14 May 2007
An electronic bulletin about interdisciplinary research, teaching and outreach at the
Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies (CERMES)
Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus
Editors: Maria Pena, Dr. Patrick McConney

A new look for the Connections



It's the April Connections in
Our climate change students
website and have added lots
May. Some would say `better
flew off to Belize in March
of new information in the
late than never'. We regret
for the annual climate
form of projects and
the delay in issuing these
change field trip, while the
technical reports.
CERMES Connections but,
coastal-marine and applied
now that they are here, just
meteorology groups
As always, our staff
look at the transformation!
continued with their courses.
continues to be occupied
It's a brand new look just
with teaching and applied
MSc courses are winding
for you.
research projects with
down and all of the students
outreach.
Since our last issue in
are beginning to think of
February, CERMES has
potential research with

welcomed two new staff
which to occupy themselves
members and another PhD
during summer.
candidate to our growing
We have continued to make
CERMES family. Meet them
improvements to our
in this issue.
Mailing address:
Water resources management lecturer
Centre for Resource Management
and Environmental Studies (CERMES)
Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences


CERMES gladly welcomed
regulation of resources by
application of applied science
The University of the West Indies
Cave Hill Campus
Dr. Adrian Cashman on 19
state and trans-national
and engineering to water
Bridgetown BB11000
February. He joins CERMES
agencies and economic
resource management;
Barbados

as Lecturer in Water
aspects of water
institutional frameworks and
Phone: (246) 417-4316
Resources Management and
management.
the role of civil society
Fax: (246) 424-4204
cermes@cavehill.uwi.edu
will be responsible for
organisations in the
He has 25 years of experience
www.cavehill.uwi.edu/cermes
launching the new MSc
management and regulation
working in the water sector in
specialisation stream in
of water resources and the
Namibia, Botswana, South
Contents
Water Resources
delivery of water services.
Africa and Europe. This has
Management.
MarGov project
2
included senior positions in
New faces at CERMES
2
Dr Cashman's research work
government responsible for
focuses on the governance
water management, with the
CLME project
3
of water resources and
private sector as a consultant
Belize field trip
3
policy development in
and as a Research Fellow
MarSIS awarded grant
4
response to drivers such as
focusing on the economic and
climate change, stakeholder
institutional aspects of asset
CERMES website updated 4
engagement and
management.
Dr. Adrian Cashman
People and corals
4
empowerment and, the
Lecturer
His interests include the

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2 CERMES CONNECTIONS

Introduction to the MarGov project



Many people in the
related to small-scale
interpretation in ways that
Caribbean depend on good
fisheries and coastal
should facilitate skills
governance of marine
management in the eastern
transfer and later uptake. In
resources for their
Caribbean mainly through
addition to strengthening
livelihoods and for
network analysis. It applies
research partners, the
development to be
the results to the
project will produce one PhD
sustainable. However, there
examination of how present
and two MPhil graduates as
is an urgent need to build
and planned marine
research assistants.
capacity, and network
resource governance
Communication and
connections for adaptation
initiatives can become more
collaboration are key
and resilience, into present
adaptive and resilient at
features of the project. It is
15-16 May 2007
and planned marine
various scales to benefit a
important for the project to
MarGov Inception
resource governance in the
diverse array of stakeholders
Workshop, Shell Suite A,
communicate efficiently and
eastern Caribbean. To assist
in the eastern Caribbean.
UWI Cave Hill Campus,
effectively to partners,
in addressing this need,
Barbados
The project, which started
stakeholders and target
The workshop will set the
CERMES is undertaking
on 1 March 2007, with a
stage for 4 years of
institutions for uptake. A
applied research on marine
participatory research,
duration of four years, will
communication strategy and
resource governance in the
capacity building,
generate lessons applicable
plan will be developed and
communications, small
eastern Caribbean through
to the wider Caribbean and
grants and other aspects of
implemented to provide a
the Marine Resource
project implementation.
beyond. It is part of a major
series of project publications
Governance (MarGov)
The main aim of the
research programme on
ranging from popular to
inception workshop is to
project.
coastal and marine resource
academic literature, as well
refine the research
Using a conceptual
governance aimed at
problem, questions and
as electronic products on
approaches to project
framework derived from
sustainable development.
compact disc and the
implementation with key
complex adaptive system
internet.
partners early in the
The investigation will be
(CAS) and social-ecological
project to ensure that the
participatory, involving
For more information, visit
project is demand-driven.
system (SES) perspectives,
partners in research design,
the MarGov website at
the research focuses on
http://cermes.cavehill.uwi.
implementation and
understanding governance
edu/margov_profile.html
New faces at CERMES



CERMES also welcomed
at three MPAs within the
Resource Management
Miss Donna Roach and
region.
Programme, CERMES. He
Mr. Kemraj Parsram to the
came to the project after
MarGov project team in
working as a natural
March.
resources management
consultant with the OECS and
Donna, the project
as Technical Officer with the
communication assistant, is
Caribbean Conservation
a recent MSc graduate of
Association. His professional
Donna Roach
the Natural Resource and
experience includes
MarGov Communication Assistant
Environmental Management
environmental impact
Programme offered by

assessment, coastal and
CERMES. Her research dealt
Kemraj Parsram

PhD candidate
marine resources
with the assessment of
management, protected
marine protected area (MPA)
Kemraj, PhD candidate, is also
areas planning
management effectiveness
a MSc graduate of the Natural

