Climate Action Jamaica Project #45478

Empower Jamaican Fishermen to Restore Marine-Life

by White River Marine Association

Empower Jamaican Fishermen to Restore Marine-Life

Project Report | Jun 24, 2025
White River Fish Sanctuary - Mid Year Report- 2025

By Jonathan Hernould | White River Fish Sanctuary Manager

Over the past six months, our team has been working tirelessly to conserve and restore Jamaica’s marine environment while engaging local communities. In this issue, we’re excited to highlight the key achievements and developments that are propelling our mission forward.

Scouting for Acroporid Corals

One of our most significant accomplishments this quarter was scouting for acroporid corals across Jamaica’s north coast. Thanks to the generous support of UK Aid and the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), we have identified over 350 coral colonies and are developing a map for public access. These findings will serve as the basis for our restoration efforts in the months ahead.

Coral Propagation Efforts

With acroporid corals now identified, we commenced coral propagation within the WRFS. This essential work, supported by UK Aid and the Sandals Foundation, involves growing new coral colonies from small fragments under controlled conditions, then transplanting them onto carefully selected reef structures. Our ultimate goal is to rejuvenate marine ecosystems so that they can support healthy fish populations, protect shorelines, and sustain the livelihoods of local communities.

New Outreach Officer

Recognizing the importance of community involvement in our sanctuary, we have hired a new Outreach Officer. This critical position, made possible through the support of the Jamaica Conservation Partners, focuses on education, local engagement, and volunteer coordination. Our new team member will work closely with schools, community groups, and local stakeholders to raise awareness about marine conservation and the importance of protecting our reefs.

Sanctuary Patrols

Protecting our marine resources is a round-the-clock responsibility, and WRFS has significantly bolstered its patrolling capabilities in the first quarter thanks to the National Conservation Trust Fund of Jamaica:

A dedicated team of six wardens now patrols the sanctuary for 16 hours each day, keeping a close watch on fishing activities and ensuring that regulations are followed.
All six wardens received coxswain training and passed their exams, further enhancing their capacity to conduct safe and effective patrols.
During off-patrol hours, a drone is deployed to monitor any suspicious activity remotely. This innovative approach has improved our ability to maintain vigilance and respond quickly whenever intervention is needed.

Supporting Responsible Fishing

We also continue to work closely with local fishers to promote responsible and sustainable fishing practices. By combining education on best practices with regular monitoring, we strive to balance economic needs and environmental health. Feedback from the community remains invaluable, guiding us in refining our strategies for preserving this critical marine habitat.

New Boat Arrival

We are thrilled to announce that we have received a new boat for coral restoration and scouting purposes, generously donated by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF). This vessel will enable our team to cover larger areas of the coast more efficiently, conduct detailed surveys of coral reefs, and respond rapidly to any urgent marine incidents. It represents a significant step forward in our efforts to preserve and protect Jamaica’s coral reefs and marine life.

Continued supportAlthough WRFS has started 2025 with a lot of promise and activity we cannot ignore our past struggles and those that helped us make it through. COVID 19 greatly impacted the operations of the WRFS due to a lack of donor support and funding, but thanks to the Jamaica Inn Foundation we were able to keep our core operations running and ensure that we maintained forward momentum, which in no small part led to a 500% increase in Fish Biomass in 5 years of operation. They also lend their continued support by donating non designated funds which are key to the day to day operations of the Sanctuary. We look forward to their annual fundraising events such as the Jamaica Inn Foundation Annual Backgammon tournament in June and Swim for the sanctuary in November.

Permalink

Jan 27, 2025
White River Fish Sanctuary - Plans for 2025 - #15

By Jonathan Hernould | White River Fish Sanctuary Manager

Healthy coral growing in nursery.

WHITE RIVER FISH SANCTUARY SITUATION REPORT

The White River Fish Sanctuary continues its mission to safeguard marine resources through strategic protection, restoration initiatives, and community engagement. This report outlines the Sanctuary’s recent achievements, current challenges, and future objectives.

1. PROTECT- Strengthened Patrol Efforts and Law Enforcement

Collaborative Patrols: Over the last six months, the Sanctuary’s fisher-warden patrol team has partnered with the Marine Police Ocho Rios division. This has significantly bolstered patrol operations and enhanced enforcement within the no-take zone.
Legal Proceedings: There are currently two court cases underway against repeat offenders. These legal actions serve as a deterrent and underscore the seriousness of enforcement efforts in preserving marine life.

Resumption of Patrols

Expanded Coverage: Thanks to renewed support, the warden program has resumed patrols with a team of six wardens, providing up to 16 hours of coverage daily.
Reduced Violations: This strong on-the-water presence helps deter illegal activities, ensuring that the progress made toward rebuilding fish stocks is maintained.
Ongoing Maintenance: Along with active patrolling, fisher-wardens continue to repair boundary markers and support coral restoration teams, reinforcing the Sanctuary’s conservation goals.

