Oceans Governance and Fisheries

This document sets out a regional Code of Conduct for Responsible Marine Research in the Eastern Caribbean region, as part of the Eastern Caribbean Regional Ocean Policy (ECROP) and the OECS Marine Research Strategy (MRS).

The Code, which is addressed both to marine scientists wishing to engage in research activities and to the national authorities of OECS Member States concerned with the granting of permission to conduct marine research activities. It seeks foremost to set general standards for conducting marine research in ways that minimise adverse impacts on the environment, provide the greatest results for the OECS region as an economic space and encourage the development of research capacity and technology transfer for the benefit of OECS Member States.

This Treaty Guide, initiated by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States - Natural Resources Management Unit (OECS-NRMU), seeks to enhance the understanding of Member States regarding their treaty obligations in the maritime and environmental fields, along with the benefits of building a stronger regional approach to treaty negotiation and implementation. Concern had been expressed about the increasing number of international treaties and the limited implementation capacity of OECS Member States.

This Treaty Guide, initiated by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States - Natural Resources Management Unit (OECS-NRMU), seeks to enhance the understanding of Member States regarding their treaty obligations in the maritime and environmental fields, along with the benefits of building a stronger regional approach to treaty negotiation and implementation. Concern had been expressed about the increasing number of international treaties and the limited implementation capacity of OECS Member States.

The Caribbean Regional Oceanscape Project (CROP) represents a major step in the important, innovative, The Caribbean Regional Oceanscape Project (CROP) represents a major step in the important, innovative, long-term process aimed at developing a sustainable blue economy in the OECS region. It is a process that began a decade ago when the OECS Commission and its Member States committed themselves to set up adequate ocean governance as a requirement for the development of a blue economy in the region, within the framework of the Eastern Caribbean Regional Ocean Policy (ECROP), and it is a process that will require sustained effort and significant investments over the long-term.

The Caribbean Regional Oceanscape Project (CROP) grant agreement was signed on October 14, 2017, between the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and the World Bank and is scheduled to conclude on December 31, 2021.

CROP Component 1.1 includes the development of coastal master plans and marine spatial plans (CMSPs) in the five Eastern Caribbean countries of Dominica, Grenada, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Integrated ocean planning is essential to the Eastern Caribbean region. With healthy oceans and coastal areas inextricably tied to the region’s economic future. CMSPs prepared under CROP 1.1 will contribute to balancing blue growth and sustainable ocean management objectives.

The primary purpose of the OECS Blue Economy Strategy is to position the OECS as a model Blue Economy region worthy of support, investment and emulation. However, elevating the OECS region’s Blue Economy agenda to a position that would distinguish it as a best practice model to be emulated requires a robust, well-coordinated effort that is mainstreamed into national and regional development policies, including making it more central to efforts to establish an OECS Economic Union. This is especially pertinent to the transboundary aspects of a Blue Economy.

Fortunately, for the OECS region, the Blue Economy strategy is being advanced on a solid platform of ongoing and implemented policies, projects, programs and achievements. A major boost in publicity, technical and financial support, investment, public understanding and embracement, policy commitment and implementation momentum is required to ensure the success of the Blue Economy initiative. The Blue Economy promotional strategy is thus expected to embrace the entire spectrum of this new approach and to support the overall OECS Development Strategy (ODS) implementation process within a cohesive approach.

The Action Plan details the specific measures and interventions that will be undertaken to realize the OECS Blue Economy Promotion Strategy. It emphasizes the imperative of implementation through utilizing the engagement, communications and marketing interventions.

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, in collaboration with Saint Lucia, recently led the preparation of Saint Lucia national Coastal Master and Marine Spatial Plan (CMSP). A total of fifteen (15) priority projects to help stimulate the Blue Economy were profiled. To enhance the implementation readiness of the CMSPs, this report on the pre-feasibilities for five priority projects from the CMSP analyses five (5) diverse and impactful projects.

These pre-feasibility assessments are intended to help encourage investor interest in these projects, thereby stimulating the growth of the Blue Economy. Projects are evaluated for feasibility based on the findings of the project assessment (legislation, economic, environmental and social considerations) and supplemented by a financial assessment (simplified cash flow).

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, in collaboration with Saint Kitts and Nevis, recently led the preparation of Saint Kitts and Nevis national Coastal Master and Marine Spatial Plan (CMSP). A total of fifteeen (15) priority projects to help stimulate the Blue Economy were profiled. To enhance the implementation readiness of the CMSPs, this Report on the Pre-feasibility Assessment of Priority Projects Identified in the CMSP analyses five (5) diverse and impactful projects.

These pre-feasibility assessments are intended to help encourage investor interest in these projects, thereby stimulating the growth of the Blue Economy. Projects are evaluated for feasibility based on the findings of the project assessment (legislation, economic, environmental and social considerations) and supplemented by a financial assessment (simplified cash flow).

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, in collaboration with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, recently led the preparation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines national Coastal Master and Marine Spatial Plan (CMSP). A total of fifteen (15) priority projects to help stimulate the Blue Economy were profiled. To enhance the implementation readiness of the CMSPs, this report on the pre-feasibilities for five priority projects from the CMSP analyses five (5) diverse and impactful projects.

These pre-feasibility assessments are intended to help encourage investor interest in these projects, thereby stimulating the growth of the Blue Economy. Projects are evaluated for feasibility based on the findings of the project assessment (legislation, economic, environmental and social considerations) and supplemented by a financial assessment (simplified cash flow).

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, in collaboration with Dominica, recently led the preparation of Dominica national Coastal Master and Marine Spatial Plan (CMSP). A total of fifteen (15) priority projects to help stimulate the Blue Economy were profiled. To enhance the implementation readiness of the CMSPs, this report on the pre-feasibilities for five priority projects from the CMSP analyses five (5) diverse and impactful projects.

These pre-feasibility assessments are intended to help encourage investor interest in these projects, thereby stimulating the growth of the Blue Economy. Projects are evaluated for feasibility based on the findings of the project assessment (legislation, economic, environmental and social considerations) and supplemented by a financial assessment (simplified cash flow).

The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, in collaboration with Grenada, recently led the preparation of Grenada national Coastal Master and Marine Spatial Plan (CMSP). A total of fifteeen (15) priority projects to help stimulate the Blue Economy were profiled. To enhance the implementation readiness of the CMSPs, this report on the pre-feasibilities for five priority projects from the CMSP analyses five (5) diverse and impactful projects.

These pre-feasibility assessments are intended to help encourage investor interest in these projects, thereby stimulating the growth of the Blue Economy. Projects are evaluated for feasibility based on the findings of the project assessment (legislation, economic, environmental and social considerations) and supplemented by a financial assessment (simplified cash flow).

The Caribbean Regional Oceanscape Project (CROP) was initiated to further the Blue Economy in the Caribbean. Opportunities of the Blue Economy focus on harnessing ocean wealth and are intended to enhance growth, eradicate poverty, and ensure shared prosperity of participating OECS Member States.

One output of the CROP 1.1 was five (5) Marine Spatial and Coastal Master Plans designed to enhance and facilitate the Blue Economy in each Member State. During the completion of the draft plans, 75 priority projects were identified across the five Member States. The selection of priority projects as opportunities for strategic investment was guided by the vision and principles established through each Member State's National Ocean Policy, conversations with stakeholders, and informed by risk assessment analysis.

This Output (11A) includes pre-feasibility assessment reports on 25 strategically selected priority projects presented in the CMSP's. These projects and programs represent opportunities for Blue Economy investment in the nearshore environment and exploratory investment in the offshore marine environment.