THE ENVIRONMENT, NATURAL RESOURCES & PLANNING PORTFOLIO CONSULTS ON DRAFT REVISED MARINE MANAGEMENT PLAN

 

St Helena’s Marine Protected Area (MPA), covers the entire 200 nautical miles of St Helena’s Exclusive Economic Zone. The MPA is a protected area classed as one that allows sustainable use of natural resources.  This means that low-level human use is permitted as long as it does not undermine the MPA’s objectives.

 

To meet this principal protection designation, St Helena requires a Marine Management Plan (MMP) to be in place to support management of the MPA.  Marine Management Plans act as the main tool to guide managers, people using the marine environment and other interested parties on how the MPA will be managed.

 

The current MMP published in September 2016 is now outdated.  The Environment, Natural Resources & Planning Portfolio (ENRP) has led on reviewing the current Plan and through consulting with local and international marine stakeholders, has produced a revised draft MMP which takes into account their views and feedback, new science and management evidence, information and new management priorities. The revised Plan highlights the progress made through the existing Plan and identifies actions to improve management of the MPA over the next five years.

 

ENRP would like to advise the public that the Draft Revised Marine Management Plan is now available for public consultation.  The consultation starts on 23 September 2022 and will close on 21 October 2022.

 

To aid this consultation process ENRP will be offering a range of engagement avenues. There will be a dedicated webpage on the SHG website where you will be able to download/view a full version of the Draft Revised MMP as well as other supporting documents such as FAQs, a narrated PowerPoint slide Presentation of the revised MMP, a copy of the detailed public consultation plan activities; all of which, we hope, will aid understanding of the revised plan and consultation.

 

In this week’s newspapers the centre fold provides an Executive Summary of the Plan. More information will be available through interviews via local radio stations, our social media platforms and local promotional TV channel.

 

Further activities include:

  1. A PUBLIC MEETING: Wednesday, 5October, at the Mule Yard starting at 6pm
  2. DROP IN SESSIONS: Every Monday and Thursday between 1pm and 3pm at the Marine Centre, at the Wharf in Jamestown.
  3. WEBINAR: will be streamed live via the Nature Conservation Facebook page
  4. INFORMATION STALLS: Friday, 30September, and Friday, 14 October, at the Canister between 11am – 2pm and at Mule Yard between 5pm – 7pm.

If you do not have access to the internet and would like a copy of these documents you are welcome to provide a USB stick to the Marine section who will provide a copy for you or contact the section to print a hard copy.  Alternatively, hard copies of all printable documents can be found at the Public Library, Post & Customer Service Centre, Tourist Office, ENRP office reception at Scotland and the St Helena National Trust office reception.

 

Most importantly, we would like your feedback.  Please have your say.  Your feedback is welcome in whatever format suits you best; feel free to email, give us a call, visit us, send a letter, or comment on our social media platforms.

 

The SHG Marine Section team can be contacted at the Marine Centre at the Wharf in Jamestown, via email address marine@helanta.co.sh or on telephone: 25966.

 

Facebook: Nature Conservation, St. Helena. Twitter/Instagram: @sthelenampa

#smallislandBIGFUTURE #StHelena #MPA

 

SHG
20 September 2022