CIASNET.ORG

MTIASIC Lionfish Project

admin — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:29:45 +0000

Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean (MTIASIC) is a regional project, which is nationally executed by The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) in partnership with local and regional organizations to prevent, eradicate, and manage invasive alien species.

See brochure: Revised Lionfish safe capture

Nassau, Bahamas Grouper Season closed

admin — Tue, 14 May 2013 15:23:34 +0000

Nassau, Bahamas Grouper Season closed.

See brochure: Nassau Grouper populations are in decline (Brochure)

Don’t make Lionfish Pets in the Bahamas!

admin — Tue, 14 May 2013 14:53:41 +0000

See brochure here: LION FISH FLYER PDF

Saint Lucia, National Invasive Species Strategy 2012-2021

admin — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:50:44 +0000

SLU NISS

The Saint Lucia National Invasive Species Strategy (NISS) 2012-2021 was developed by a small team of consultants in close collaboration with Saint Lucia’s Invasive Alien Species Working Group (IASWG) as technical output under the GEF-funded project “Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean”. Please note that the NISS has not yet been presented to the Cabinet of Ministers for formal adoption, because the Ministry of Sustainable Development, Science, Energy and Technology, which took over the management of this project from the Ministry of Agriculture, first wishes to finalize drafting of legislation and regulations, so that these can accompany the NISS in form of a complete package. While finalizing legislation is beyond the scope of the project, it has been initiated in an attempt to provide regulatory support for this policy roadmap.

Read Saint Lucia National Invasive Species Strategy (NISS) 2012-2021 (PDF)

Brochure: St. Lucia National Invasive Species Strategy Brochure 2012-2021 (PDF)

2013 Guide to Conferences, Workshops, Events and Training Opportunities in Island and Coastal Conservation

admin — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:18:30 +0000

This Guide is the result of requests from individuals with diverse interests in conservation, living resources management, especially coastal areas and for updates on annual events in conservation, climate change, tourism, and professional capacity strengthening. It includes therefore a wide range of subjects. It is organized into sections covering International Special Days, Decades, events of special importance for professional development and students, annual events related to Conventions, Agreements, Regional Organizations, Commissions and a monthly list of all events. Each reference has the title of the event, date and location, and a web site or email contact information. In a few cases, some details are missing at the time of compilation. The list is not complete or final: it is expected that new 2013 opportunities will develop, or dates and locations changed. Users are advised to check carefully the details of each event, the professional profile of the organizations involved, the sponsors, locations, deadlines, costs and requirements for participation. Often (especially for students) there are possibilities of full or partial support for attendance, especially if papers, or posters will be done or presentations delivered. Applications need to be made as early as possible.

Full document: 2013 Guide Meetings Conferencs Events Training (PDF)

Compiled by Boris Fabres December 2012

Email: bafabres@yahoo.com

Strategy and Action Plan For Invasive Alien Species in the Caribbean Region 2011-2016

