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MGI is Empowering Marine Conservation in Montego Bay: A Community-Driven Approach

The Mona GeoInformatics Institute (MGI) and the Montego Bay Marine Park Trust (MBMPT) have embarked on a groundbreaking initiative to enhance environmental monitoring and enforcement within the Montego Bay Marine Park (MBMP), one of Jamaica’s most iconic coastal areas. The project, supported by funding from the UK’s Blue Social Challenge Fund, aims to promote sustainable use of marine ecosystems through a community-based approach while building local capacity and fostering sustainable economic growth.

The Montego Bay Marine Park is home to diverse marine ecosystems, including coral reefs, mangroves, and seagrass beds, which are critical to Jamaica’s economy, food security, and resilience against climate change. However, these ecosystems face mounting threats from overfishing, pollution, and climate change. This project seeks to address these challenges by leveraging cutting-edge drone technology to bolster the park’s monitoring and enforcement capabilities.

MGI is tasked with the training of park rangers, community members, marine police and fisherfolk in the proficient use of drones for coastal monitoring, fostering capacity building and long-term sustainability. Drones equipped with advanced sensors will be procured and employed to monitor the health and/or coverage of mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs, providing near real-time data on vital indicators such as biodiversity and habitat integrity which has significant potential to influence research and management. MGI will also incorporate youth and women utilizing a citizen science approach for shoreline monitoring, focusing on detecting coastline erosion through strategically positioned CoastSnap points. This participatory approach not only empowers local communities but also allows youth to contribute valuable insights to the broader environmental management efforts further building trust and natural appreciation for the environment.

MGI and MBMPT recently hosted the British High Commissioner to Jamaica, Mrs Judith Slater, at the Montego Bay Marine Park in Montego Bay, where elements of the park were showcased and toured. Key milestones of the project activities were also discussed and information shared on project activities. The High Commissioner was extremely excited about this initiative and shared her appreciation for the work to-be-done, underscoring the UK’s commitment to regional environmental sustainability.

At MGI, we are committed to working with our partners to support Jamaica’s efforts to protect its precious marine ecosystems. 

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  • Email: info@monainformatixltd.com
  • Phone: (876) 977-3160-2
  • WhatsApp: (876) 388-9097

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