DOCTOR of Science in Agriculture, Tadaomi Nakai, has joined the staff of the Montego Bay Marine Park.

He will serve in the area of Marine Resources Management for two years during which he will develop and implement a sustainable fisheries management plan for the western city. This will include:

* data collection,

* an assessment of all fishable resources in the Park as well as other opportunities and alternatives for generating income for fishers whose livelihood has been affected by poor water quality,

* Marine Park regulations,

* as well as depletion of the stocks through over-fishing

* and he will also do an evaluation of the feasibility of mariculture in the Montego Bay Marine Park.

In a joint venture with the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Nakai will help to develop a sustainable fisheries industry in order to halt the current depletion of resources, degradation of the environment and loss of biodiversity. He will be providing technical assistance in the field of fisheries to stakeholders in the Marine Park, especially the fishermen.

Dr Nakai’s tenure at the Marine Park is under the auspices of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV). The Japanese government created JICA in an attempt to foster international cooperation.

The JOCV, a division of JICA, was established in 1965 under the supervision of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to provide official Japanese technical assistance programmes abroad. The JOCV programme is one of JICA’s principal activities with its volunteers engaging in activities such as health and welfare, education, information services, manufacturing as well as other specialized areas.

Through this cultural exchange it is hoped that in addition to receiving valuable technical knowledge, there will be a deepening appreciation and understanding of the two diverse cultures.