Coral reefs are highly biodiverse ecosystems which are threatened by overfishing, destructive fishing practices, pollution, and climate change. Reef management practices with a sound scientific basis can help to mitigate these effects and foster healthier, more resilient reef systems. Small island developing states (SIDS) like Grenada, are grappling with the challenge of balancing economic activities, such as fishing and tourism, with the need to protect and conserve their coral reefs.
This collaborative MSc project between St George’s University in Grenada and Atlantic Technological University in Ireland will compare fish biomass and the relative abundance of different functional groups of fish between coral reef sites with various levels of management in Grenada. The effectiveness of different levels of management will be assessed and recommendations for MPA management in Grenada proposed. The study will also provide important baseline data describing the fish communities at these sites to contribute to a larger scale regional database and to inform future monitoring efforts.
This research is anticipated to be highly beneficial to a wide array of stakeholders, from local communities to policymakers and the broader scientific community, by delivering a thorough analysis of the effects of various management strategies on fish biomass and community composition. The teams at St. George’s University and Atlantic Technological University share common research interests and have complementary expertise and skill sets. It is envisaged that the proposed research will seed a long-term productive collaboration which will benefit staff and students in both universities. By establishing a link between ATU and St George’s, the project will pave the way for further knowledge transfer, training exchanges and collaborative research activities.
