NEWS RELEASE                                  MAY 30, 2001

3^RD ANNUAL NATIONAL COASTAL CONFERENCE FOR JAMAICA

The 3^rd Annual National Coastal Conference hosted by the Council on Ocean and Coastal Zone Management, the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) and the Coastal Water Quality Improvement Project (CWIP) has been scheduled to take place at the Jamaica Conference Centre (JCC) from June 7-8, 2001 under the theme, “From Policy to Implementation – A Programme of Action for Effective Ocean and Coastal Resources Management.” 

The conference seeks to garner consensus on implementation strategies for the Draft Policy for Ocean and Coastal Zone Management that was discussed at Coastal Conference 2000.  It will provide opportunity for information sharing between stakeholders on the status of several national policies, programs and actions related to ocean and coastal resources including; Land Based Sources of Pollution, the National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and the Blue Flag Program.  These objectives are expected to be achieved through a common understanding of the critical issues confronting sustainable development of Jamaica’s ocean and coastal resources among a wide spectrum of key stakeholders including fishermen, marine police, Jamaica Defence Coastguards, non-governmental Organisations (NGOs), Private Sector Organisations (PSOs), Community-Based Organisation (CBOs), Environmental Non-Governmental Organisations (ENGOs), government ministries, academia and the general public.

The conference will deliberate issues relating to; Policy Implementation – Governance, Action Agenda and Promoting Sustainable Development through working groups and presentations.  Presentations will be made by resource personnel from; United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Ministry of Water and Housing (MWH), Maritime Authority of Jamaica (MAJ), Fisheries Division and the Blue Flag Programme.

Expected outputs from the conference that will result in the achievement of the main objective include: clarification of an implementation strategy for the policy on Ocean and Coastal Zone Management; consensus on action plans for the implementation of national policies and regulatory frameworks; the development of a framework to harmonise institutional procedures and strategies and identify programmes that have multiple cross-sectoral benefits. 

This conference forms part of the programme of activities to mark National Environmental Awareness Week 2001 and has been organised to coincide with World Oceans Day, June 8, 2001.

Contact:          Ruthlyn Johnson

Tel.: 754-7550-1/4, 754-7540/3/8

Fax: 754-7595, 754-7596

Email:             nrca@infochan.com

Website:         http://www.nrca.org