Empower Jamaican Fishermen to Restore Marine-Life

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.