for their livelihoods, turned out for an outreach and education exercise at the NPA’s Event Centre on Thursday 21st March.
Participants were given the opportunity to share their observations about some of the significant changes they have seen in the coastal areas of the park while discussing the threats and likely causes.
“This is an important exercise that will guide and inform the ongoing work in data collection for our marine and coastal ecosystem,” explained Advisor Ruleta Camacho Thomas.
The National Parks Authority values its responsibility to protect the natural beautiful habitat of the Nelson’s Dockyard National Park and welcomes the support of all stakeholders and key agencies in preserving our ecosystems for future generations.
During the workshop, presentations were made by Parks Commissioner Ann Marie Martin, Tricia Lovell of the MEPA Board, Jasiel Murphy of the NPA, and Ruleo Camacho, Marine Ecologist from the Department of the Environment.
The effort has been receiving support from the Australian High Commission, the BIOPAMA Regional Gateway programme while the Antigua and Barbuda Marine Ecosystem Protect Area trust (MEPA) Trust has supported outreach. Antigua and Barbuda’s Department of the Environment and the country’s Fisheries Division have been providing technical support.
“Ultimately, these engagements will help us to build our understanding of our marine and coastal resources and contribute to the shaping of our management responses to emerging ecosystem issues,” stated the Parks Commissioner.