2. RESTORE - Coral Nurseries and Adaptation-Based Gene Banking

Coral Survey: A comprehensive coral survey is planned for completion in 2025, aiming to cover most of Jamaica’s north coast. This effort will identify surviving corals from last year’s mass die-off and guide targeted restoration work in the Ocho Rios Marine Park.
Growing Repositories: Two new repositories currently house nearly 1,000 ramets (fragments) of critically endangered coral species, representing over 10 genetic lineages. By the end of 2025, the Sanctuary aims to build up these nurseries to 20,000 coral micro-fragments, significantly enhancing the scope and impact of its gene banking initiative.
Climate Change Resilience: This diverse coral collection represents Jamaica’s first adaptation-based gene banking effort—an essential step toward establishing more resilient coral populations against climate threats.

3. ENGAGE - Educational Outreach

School Programs: Three local schools—MarJam Prep, Pimento International Academy, and Newstead Primary—have participated in this year’s environmental education program. Topics include Jamaica’s major coastal ecosystems, marine wildlife, and the impacts of pollution.
Local Fishing Community Training: In preparation for the upcoming coral survey along the north coast, the Sanctuary has introduced coral identification training programs for local fishing communities. This initiative educates fishers on identifying coral species and best practices for conservation, fostering a deeper understanding of marine ecosystems and responsible fishing practices.
Community Stewardship: Future initiatives will focus on reducing pollution through community-led stewardship programs, targeting the upper watershed of the White River. Engaging residents in underwater activities fosters a direct connection to downstream effects, promoting responsible environmental practices.

4. LOOKING AHEAD - Funding and Support

Immediate Needs: Continuous financial backing is crucial to sustain the renewed patrol efforts, maintain boundary markers, and secure staff resources needed to protect the Sanctuary effectively.
Collaboration Opportunities: The Sanctuary remains open to partnerships with government agencies, large donors, and environmental groups to ensure ongoing stewardship and restoration efforts.

Call to Action

Community and Donor Engagement: Every contribution, no matter how small, directly aids in strengthening patrols, protecting coral nurseries, and expanding educational outreach.

By resuming patrol coverage and advancing restoration and education initiatives, the White River Fish Sanctuary is bolstering its long-term commitment to marine conservation. Continued collaboration and funding will remain essential in preserving these vital ecosystems for future generations.

Links:

https://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20241218/uk-govt-announces-j27m-jas-marine-conservation-efforts

Permalink

Sep 30, 2024
Help needed to continue our protection efforts

By Felix Charnley | Project Consultant

PROTECT

Over the last six months, our fisher-cum-warden patrol team has joined forces with the Marine Police Ocho Rios division. This collaboration has majorly helped to structure our patrols and seen improved enforcement results. Currently, there are six court proceedings against repeat offenders, which serves as a deterrent for others.

In recent months, although our patrols are taken more seriously, funds to support our warden program have dried up completely, save for the occasional donations our generous and loyal supporters make here on GlobalGiving. As a result, we have had no choice but to temporarily suspend our patrols. This will result in increased violation of the no-take zone and counteract our progress.

While we wait for some form of cooperation from government or large donors, our fisher/warden work force continues to make repairs to boundary markers and support our coral reef restoration team, making use of every one of these opportunities to maintain a presence in our MPA's waters.

---

RESTORE

Having mapped more than one tenth of Jamaica's coastline in search of corals to have survived last year's mass die off, we have recommenced nursery work in the Ocho Rios Marine Park. Between our 2 new repositories, we are now housing close to one thousand ramets of our critically endangered target species from across 50 different lineages. This is groundbreaking for the region and the start of the first adaptation based gene banking effort for climate change resilient corals in Jamaica.

—

ENGAGE

This year, we have so far engaged three local schools in our environmental education program – MarJam Prep, Pimento International Academy and Newstead Primary. The program has covered topics ranging from Jamaica’s major coastal ecosystems and their importance, marine wildlife and pollution.

This quarter we are gearing up to combat pollution through eliciting environmental stewardship over the upper watershed of the White River on behalf of its adjacent communities. We look forward to providing the opportunity to as many residents as possible to take part in our underwater activities and develop a relationship with what happens downstream.

---

Every donation, big or small, is a step towards helping us back on our feet so once again, we couldn't do it without you.

The team at WRFS

Permalink

1 2 3 4 5 6 ›

About Project Reports

Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.

If you donate to this project or have donated to this project, you can receive an email when this project posts a report. You can also subscribe for reports without donating.