SVGEF JUNE 2026 – MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

20.07.26

Dear All,

In this update from June, we share some of the most exciting events that took place here at the SVGEF. Among our various project updates included within, the activities were carried out by our incredible team of sea turtle monitors, marine rangers, and our youth education mentors. All of whom help us engage in our goals of protecting our islands’ environment, working closely with local communities. A huge thank you to all of our team members and project partners for helping us create the incredible impact we make each month.

Stephan Hornsey

Executive Director

St.Vincent and the Grenadines Environment Fund

SVGEF June 2026 – MONTHLY NEWSLETTER

📚 Youth Ocean Academy – Coral 🪸

Luke, Ocean Guardian student, showing his approval for the coral module at sea. A.Deane.

Coral marks our halfway point through Youth Ocean Academy for 2026, being our third module for the year. This module was led in partnership with Falco Martin in representation of CLEAR Caribbean and Kenzit Durrant of the Richmond Vale Academy Marine Team. Our ocean guardians got to learn all about coral biology, threats to coral reefs, and also what efforts are being done locally and regionally to save our coral.

CLEAR Caribbean and RVA Marine Team presenting to our Ocean Guardians in our theory session S.Hornsey

The day began with a theory session packed with hands-on information from the coral marine team. The information was a deep dive into coral biology, reef systems, and coral conservation. A large portion of the class was dedicated to the threats coral have faced, and what local conservationists are doing to combat these threats.

After the in-class session, we travelled to the beach to begin our snorkelling expedition at Indian Bay. This gave the students the opportunity see the species they had learnt about in depth and up close. The students were also provided with a display of a hurricane-resistant artificial nursery structure known as ‘reef balls’ to restore coral and marine life post-hurricane. Also, with many of our students having never been scuba diving, they were given a demonstration of a full scuba diving kit by the marine team. With the weather being well in our favour the students were able to have a fantastic sunny day at the beach, leading to some claiming excitedly that coral has been their favourite module so far.

RVA Marine Team and Falco Martin getting the students ready for their snorkel expedition. S.Hornsey

From left to right wearing the black SVGEF t-shirts, Anna Warrican & Arjun Deane, our Youth Ocean Academy programme assistants.

A special thank you to our programme assistants Anna and Arjun. They both are bringing so much energy to the project and giving their unique insight as participants from last year as Ocean Guardians, making Youth Ocean Academy 2026 so special.

🐚 Wild Nurseries Conch Surveys for Marine Protected Areas 📝

Marine rangers Kirk and Max surveying conch at Isle A Quatre. S.Hornsey.

With further progress in preparation for the soon to be established Marine Protected Areas in Bequia, data collected from this month’s conch surveys will be crucial in setting the baseline reference for conservation efforts ahead. Our marine rangers and Science and Education officer engage in these underwater surveys within the proposed Bequia MPAs, determining the abundance of conch present pre-establishment to be measured in the future, showing the impact of MPAs in years to come once proper protections are put in place.

Delight Ollivierre, Science and Education Officer at the SVG Environment Fund. S.Hornsey.

“This role has built my capacity in working with local communities to protect the environment at the SVGEF. It has also developed my role at the Ministry of Fisheries for engaging in marine species policy and leadership at a national level. It has built my perspectives as a fisheries officer, having six years of experience. The dynamic of the project, working so closely and frequently with fisherfolk, gives a unique opportunity showing how fisherfolk need support from the relevant government organisations. The project creates an atmosphere where information can be shared without judgement. When fishers feel like their local knowledge is valuable, it also helps to shape a positive attitude towards science as they recognise their contribution to environmental knowledge. Overall, it enhances their understanding and willingness to actively participate in conservation/science.” – Delight Ollivierre: SVGEF Science & Education Officer.

Wild Nurseries team gearing up for Conch surveys at Isle A Quatre. S.Hornsey

Building our conservation community for Marine Protected Areas, the project now has uniforms for our team members to represent the work in the field. This is a crucial aspect of community awareness as the rangers proudly represent the work they engage in while protecting our species. The rash-guard uniforms depict the logos of the Conservation Collective, Blue Marine Foundation, SVGEF, and the Wild Nurseries Project.

