One Week of Meetings to Map TCI Waters; Starts Tuesday February 21

By Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer 

#TurksandCaicos, February 20, 2023 – Eight months after joining the UK’s Blue Belt Program, the Turks and Caicos Islands Government seems to be taking decisive steps to protect its oceans with the announcement that Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) is to be introduced.

MSP is a public process that brings together the stakeholders of the marine industry to decide on the way marine assets are used, putting boundaries on the distribution of human use of the water in place to achieve ecological, economic and social objectives set out by a political process, (like that of the Blue Belt Program under which, a new marine protected area is to be designated for sharks and rays under the program as well which will cover half of the country’s exclusive economic zone).

The Government made the announcement via Facebook that the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) would host the series of stakeholder engagement sessions on MSP throughout the islands which begin Tuesday February 21st to Tuesday February 28th.

The meetings are as follows:

• Providenciales – February 21st and 22nd at the DECR Office in Lower Bight;
• South Caicos – February 24th at the East Bay Resort;
• North and Middle Caicos -February 27th at the Conch Bar Community Centre and Kew Community Centre;
• Grand Turk – February 28th at the Life Training Centre.

The Government says the aim of the meeting ‘is to have a transparent and collaborative approach in the Marine Spatial Planning process with members of the public.’

“It is anticipated that the discussions will cover matters and opportunities such as Jet Ski operational zones, Tiki Bar zones, boat and shipping lanes, renewable energy opportunities Blue Carbon and general marine zoning issues,” the press release explained.

Over a three-year effort which began last June, the country in collaboration with experts from the UK, has committed to “enhance protection for the incredible biodiversity found in the Islands,  combat Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, and seek to mitigate the effects of marine pollution and climate change [and] also support sustainable livelihoods for the islanders.”