CORE MPA Permits
MARINE PROTECTED AREAS
Due to the ever increasing impacts of man upon the environment, encouragement of better stewardship is tantamount to the preservation and restoration of vital ecosystems. Ecosystems are a complex environments that are dependent upon the species, terrain, weather, runoff and environments that surround them. Therefore, if one part of the ecosystem is affected negatively, other neighboring ecosystems or the species within will be affected. To ensure the preservation and restoration of vital ecosystems, Marine Protected Areas have been established throughout the world.
Marine Protected Areas were established to directly assist environments and the species that reside in them. These established areas that are free of marine usage, allow corals, invertebrates and marine mammals environments to flourish and encourage healthy, unhindered growth. By allowing areas to be free of marine usage, the benefits are passed on areas that surround MPA’s.
MPA’s are maintained and managed to ensure the healthiest of conditions for the indigenous species of that area. Unfortunately, invasive species such as the Pterois Volitans and Pterois Miles (to name a couple), have infiltrated many MPA’s and found them to be great refuges from registered fishermen and lionfish extractors. Many MPA’s have developed Invasive Species Management Plans to manage this invasion within their regions.
Marine Protected Areas were established to directly assist environments and the species that reside in them. These established areas that are free of marine usage, allow corals, invertebrates and marine mammals environments to flourish and encourage healthy, unhindered growth. By allowing areas to be free of marine usage, the benefits are passed on areas that surround MPA’s.
MPA’s are maintained and managed to ensure the healthiest of conditions for the indigenous species of that area. Unfortunately, invasive species such as the Pterois Volitans and Pterois Miles (to name a couple), have infiltrated many MPA’s and found them to be great refuges from registered fishermen and lionfish extractors. Many MPA’s have developed Invasive Species Management Plans to manage this invasion within their regions.
MPA INVASIVE LIONFISH EXTRACTION PERMITS
To ensure the preservation of Marine Protected Area's, strict no-fishing as well as marine usage rules are enforced. The enforcement of these usage rules is important to encourage a healthy ecosystem. Although this mitigates further direct impacts, diseases, storm damage and Invasive Species can have a devastating effects on protected areas along with unprotected areas. To deter negative impacts created by the Invasive Lionfish within M.P.A's, officials have trained and developed M.P.A employee response teams.
To assist M.P.A's with Invasive Lionfish Management in the U.S.V.I., the CORE Foundation offered our services. In 2010, CORE submitted Lionfish Extraction Training to United States National Park of St. John. CORE training was accepted as valid training to be used in the USNP. Individuals with endorsed Lionfish Extraction Training apply for permits to extract within the USNP.
To assist other communities, CORE continues to offer assistance with programs in need. Please contact us for more information.
In 2010, CORE assisted the British Virgin Islands Reef Guardians with their programming and training guidelines. At that time it allowed the B.V.I. Reef Guardians to apply for permits within the B.V.I..
Some individuals that frequent both U.S.V.I. and B.V.I. have had proper training to allow them to apply for permits in U.S.Virgin Islands National Park and the U.S. Virgin Islands National Monument around St. John, U.S.V.I.
To assist M.P.A's with Invasive Lionfish Management in the U.S.V.I., the CORE Foundation offered our services. In 2010, CORE submitted Lionfish Extraction Training to United States National Park of St. John. CORE training was accepted as valid training to be used in the USNP. Individuals with endorsed Lionfish Extraction Training apply for permits to extract within the USNP.
To assist other communities, CORE continues to offer assistance with programs in need. Please contact us for more information.
In 2010, CORE assisted the British Virgin Islands Reef Guardians with their programming and training guidelines. At that time it allowed the B.V.I. Reef Guardians to apply for permits within the B.V.I..
Some individuals that frequent both U.S.V.I. and B.V.I. have had proper training to allow them to apply for permits in U.S.Virgin Islands National Park and the U.S. Virgin Islands National Monument around St. John, U.S.V.I.