Antaya March

• Doctor of Philosophy
• Director at Global Plastics Policy Centre, University of Portsmouth

The concept of a circular economy has gained momentum in recent years and presents potential for African and Indian Ocean islands. Although some businesses and governments have adopted circular economy practices, these efforts are not yet widespread, and there is limited support to fully unlock the potential of circular economy in these countries....

The concept of a circular economy has gained momentum in recent years and presents potential for African and Indian Ocean islands. Although some businesses and governments have adopted circular economy practices, these efforts are not yet widespread, and there is limited support to fully unlock the potential of circular economy in these countries....

Oceanic tuna fisheries are a major contributor to the economic health of Pacific Island countries (PICs), with coastal fisheries underpinning the livelihoods of locals, providing food security, significant employment, culture, and human welfare. Livelihood development across various PICs is hindered by the inability to harness the maximum potential...

St. Martin's Island was declared an ecologically critical area of Bangladesh in 1999, but this has had limited effect on the conservation of the island's natural coral resources, on which a thriving tourism industry and the local inhabitants depend. The introduction of a tourism entrance fee can benefit conservation management on the island, but re...

Transformation is idealised as a solution to multiple ocean crises, and the blue economy has emerged as a paradigm to facilitate transformation towards a sustainable ocean future. Conceptualisations of transformation differ and processes of change to achieve transformation remain under-explored in literature, representing a significant gap in under...

This study reviews various financing solutions available for fisheries and aquaculture development in Caribbean small island developing states (SIDS) and Barbados, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Previously identified financing needs within the fisheries and aquaculture sectors have been matched with the most suitable financing mechani...

This study provides an assessment and characterization of marine litter pollution among various beaches of the Bay of Bengal coastline of Bangladesh, through standardised surveys. The data suggests that marine litter density was greatest in areas where anthropogenic activity was highest, such as Cox's Bazar (a popular tourist attraction) and Chitta...

With increased international concern over the pervasive plastic pollution problem, early negotiations to develop a legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution (“the Plastics Treaty”) were supported by 175 member countries toward a sustainable plastics future. Defining features of the plastics treaty by UNEP member countries began in Punta d...

National Action Plans (NAPs) are a possible implementation measure for the Global Plastics Treaty, through a NAP-based approach. Their effectiveness in other international agreements is contested, and their current format allows for weak, voluntary measures with limited accountability. By analysing stakeholder and country submissions to the Intergo...

There are strong interdependencies between the Blue Economy (BE) and the effects of climate change. This paper examines how the coastal and island African countries with strategies and action plans related to the BE have integrated climate change mitigation and adaptation in their national BE approach. It explores the methods they have adopted for...

The Seychelles blue bond is an innovative finance mechanism that has played a pivotal role in shaping the global landscape of blue bonds. Seychelles leadership in the blue economy sets a significant precedent. However, this precedent has also raised concerns among various stakeholders. This study evaluates of Seychelles’ sovereign blue bond, which...

Blue carbon has been proposed as a nature-based solution for climate change mitigation; however, a limited number of published works and data and knowledge gaps hinder the development of small island developing states' (SIDS) national blue carbon resources globally. This paper reviews the blue carbon ecosystems of Seychelles as a case study in the...

Modern aquaculture technologies can contribute to both climate change mitigation and adaptation strategies while simultaneously contributing towards food security. Various aquaculture strategies have been reviewed elsewhere but omit a few key strategies worthy of inclusion. This paper reviews various regenerative aquaculture strategies that stimula...

Policy effectiveness is a critical measure for assessing whether policies are working and determining necessary adjustments. However, understanding the effectiveness of plastic policies is a significant gap in the toolkit driving solutions to the plastics crisis. This review examines effectiveness evaluations and existing tools for assessing policy...

n preparation for the second session of the intergovernmental negotiating committee in Paris, from 29 May to 2 June, the Global Plastics Policy Centre team of the University of Portsmouth, together with researchers from the Dalhousie University, Canada, unpacks a debated topic from the first round of negotiations in November 2022 – national action...

