Canaries - Anse-La-Raye Marine Management Area

Contact: Richmond Felix

June 16, 1998 - The villages of Anse-La-Raye and Canaries, will soon reap the benefits of a marine management area which is being developed by the Environmental and Coastal Resources Project (ENCORE). It is hoped the project will bring encore closer toward its goal of a West Coast Management Zone.

Encore was successful in gaining the confidence and support of stakeholders from around the proposed site, after a series of consultations held since last year. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment recently revealed that cabinet had approved the CAMMA project - otherwise known as the Canaries - Anse-La-Raye Marine Management Area.

The project is due to go into implementation soon. This week, ENCORE will meet with fishermen from Canaries and Anse-La-Raye, to go over the management plan and the agreement, with a view to iron out existing areas of concern. A final consultation is scheduled some time next month with all stakeholders.

The Soufriere Marine Management Area (SMMA), was the model for the CAMMA project and it hoped that its successes will be realized for Anse-La-Raye and Canaries.

According to Vaughan Charles, one of ENCORE’s field officers, "There are a number of resource users that compete in these areas. If we remember what transpired in Soufriere before the SMMA, there were a number of conflicts, so we have gone ahead to attempt to address these problems before conflict arises in the Canaries – Anse-La-Raye Area. Things are going to be done within a management structure."

A number of areas have been specifically de-marketed for anchoring, fishing, snorkeling, recreation and multiple use. The marine coastal area falls under the jurisdiction of the Department of Fisheries which has been working closely with ENCORE in setting up the CAMMA project. The Fisheries Department along with the SMMA, the marine police and special wardens, will be responsible for patrolling. It is hoped that as time goes by the entire West Coast area would come under one management system.

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