Antigua and Barbuda have a variety of laws and policies relevant to the marine environment, ranging from sector-specific authorities such as the Fisheries Act to planning authorities to general jurisdictional authorities such as the Maritime Areas Act. This Report focuses on the subset of laws and regulations that are particularly relevant for sustainable fisheries management and protection in the waters surrounding Barbuda, and particularly those legal authorities that enable ocean zoning.
The Report explores how the existing laws of Antigua and Barbuda can be used to implement the Barbuda Blue Halo Initiative. It characterizes each legal authority for ocean zoning based on the following factors: (1) process for establishment and implementation of zoning; (2) enforcement authority (including potential penalties under the law); (3) potential (or existing) prohibitions established by the law; and (4) the extent to which the local Barbuda government (including the Barbuda Council) is authorized to implement the laws.