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3



and management; and
governance related to small-
resource governance
academic research in
scale fisheries and coastal
initiatives can become more
forestry, climate change and
management in the eastern
adaptive and resilient at
coastal and marine focused
Caribbean. He will use
various scales to benefit a
on understanding resources.
network analysis, with
diverse array of stakeholders
emphasis on transboundary
in the eastern Caribbean.
Mr. Parsram's PhD research is
linkages, to determine how
focused on understanding
present and planned marine
CLME project update




Prof. Robin Mahon,
concern affecting the shared
projects (focusing on
Dr. Patrick McConney and
living marine resources in
flyingfish, lobster, shrimp
The CLME website was
Donna Roach (CERMES
the Caribbean and the
and ground fish and reef
officially launched on
MarGov Project) joined
activities for inclusion in the
fisheries) aimed at
23 April 2007.
Dr. Lucia Fanning and
full-sized Caribbean Large
introducing ecosystem-
Please visit it for further
information at
Bertha Simmons (CLME
Marine Ecosystem (CLME)
based marine management
http://cavehill.uwi.edu/
Project Unit) as fisheries,
project.
in the context of the
cermes/clme.html
marine conservation and
governance framework was
The agenda included major
ocean governance experts
also a key component of the
issues affecting the
from around the Caribbean
workshop.
management of shared
and beyond, met in Jamaica,
living marine resources
Other components included
February 28 to 3 March,
within the Caribbean LME,
promoting governance, the
2007 at the CLME Project
their root causes and
Caribbean Sea initiative, the
Concept/Transboundary
potential solutions as well as
management of large
Diagnostic Analysis (TDA)
a review of a regional living
pelagic fishes and forming
Synthesis Workshop.
marine resource governance
fisherfolk organisations.
The workshop was held to
framework. A discussion on
discuss major areas of
potential demonstration


Climate change Belize field trip




Dr. Leonard Nurse and
and the potential loss of a
methane capture facility to
Neetha Selliah accompanied
village to the sea; carbon
observe methane capture in
four CERMES climate change
sequestration plots in the Rio
an industrial setting; the
students on an eight-day field
Bravo Conservation Area; the
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest
trip to Belize from16 ­ 24
Chalillo Dam to examine the
Reserve to learn of the
March as part of the MSc
potential impact of climate
devastation of the Pine Bark
course `Climate Change
change on the flow rates of
beetle on the reserve and the
Examining coastal erosion in
Impacts: Mitigation and
the Macal River; the Belize
impacts of climate variability
Monkey River
Adaptation. The purpose of
Sugar Inc. to tour the sugar
on this outbreak and the
the field trip was to
factory and learn about the
National Meteorological
investigate the effectiveness
proposed co-generation plant;
Service to observe its role
of various adaptation and
Blue Creek Mennonite farms
and activities in climate
mitigation measures to
to discuss rice production in
change impact studies .
combat the impacts of climate
relation to methane
Special thanks to
change. Sites visited included
emissions; the Manatee Lodge
Dr. and Mrs. Kenrick Leslie
Chalilo Dam
the Monkey River village to
at Gales Point to examine land
and the Community Climate
examine the impacts of sea
use and endangered species
Change Centre (CCCCC) for
level rise on coastal erosion
habitats; the Belize Brewery
hosting the group.

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4 CERMES CONNECTIONS

Grenadines MarSIS PhD
MarSIS research receives grant
research receives more



In March, Kim Baldwin
ESRI GIS books and
use information system for
than BDS $ 15,000 from
(CERMES PhD candidate)
manuals as well as a
the Grenadine Islands' at the
Environmental Systems
was notified that the
meeting with the head of
largest GIS conference - the
Research Institute (ESRI),
Environmental Systems
ESRI's Marine GIS program
annual ESRI GIS International
California, US
Research Institute (ESRI)
to discuss the development
Users Conference - with an
GIS Conservation Program
of the MarSIS database. The
average attendance of more
had approved her grant
grant is valued at more than
than 20,000 people.
proposal for the Grenadine
BDS $15,000. Furthermore,
MarSIS PhD research. This
Kim will be travelling to San
grant includes registration to
Diego, California this summer
the ESRI 2007 Users
to present her research -
Conference, a number of
`Development of a
ESRI GIS classes, several
participatory marine space-
Updated CERMES website



Dale Benskin, IT Technician,
economic characteristics of
documents and links to the
recently updated the
fisheries, MPAs, liveliohoods
Caribbean Large Marine
CERMES website on 30 April
analysis and co-
Ecosystem (CLME) and
2007. There are now nine
management; as well as
Marine Governance
CERMES technical reports on
numerous MPA management
(MarGov) websites. Please
topics covering socio-
effectiveness project
have a browse.
People and corals project



The final phase of the
workbook and a total of
clean up at one of their
People and Corals Project,
ninety students who were
neighbouring beaches with
Evaluation of the use of the
exposed to the workbook. The
the aim of protecting the reefs
workbook, took place during
aim was to get an insight into
through preventing pollution
Mustique Primary school students
the period 29 January to 7
their perception and
of the ocean. The project has
February. Katherine
experience from using the
now been completed.
Blackman (CERMES
workbook and to provide any
Research Assistant) travelled
suggestions for its
from Grenada through the
improvement. While using the
Grenadines to St. Vincent
workbook, two schools -
interviewing the teachers
Mustique Primary School and
Calliaqua Anglican Primary school
from the previous workshop
students at the beach clean up at
Calliaqua Anglican Primary
Calliaqua Beachfront
who had implemented the
School - organised a beach

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