There are approximately thirty fish sanctuaries or Special Fishery Conservation Areas (SFCAs) around Jamaica. Their purpose is to prohibit fishing in areas with high ecological value, allowing fish populations to recover and thus create overspill into adjacent fishable waters.

This both enhances catches for our fisherfolk in the long-term and alleviates local pressures on the ecosystem, as stronger fish populations play an important role in maintaining core ecological functions such as herbivory to keep competitive algae at bay and improve coral recruitment.

Since late 2024, the DBMA has partnered with experts from the Oracabessa Marine Trust to elicit a no-take zone in the Duncans/Silver Sands bay. The provisional boundary marker pins depicted were mapped out by the consultants in partnership with the board and Fisher Friendly Society. Once these boundaries are approved by the National Fisheries Authority, the sanctuary will be several steps closer to being officially gazetted. The sanctuary is expected to require at least five years as a no-take zone to reach optimum results.