admin — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:09:00 +0000

The project: “Mitigating the Threats of Invasive Alien Species in the Insular Caribbean” (MTIASIC) is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). There are five participating countries: The Bahamas, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago. These countries and many international, regional and national organisations have provided both cash and in kind cofinancing to facilitate the success of the project. The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the lead implementing agency. CAB International Caribbean and Latin America (CABI CLA) is the Lead Executing Agency. There are five national executing agencies: Department of Marine Resources, Bahamas (DMR); the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources, Dominican Republic; National Environment and Planning Agency, Jamaica (NEPA); Ministry of Agriculture, Lands Forestry and Fisheries, Saint Lucia (MALFF); and Ministry of Food Production, Lands and Marine Affairs, Trinidad and Tobago (MFPLMA). Under Component One, the project will develop national IAS strategies for the above mentioned participating countries. However, The Bahamas had in place a national IAS strategy and bio-security plan, prior to the start of the project in 2009 so its revision will be accommodated. Component Two will develop regional IAS strategies for three ecosystems: fresh water, terrestrial, and marine. It is expected that both national and regional strategies would be developed synergistically. In addition to developing strategies, the project envisaged the strengthening of existing mechanisms or the development of new mechanisms for regional cooperation on IAS issues. At the inception meeting in October 2009 in Jamaica, the decision was taken to employ working groups or task teams in the development of both the national and regional strategies. To this end national working teams were formed as sub groups attached to the National Steering Committees or consultants were hired where appropriate. The National Steering Committee has oversight for project implementation at the national level. The chair persons of the respective national 5 fresh water; terrestrial and marine working groups make up the regional working group. However, in the case of St Lucia, there was a single aquatics group which included marine expertise. In June 2010 the first regional consultation was held in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The members of the three regional working groups were present with the exception of the Dominican Republic. This first consultation followed the Caribbean Plant Health Directors Forum and reviewed the first draft Caribbean IAS Strategy that was compiled by Mr. Farad Hosein, Consultant with the Caribbean Agricultural Policy Network (CaRAPN) in association with the MTIASIC project. Members of the various working groups were also trained in assessing the impact of IAS in the Caribbean. However, following the request for a facilitator by the national steering committee in Trinidad, Dr. Bibi Shanaz Ali was hired to assist the working groups in following up on their tasks. A second draft was prepared by Dr. Ali that incorporated all the comments made at the first consultation. The second draft was reviewed by the three regional working groups at the second regional consultation which was held in Saint Lucia on 11-12th October 2010. A third draft was prepared incorporating all of the comments made at that meeting. The fourth draft by Dr Floyd Homer reorganized and edited the previous version, and was sent to project participants for review and comment. The fourth draft was also presented for discussion at the 3rd Regional Consultation and IAS Legal Workshop held in Nassau, The Bahamas during 21-23rd March, 2011. A fifth draft was circulated in May 2011for additional review and comments from a wider audience. The current final draft integrated the latest comments of the project participants and other stakeholders. It is anticipated that this strategy and action plan would be utilized by the key stakeholders across the wider Caribbean region to inform local decision making.

Read full Strategy and Action Plan For Invasive Alien Species in the Caribbean Region 2011-2016: Strategy and Action Plan for IAS 2011-2016 (PDF)

Rickettsia africae in the West Indies

admin — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:56:01 +0000

Rickettsia africae is a recently described spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsia that is the agent of African tickbite fever (ATBF), a mild but common tickborne disease of local persons and tourists, in particular, in sub-Saharan Africa. The clinical and laboratory features of ATBF have recently been reviewed (1), as has the diagnosis of the disease (2). In Africa, the tropical bont tick, Amblyomma variegatum, is commonly infected with R. africae and is likely the major vector of the organism (3). This tick was introduced from Africa (Senegal) into the West Indies (Guadeloupe) in the early 1800s but has only spread widely and become endemic on many islands in the last 30 years (4). This spread was probably due to an increase in the between-island movement of livestock, major hosts of A. variegatum (5), and the introduction and spread of the cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis), a host of the immature stages of A. variegatum (5). Recent studies have demonstrated R. africae infections in A. variegatum, persons, and animals in the West Indies. In this report, the available information on R. africae in the region is reviewed.

Read full article in PDF: Rickettsia Africae in Amblyomma final paper (PDF)

More information: R. africae in the WI (PDF)

Prevalence of Zoonotic Infections

admin — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:48:10 +0000

In 2007, in response to the Global Health Research Initiative spearheaded by the Canadian International Development Research Centre, the research program proposal entitled Caribbean EcoHealth Programme (CEHP), which was submitted for review was successful in receiving funding to conduct a variety of ambitious research programs throughout the Caribbean region. Key regional public and environmental health actors within the Caribbean region support the CEHP. These are the Caribbean Epidemiology Centre (CAREC); the Caribbean Environmental Health Institute (CEHI), the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the Bermuda Institute for Ocean Studies, the University of the West Indies (St. Augustine and Cave Hill campuses), St. George’s University (Grenada), Ross University School of Medicine (Dominica), Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (St. Kitts), Laval University (Canada), the Public Health Agency of Canada and, most recently, Canadian World Bank Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) Fund. The CEHP program has several research programs one of which is focused on determining the level of prenatal exposures to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), pesticides, two heavy metals–mercury and lead–and zoonotic infections in persons living in the Caribbean region. This report provides the finding of this study from samples taken from pregnant women in CARICOM states. This study is the first to examine zoonotic illnesses at the community level in 10 countries in the Caribbean. Though a pilot study, the findings are significant and warrant further study.

