Grenada

When did you join the CCI?

Grenada joined the CCI in 2008 and signed the Memorandum of Understanding in May 2013 during the launch of the 2nd phase of the CCI.

Why did your government join the CCI?

Grenada is an archipelagic state with extensive marine territory. While this offers tremendous opportunities for economic and social development and also provides for sustainable livelihoods, correspondingly the size of the marine space poses significant challenges for management, conservation and development of the resources within the Exclusive Economic Zone. Recognizing the need to manage our near shore coastal resources and to enhance marine biodiversity, Grenada joined forces with regional Governments to launch the Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI) with the goal of building capacity and synergies to enhance management and conservation of coastal and marine resources within the region. While other regional Government pledged to protect 20% of their near shore marine and coastal environment by 2020, Grenada went further and pledged to protect 25% of our near shore marine and coastal environment by the year 2020.

How is the CCI important to marine and coastal conservation in the Caribbean?

The Caribbean is renowned for its sea and coastlines that contain some of the world's richest marine biodiversity, with over 1,400 species of fish, hectares of mangroves and 10 percent of the world's coral reefs. In 2008, recognizing the area was increasingly threatened by development, pollution, illegal fishing and climate change the Caribbean Challenge Initiative (CCI) was launched. The CCI thus affords an opportunity to facilitate intervention to enhance management of and conservation of the coastal and near shore marine environment.

How has the CCI enhanced conservation in your country (What have you achieved since the CCI was established?)

The Grenada Government is committed to ensuring that Grenada's marine biodiversity is maintained in a healthy state, and has been promoting the use of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) as a management tool to achieve this objective. The CCI has therefore contributed to raise awareness on the importance of protecting our marine and coastal environment. Currently, along with a number of terrestrial protected areas, three marine protected areas have been established and a fourth is expected to be declared by the end of 2014.

What are your country's main conservation priority actions under the CCI?

• To enhance marine and coastal biodiversity.
• Sustainable utilization of marine and coastal resources.
• Climate Change resilience and adaptation.
• To improve Ocean Governance.

How is the CCI approach different from past approaches to marine and coastal conservation?

The CCI promotes collaboration among public and private sector agencies and institutions at the international, regional, national and local levels. This approach fosters synergies and strengthens cooperation in achieving the desired goals and objectives for management and conservation of the marine environment.

Who is your CCI focal point?