Cefas International aims to keep you informed of the breadth of marine and freshwater science work we carry out across the world on behalf of and in partnership with governments, academia, NGOs and business. Our research and advice helps ensure that our oceans, seas and rivers are healthy and productive, to provide food and valuable natural resources for the world’s population now and in the future.

This edition focuses on our work across the Commonwealth. Our next edition will take a more in-depth look at our science in the Middle East. We hope you find it informative, to subscribe for future editions please click here. 

Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme (CME Programme)

Building a legacy

In April, at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), the FCO announced a continued commitment to the Commonwealth Marine Economies Programme, with £9million allocated over two years. The Programme is now in its third year and is being delivered across Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean and the Pacific, with the aim of helping develop sustainable marine economies to create jobs, reduce poverty, ensure food security and build resilience against environmental disasters. 

The Programme is being delivered by a partnership of UK marine expertise: Cefas, the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) and the National Oceanography Office (NOC). Recent case studies outlining CME work in Guyana and Grenada and a summary of CME Programme achievements are available.

Supporting Dominica’s vision to become a climate resilient country

Cefas scientists are preparing a second visit to Dominica in August, to work with the Fisheries Division on a CME Programme project that aims to strengthen the resilience of fisheries to climate change.

The first visit was in August last year, one month before Hurricane Maria devastated the country. In response, the Government of Dominica has adopted the vision “to make Dominica the first climate resilient country in the world” – and CME is collaborating with the Dominica Fisheries Division in supporting the delivery of the marine element of this vision.

The planned work has three core elements; working with the Dominica Fisheries Division towards:

• the introduction of climate-risk and preparedness through innovative ‘parametric insurance’ to protect and insure the country’s fisheries; 
• facilitating the introduction of fisheries data collection systems, which could support the assessment of the health status of key fish stock; and
• engaging with the local fishing community through stakeholder meetings.

In these meetings, CME scientists and Dominica Fisheries Division staff will present the findings of the Caribbean Climate Change Report Card carried out during the first year of the CME Programme, to engage with communities who may be most directly impacted by future climate change and hurricanes.

Building climate change resilience in the Pacific

The first ever Pacific Marine Climate Change Report Card was launched in June on World Oceans Day, at events in Fiji and Samoa. The Report Card is a product of a year-long project funded by CME Programme to analyse and co-ordinate the work of 60 Pacific climate change experts, with UK marine scientists.

The report card, which is accompanied by 13 detailed supporting reviews, summarises current scientific understanding of climate change impacts on the region’s marine environment. The document is intended to help Pacific islanders and decision-makers to understand and respond to the likely impacts of marine climate change. The Report Card initiative is a product of a dynamic collaboration that includes Cefas, the Secretariat for the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP), UN Environment, The University of the South Pacific, The Secretariat for the Pacific Community (SPC) and Climate Analytics Impacts project. The Report Card has received wide-spread recognition from leading international organisations and experts.

Dr Bryony Townhill, lead co-ordinator of the Climate Change Report Card and Climate Change Scientist at Cefas said:

“This report card builds on similar work we undertook in the Caribbean last year, which has helped to raise the profile of marine climate change issues at international climate change meetings. We hope that the Pacific report card can similarly help Pacific nations clearly understand the key risks of climate change, and how they can respond on a local and international scale.”

Enabling sustainable development of commercial fisheries in Belize

A high-level workshop last month focussed on the impact of ocean acidification on marine species, including valuable commercial species spiny lobster and conch shell. 

CME Programme has been collecting data from the designated fisheries areas off Belize over a period of six months to provide a baseline assessment and much-needed evidence to support sustainable fisheries management. The results from this research will inform stakeholders and fisheries managers on the current state of these two valuable commercial species, helping to support their local monitoring, long-term studies, and enabling sustainable economic development in Belize and the wider region.

Organisations represented at the workshop included Cefas scientists, the Belize Coastal Zone Management Authority and Institute (CZMAI), Fisheries Department, Belize Ministry of Environment, UK High Commission, University of Belmopan and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism.

Commonwealth Litter Programme (CLiP)

CLiP forms part of the £61.4m Official Development Assistance (ODA) package of funding for Commonwealth countries, also announced during CHOGM week in April, which will drive research and innovation, improve waste management and reduce avoidable plastic. 

Defra will fund the two-year Commonwealth Marine Litter Programme (CLiP), to be led by the UK through Cefas. We will be working in up to six countries to undertake research, increase local scientific capability and lead on the development of national litter action plans focusing on preventing plastics entering the oceans. Cefas will work in partnership with national and regional stakeholders, and a series of in-country events will support this approach. More information will be available soon.

With decision-makers across the world prioritising marine litter, our scientists are also playing a key role in other international programmes including EU-funded Ocean Wise and CleanAtlantic.

Blue Belt Programme

Blue Belt Programme Annual Update

Published this month, Blue Belt Programme Annual update 2017/18 gives a comprehensive update on Blue Belt achievements. The report sets out Blue Belt progress and aims for 2018-2019 across the seven UK Overseas Territories (UKOTs) included in the programme.

The Blue Belt Programme supports the delivery of the UK Government’s commitment to enhance marine protection of over four million square kilometres of marine environment across UK Overseas Territories. The Programme is a delivery partnership between Cefas and the Marine Management Organisation (MMO), working with UKOTs and on behalf the FCO.

Many of the highlights featured in the update are also detailed as blogs, including the nine-day research survey in the South Georgia Maritime Zone during April. Cefas scientists joined colleagues from British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and local partners on board MV Pharos SG to undertake a Blue Belt funded survey. The survey allowed scientists to collect data which will enable a better understanding of this rich biodiversity and efforts made to protect them.

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