Read full report here: CARICOM ZI Report (PDF)

Overfishing Works: A Comparison of the Effectiveness of Lionfish Control

admin — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:35:30 +0000

The invasive lionfish (Pterois volitans/miles) has well-known negative effects on recruitment and abundance of native fish populations in the Caribbean (Albins 2012, Albins and Hixon 2008, Green et al. 2012, Johnston and Purkis 2011). Potential native predators seem to largely avoid consuming lionfish independently and so Caribbean lionfish populations increased 13 to 15 fold relative to those in its native range (Darling et al. 2011, Kulbicki et al. 2011, Mumby et al. 2011). Consequently, concerns exist about potential irreversible declines of Caribbean fish populations due to predation of the invasive lionfish. Control management strategies have been proposed and implemented Caribbean wide to reduce local lionfish populations. Though strategies vary between islands depending on local laws, lionfish reduction efforts generally rely on local recreational divers using some form of underwaterspear or –harpoon. Whether such control efforts of lionfish populations are effective is currently unknown, though expected to be successful under certain circumstances based on predictive modelling of various removal programs (Barbour et al. 2011, Morris et al. 2011). We quantified the effectiveness of lionfish control management on the nearby islands Bonaire and Curaçao (Southern Caribbean). The first official sighting of lionfish on both islands occurred in October 2009 and within 6 months it spread around the two islands. Active reduction efforts were immediately started on Bonaire by the marine park authority which trained > 300 local divers to use spearguns. While spearfishing is illegal on both islands, local authorities contracted local divers and provided them with small modified spearguns (‘ELF’s – Eradicate Lion Fish’) designed to kill only lionfish. On Curaçao, a similar program was implemented by the local government 19 months later (July 2011) than on Bonaire which resulted in 70 trained volunteers. To assess whether eradication efforts on Bonaire lead to a successful reduction of the local lionfish population, we compared the abundance of lionfish on Bonaire (fished) and Curaçao (unfished) between June and August 2011, i.e. just before official removal efforts began on Curaçao. Lionfish abundance (in g/m2) was estimated at 23 locations on Bonaire and 14 locations on Curaçao in 50 x 4 meter belt transects at 15, 25 and 35 meters depth on the leeward side of both islands. Results showed that after two years of active lionfish removal on Bonaire compared to an unfished Curaçao, lionfish biomass on Bonaire was on average 4.2 times lower than on Curaçao (Figure 1A). Secondly, lionfish weight and size on Curaçao were 33 and 15% higher than on Bonaire (Figure 1B+C). Therefore, effective control of invasive lionfish in areas that have an active diving community, is possible through involvement of this community in local management efforts.

See full report here: GCFI_64-16 – Lionfish Ramon (PDF)

Voluntary Code of Conduct for Saint Lucia’s Ornamental Plant Sector (OPS VCoC)

admin — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 13:27:09 +0000

Author: Saint Lucia Forestry Department, Summer Flowers, St. Lucia Floral Co-operative Society, The Garden Centre, Plants of Saint Lucia & Renew St Lucia

A workshop at the Forestry Department in September 2011 brought together public and private sector stakeholders who jointly developed a Voluntary Code of Conduct for the Ornamental Plant Sector (OPS VCoC) in order to tackle an overwhelming threat to our native biodiversity and associated livelihoods: invasive alien plants (weeds), which can overgrow and replace our native flora. In fact, invasive alien species (IAS) are estimated to costs nearly 5% of GDP in losses and control efforts – a figure rising in times of globalization and climate change. Extrapolated to Saint Lucia, the annual cost of IAS is EC$244 million, or nearly EC$1,500 per capita per year! Of 55 invasive plants known to be present in Saint Lucia, over half (at least 28) were brought deliberately onto the island as ornamentals, some legally, others illegally. Given our limited resources for invasive plant management, the private and the public sectors need to partner. The VCoC will not replace laws and their enforcement, but it is one means of encouraging compliance and ethical business practices that, in the long run, are good for business too, because they build confidence in affiliated companies and professionals. Saint Lucia wants to continue to be a unique tourist destination, known and appreciated for its local flora, fauna and culture – not replaceable by any other destination. Thus, the OPS VCoC is now also being presented to the tourism sector, for adoption or adaptation, in a continued drive for public-private co-ownership of IAS issues that affect us all. For more information, please read full document: Ornamental VCoC final (PDF)

For more information, please contact: Dr. Ulrike Krauss, Invasive Species Coordinator, Forestry Department, Tel.: 468 5646, E-mail: saintlucia.ias@gmail.com