In a historic decision at the fifth United Nations Environment Assembly in March 2022, all 193 UN Member States decided to end plastic pollution. With negotiations on a binding legal agreement by 2024 now underway, the question is how to realise that goal. While many technical solutions for a circular plastics economy are known, the economic, fisc...

The Blue Economy (BE) relates to the sustainable use and conservation of marine and freshwater environments. Accounting for the BE has not yet been undertaken in African countries due to disparities in data collection related to social, economic, and ecological components of the BE; it is a critical factor in decision and/or policymaking associated...

The aim of this study is to identify the key policy, regulatory, economic, and capacity constraints, as well as opportunities for the financing needs of Blue Economy (BE) projects focused on fishery and aquaculture in Barbados, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Coastal and marine environments provide multiple important contributions to t...

The paper presents the blue economy development in The Bahamas with an analysis of the conditions for using blue bonds as a financing mechanism. As part of the activities to be pursued for the issuance of a blue bond, the paper provides an identification of investment projects that could be financed through blue bonds. In addition to its blue econo...

Caribbean countries face many challenges to effectively implement and benefit from the blue economy. This study synthesized current available information from the literature about the main blue economy activities in the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, to highlight their...

This blue economy Rapid Readiness Assessment (RRA) pilot project was undertaken in Antigua and Barbuda, alongside a second pilot project in Trinidad and Tobago, to establish the government’s readiness to embark on the transition to a sustainable blue economy (SBE). The RRA approach being developed is based on the United Nations Environment Programm...

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) intend to "achieve a better and more sustainable future for all people in the world" 1. They have become a key driver for policy and decision-making in many regions, including in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO) region. This paper analyses national and regional progress towards achieving SDG 14 in the WIO. Pro...

The development of a global legally binding treaty by the UN to end plastic pollution is underway. To be effective, the global treaty requires new levels of transparency, disclosure and cooperation to support evidence-based policymaking that avoids the fragmented and reactionary policies of the past.

This paper presents the results of applying the system dynamics model to the Indian mackerel fishery (IM) in Malaysia. The main objective of this paper is to explore a more holistic approach to modelling options for the difficult task of managing an open access fishery. To this end, a system dynamics model was used to provide a general framework th...

This study sought to present the evolutions and new trends of migrant fishing targeting small pelagics in West Africa from fishing to consumption stage. The work involved the characterization of migrant fishers targeting small pelagics in West Africa (country of origin, fishing gear and target species), modalities of access to resources, estimation...

Since the adoption of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in 2015, the world oceans, to which a specific goal was assigned, have been high on the global agenda. At the national level, the ocean has received increasing consideration, with many coastal states and islands adopting blue economy strategies and frameworks, and putting the oc...

In South Africa, recreational scuba diving is one of the most popular coastal activities, which is largely carried out within Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). MPAs act as the basis for marine conservation in the country, operating as the primary tool for the management of the country's marine resources. Effective management of MPAs depends on the upt...

This report analyses the challenges that the fisheries sector in Africa will have to face by 2050 in meeting the demand of a growing population while facing the impacts of climate change. It identifies ways to ensure the sustainability of marine fisheries within the framework of a blue economy that emphasizes the services provided by healthy ecosys...

Small-scale fisheries (SSFs) play a significant role in ensuring food security, providing employment and generating livelihoods, however the sustainability and viability of their existence into the future is under threat with global pressures such as climate change, the increasing industrialisation of larger fishing activities and depleting fish st...

This paper explores the linkage between the expansion of commercial shark-fishing markets and the extension of migratory cycles of fishers in the West African Sub-region. The paper shows the societal deconstruction that occurred following the massive expansion of shark fishing over previous decades. It also points out that the approach of public de...

Planning for the research and development (R&D) of renewable energy resources (RERs) has not received enough attention. This paper aims to study the planning for the R&D of RERs in order to avoid bottlenecks and ensure sustainable development in developing marine economies. We have established a triple difference model (DDD) model and a wise pig ga...

The aim of the paper is to present the expected impacts of the creation of the marine reserve of “Le Prêcheur” in Martinique in 2014. Despite its official establishment, the reserve is still not operational in 2020. The method used refers to a feasibility study done in 2010 for its formulation and to a stakeholder engagement study done in 2012-2013...