Mangrove replanting now part of inner-city renewal project in Rae Town
TWO kilometres of mangrove are to be replanted along the coastline of the Kingston Harbour in the vicinity of the Rae Town fishing village.
The project, part of the Kingston Harbour Mangrove Replanting (Pilot) Programme, is expected to increase the mangrove population in the harbour, according to the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA). The 18-month project, it said, will also develop a methodology for sustainable mangrove planting in other areas of Jamaica.
NEPA said Rae Town residents will, under the project, gain knowledge and learn new skills which, it is hoped, will help them to increase the fish population and earn more income through spin-off projects, such as eco-friendly shrimp farming, bee-keeping and crab rearing in mangrove habitats.
“This project recognises the importance of the Kingston Harbour, once the site of a flourishing fishery industry with several fishing village,” NEPA said.
The Rae Town fishing village is one of the largest in the island, the area around it used to be enriched by mangrove habitats. However, the mangrove forests have deteriorated due to reclamation of land, waterfront development, and mounting pollution related to these and other activities. Additionally, consumer demand for charcoal and timber has depleted the mangroves, resulting in a significant decline in the fish stock and the economic and social status of the villages on the harbour.
The project comes out of an agreement between the Costa Rica-based International Ocean Institute for Latin America and the Caribbean, and the National Environment & Planning Agency.
The steering committee consists of the Fisheries Division, Forestry Department, University of the West Indies’ Centre for Marine Sciences, Tourism Product Development Company, National Environment & Planning Agency and two representatives from the Rae Town Fishing Co-operative.
Co-ordination is being done by NEPA’s Policies, Programme & Projects Division and the Coastal Zone Management Branch.