Photo credit: Nicola / Adobe Stock
The Caribbean island of Montserrat has joined the Blue Belt Programme, the UK Government’s flagship international marine conservation initiative, making it the eleventh UK Overseas Territory to enter the scheme and the fourth from the Caribbean. The announcement was made on 8 June, World Ocean Day, as the programme also marked its tenth anniversary.
Known as the “Emerald Isle of the Caribbean,” Montserrat is a volcanic island in the Lesser Antilles whose waters support coral reefs, seagrass meadows, giant barrel sponges — often described as the “redwoods of the ocean” — and critically endangered hawksbill turtles. Its marine environment has been profoundly shaped by more than three decades of volcanic activity following the eruption of the Soufrière Hills volcano in 1995, making the island a valuable case study in ecosystem disturbance and recovery that scientists continue to study.
Through the partnership, the Government of Montserrat has committed to protecting at least 20% of its maritime zone. With scientific and technical support delivered through Cefas and the Marine Management Organisation, planned activities include underwater habitat surveys to inform the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), new science-based fisheries management frameworks, a review of marine legislation, and capacity building for local science-led decision making.
Groundwork already under way
The formal announcement builds on work that had already begun. In January 2026, Montserrat hosted a Blue Belt scoping team for a workshop organised by the island’s Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing and the Environment, focused on identifying priorities and developing a three-year work plan. Discussions covered marine zoning, spatial planning, habitat mapping, legislative updates and strengthening local data collection. At the opening of that workshop, Governor Harriet Cross highlighted the global significance of the UK’s Overseas Territories. “The UK Overseas Territories are custodians of the planet’s most extraordinary and irreplaceable ecosystems,” she said.
A milestone for the Caribbean
Montserrat joins Anguilla, the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Cayman Islands in the Caribbean arm of the programme, which also encompasses St Helena, Ascension Island, Tristan da Cunha, the Pitcairn Islands, the British Antarctic Territory, British Indian Ocean Territory and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Since 2016, the Blue Belt Programme has safeguarded more than 4 million km² of ocean, an area roughly the size of the European Union, conducted ten major scientific research expeditions and documented over 100,000 marine animals through the Global Ocean Wildlife Analysis Network (GOWAN). A new ten-year impact report was published to coincide with the anniversary.
UK Minister of State for Europe, North America and Overseas Territories, Stephen Doughty, said: “I’m delighted to welcome Montserrat into the Blue Belt family as we celebrate ten years of the programme. The Blue Belt Programme is a fantastic example of partnership working across the UK Overseas Territories to protect and sustainably manage our precious marine environments. This partnership will support Montserrat’s ambitions to conserve its marine environment while supporting sustainable economic growth for future generations.”
Governor Cross welcomed the formal entry into the programme. “Montserrat’s decision to join the Blue Belt Programme marks a significant step forward in our commitment to protecting the island’s remarkable marine environment,” she said. “Our waters, shaped by both natural beauty and resilience in the face of volcanic and climate pressures, are home to globally important species and ecosystems. Through this partnership, we are strengthening science-led, community-driven marine management that will safeguard biodiversity, support local livelihoods, and build resilience to climate change, today and for generations to come.”
Climate urgency
Like many small island developing states, Montserrat is acutely vulnerable to climate change, facing rising sea levels, ocean warming, coral reef degradation and increasingly powerful hurricanes. Strengthening marine governance is seen as central to building long-term resilience for communities that depend on the ocean for their livelihoods.
Premier Reuben T Meade welcomed the partnership as an investment that went beyond conservation. “As a small island developing state, we understand intimately the value of our marine environment,” he said. “This initiative represents more than environmental stewardship; it is an investment in the resilience and prosperity of our people. The Government of Montserrat welcomes the technical expertise and collaborative support provided by the Blue Belt Programme and we look forward to working alongside the United Kingdom and regional partners to ensure that Montserrat’s marine environment remains healthy, productive, and protected for generations to come.”
The Honourable John P Osborne, Montserrat’s Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Housing, Environment, Youth Affairs and Sports, said the partnership would help ensure that marine resources remain available to future generations. “By working together to preserve our marine ecosystems, we are strengthening the resilience of our oceans and ensuring that future generations inherit healthy seas and sustainable opportunities.”
Montserrat’s inclusion is aligned with the global 30×30 target to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030.