…it’s everybody’s job

Marine garbage is a serious problem.  First, it’s ugly – a very bad thing for any place that depends on tourism.  Second, it’s dangerous to marine life – International Coastal Cleanup crews always find a couple of hundred tangled, injured or poisoned creatures.  And finally, it’s a breeding ground for disease – a hazard to public health and public safety.

The Marine Park Trust is a partner in a project that aims to reduce the amount of marine trash in and around Montego Bay.  In January, the Trust received final approval from the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute (GCFI) for a joint venture to cut down marine litter.  Earlier, the Trust had agreed to work with the Citizen Security and Justice Program (CSJP) on a major gully cleaning and maintenance program along the North Gully in Montego Bay.

The combined project aims to stop the build-up of marine trash before it starts.  It has strong major partners.  GCFI draws together the government, industry and scientific resources of 30 Caribbean countries, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and the U.S. Gulf states.  It also has the support of the UN Environment Program and the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.  CSJP is an agency of Jamaica’s Ministry of National Security.  It is funded by the InterAmerican Development Bank, and has a track record of constructive community involvement in Montego Bay.

The project recognizes that the rubbish we find in the sea doesn’t start there.  GCFI is concerned about the fallout from fishing – lost or discarded gear and equipment.  This is hidden garbage.  It accounts for less than 3% of the trash collected by International Coastal Cleanups, because most of it is further offshore in deeper water.  In a mixed-use are like the Marine Park, it’s dangerous not only to sea life but also to swimmers, divers and snorkelers.

CSJP’s main concern is the household waste and debris that chokes the North Gully.  This is a public health problem and a cause of flooding in the communities that border the Gully.  It’s also a source of serious pollution when it reaches the sea.

Community involvement and responsibility will be central to the project.  Citizens of the affected communities will be paid for three months to clear the North Gully, and will attend health and sanitation workshops to learn good disposal habits.  Fishers will be trained in marine ecology and safety.

There will be some concrete help as well.  The National Works Agency and Western Parks & Markets will oversee building and installing proper garbage disposal facilities.  The Marine Park Trust will build a catchment at the mouth of the Gully, to keep sediment and any remaining garbage from washing into the sea.  The Trust will also assist fishermen to clean up and salvage fishing debris.

At their annual meeting last year, GCFI’s fishermen made a strong call for more marine sanctuaries and restricted fishing areas like those in the Marine Park.  These sanctuaries restore fish populations, provide better catches outside the protected areas, and hold the key to new jobs for displaced fishers.  However, fish can’t grow and prosper in a garbage dump.  Neither can people.  This project should help both.