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The Nature Conservancy in Jamaica Jamaica Places We Protect Tropical Forests Islands Jamaica Coral Reefs How We Work Press Releases Ways of Giving Contact Us |
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Back to Jamaica postcards
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By Nathalie Zenny
Jamaica Program, Pedro Bank Project Manager
The Nature Conservancy
Meet the Team
In total, we were 11 persons: myself and Phil Kramer, the Conservancy's Caribbean Marine Program Director who was the scientific lead for the survey team. The other divers were Peter Edwards, the former Scientific Officer for the Centre for Marine Sciences at the University of the West Indies (UWI), now pursuing graduate studies in Marine Policy at the University of Delaware; Sean Green from the Jamaica National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA); and Brandon Hay from the Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation (C-CAM), a local NGO in protected area management.
We each brought different skills to the team in addition to diving. I served as 'mother hen' and 'party planner'; Phil was the data 'quality controller' and GPS/GIS guru; Brandon, a seabird expert, did some preliminary investigations of the boobies and terns; Sean, a photographer in his spare time, served as dry-land cameraman and Peter, who is focusing on economic valuation of marine resources for his graduate studies, did some preliminary research through discussions with community members.
Jamaica is a place for nicknames. People are commonly referred to by a name other than the one given to them at birth often due to a personality trait, a skill or simply something which is easy to remember. So we were ably guided and assisted by Fat Cat (and his boat of the same name), One Lock (a spearfisher with a surefire aim), Donavan, Adam, Shuksman (a 'shuks' is a type of spear) and Todd.
This small group reflects the diversity of the larger Pedro Bank fishing community. Three of the men come from the south coast of Jamaica and two are originally from the north coast but now reside in the southeastern parish of St. Catherine. They are men ranging from their mid-twenties to their forties, full-time fishermen who have either spent much of their lives at sea or have turned to fishing because employment opportunities in Jamaica are limited. Like all the fishermen on the cays, they fish at Pedro Bank because it is one of the few fishing grounds in Jamaican waters where a person can still make a viable living fishing. Hardworking, resilient and philosophical about the challenges of life on the bank, these men reflect a perseverance common to the community and to many Jamaicans.
For more information about Jamaica:
- The Nature Conservancy in Jamaica
Jamaica's coral reefs, beaches and an extensive coastal plain surround a plateau, rain forests and a backbone of peaks. As Jamaica was never connected with any other land mass, it has a high percentage of unique species. - Feature: Pedro Bank Photo Slideshow
View more underwater photos taken during the weeklong coral reef survey on the Pedro Bank. - Where We Work: The Pedro Bank
Located approximately 50 miles or 80 kilometers south-southwest of the island of Jamaica the Pedro Bank is one of the country's last remaining healthy marine ecosystems. - Field Guide: Cockpit Country
With 5,000 hillocks and valleys rippling across the land, Cockpit Country has been nearly impenetrable for humans—good news for Jamaica's most pristine forests. - Ecotourism: Blue and John Crow Mountains National Park
Established in 1990 to provide stricter protection for government land and designated forest reserves. The park covers some 196,000 acres (79,321 hectares) and houses the watershed for the capital city of Kingston, and all communities in the eastern third of Jamaica. - How You Can Help: Donate Online
Support conservation by helping to save the last great places in Jamaica.