Sea Turtle Project
🗓️ June begins the Nesting Season for Hawksbills and Green turtles 🐢🪺

Tracks leading to our very first recorded nest for the 2026 June and Hawksbill season. S.Hornsey

Our SVGEF Sea Turtle Project begins the monitoring season for nesting hawksbill and green turtles in June, preparing the sea turtle team for their roles ahead as they patrol our beaches until November. As with each year, monitors must re-qualify, attending a training session which covers best practices for sea turtle monitoring, necessities of data collection, and addressing any gaps in training brought up in the previous year.

SVGEF Sea Turtle Monitoring Team for 2026 Hawksbill and Green Turtle Season, with Joelle Thomas representing the Ministry of Fisheries. S.Hornsey

The qualification session provided an opportunity to refresh our turtle team’s knowledge of sea turtle biology, species identification, nesting behaviour, monitoring protocols, national legislation, and data collection methods. It also gave monitors the chance to share experiences and concerns from previous seasons and discuss potential ways to mitigate challenges while ensuring everyone is well prepared for the months ahead. Representatives from the Ministry of Fisheries also joined the session and we are always grateful for their support. The training workshop was lead by Lisa Gaymes, our admin and operations officer, attended by 9 of our monitors all of whom has previous experience under the project. Please see the list of our monitors and their respective beaches to patrol below:

St.Vincent

Hasmay Shepard | Questelles Beach
Melsia Young | Questelles Beach

Bequia

Kenrick Peters | Lower Bay

Our sea turtle monitors are the heartbeat of the sea turtle project. They play an important role in protecting the nesting sea turtles of SVG and collecting valuable data that helps guide conservation efforts across the country. We look forward with hope towards a successful nesting season ahead.

Digifish II – Begins With Tracking the Barrouallie Whaling Boats 🛰️

Portraits of Chief Whaler of Barrouallie, Samuel Hazelwood, in-front of his boat during Digifish device installations S.Hornsey.

Digifish continues with new and improved Remora tracking units for the second phase of the project, all made possible through the support of the Edmiston Foundation via the Conservation Collective. Three units were installed on Good Friday, 3rd April, with these first installations for trial and testing done in collaboration with the Barrouallie whalers, Samuel Hazelwood, who has two boats, and Oscar Richardson, who has one boat. These new units now feature satellite technology versus the previous cellular units, providing near real-time updates with no range restrictions. The boat captains, crew, and their families welcomed these new additions of safety at sea in case of an emergency. Real-time monitoring allows us to engage closely with the whalers, better understanding their behaviours at sea and learning more about their lives on the open ocean, giving insight into the species they hunt. This data is crucial for the Orca Protection Agreement for us to monitor the hunts and landings. As of June 30th, we have recorded 172 trips from these vessels, providing a wealth of data.

📰 Wave-makers project featured in partnership with the Blue Marine Foundation. 🌊

Lisa Gaymes, SVGEF's Admin & Operations Officer pictured with fellow participants in Wavemakers Programme and some of Blue Marine Foundation’s team in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Officially announced in June by the Blue Marine Foundation on their social media platforms, Lisa Gaymes, our Admin & Operations Officer had the wonderful opportunity to participate in the Wavemakers Programme. The three-day programme that occurred in April was held in Edinburgh, Scotland. It provided an opportunity for Lisa to build her capacity and learn more about the ins and outs of Marine Protected Areas and how they operate.

A memorable aspect of the programme was learning how to communicate impact through effective storytelling and exploring ways to better connect people to conservation by sharing compelling stories that highlight both the challenges and successes in protecting our natural environment.

Another highlight was the opportunity to meet fellow conservationists and wavemakers who are also “making waves” in their communities including persons from Rapa Nui, Raja Ampat, and our island neighbour Barbados. Learning about the journeys, achievements, lessons, and challenges from like-minded people is always an eye-opening experience and the programme will continue to provide new ideas and practical tools that will add to the capacity at the SVGEF as we continue to support conservation efforts across St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

End of Newsletter.