SAERI recently started a new project in partnership with the government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands (GSGSSI) titled ‘Safeguarding South Georgia’s Blue Belt: Marine invasives mitigation’. The project, lead by Dr Dan Bayley, aims to increase awareness of marine invasive and non-native species (INNS) and identify the potential risk they present for South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. The project hopes to achieve this aim by reviewing and analysing the mechanisms and pathways by which potential INNS arrive into SGSSI, and to develop risk assessments to mitigate the threat. It is hoped that stakeholder engagement and workshop will raise awareness of the issues and will help to develop policies to protect the marine environment. The work also aims to strengthen cross-territory collaboration by developing complementary policy with regards to INNS, and to enable the overseas territory Governments to plan for, and manage, the sustainable development of their marine environments and to protect their unique biodiversity.
