Above: Nevis (CJ Photo)

By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor

A team from The Nature Conservancy visited Nevis this week to discuss environmental issues affecting St Kitts and Nevis.

The delegation met with Nevis Premier Vance Amory and a cohort of Permanent Secretaries, with whom they chiefly addressed the topics of management of The Narrows and marine boundaries around the islands.

“The impact of the discussions held could have far-reaching consequences and importance because of the steps being taken to manage resources,” Amory said.

Amory also took the opportunity to urge the people to take a serious look at the issue of climate change and its consequences.

Country Coordinator Janice Hodge has already begun an awareness campaign to educate fishers and others in the community about protecting the marine environment.

Hodge said The Nature Conservancy was working to ensure that marine resources are used in a sustainable way and that all stakeholders would be able to enjoy the benefits for generations to come.

Nature Conservancy Program Director for the Eastern Caribbean Ruth Blyther noted the importance of taking care of the marine environment, which, she said, “provides much to the people of St Kitts and Nevis in their daily lives through tourism, food, and its contribution to the island’s beauty.  Therefore taking care of that resource is part of what the Conservancy wants to do in St Kitts and Nevis.”