SVG COASTAL, MARINE ECOSYSTEMS MANAGEMENT STRENGTHENING PROJECT
On Wednesday, April 1, 2026, a sea turtle conservation sign was installed at Colonaire by the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Coastal and Marine Ecosystems Management Strengthening Project (SVGCMEMS) to bring awareness to the issue of sea turtle poaching and encourage changed behaviour.
The sign was designed to provide visibility for the project and to educate the public about the importance of sea turtle conservation in Colonaire, as well as efforts being undertaken by the GEF-7 Project to address this issue.
As part of its wider support for sea turtle conservation, in March of 2025, the SVGCMEMS Project trained over 20 community volunteers in basic monitoring techniques and provided transportation to facilitate four late-night beach patrols during this year’s nesting season from April to August 2025.
In October 2025, the SVGCMEMS Project donated sea turtle monitoring supplies to sea turtle monitors in Colonaire and Sandy Bay, valued at EC$3,218. These activities were carried out in collaboration with the Fisheries Division and local sea turtle monitors in Colonaire, Big Sand, and Sandy Bay.
The SVGCMEMS Project is a Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines initiative funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) in the amount of US$3.65 million, and implemented by the World Bank over a five-year period (April 2022 – 2027).
In Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Project is managed by the Sustainable Development Unit (SDU) under the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture. The Project’s main objective is to strengthen the management of coastal and marine ecosystems in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, contributing to the long-term protection and resilience of the nation’s marine and coastal resources.