In 2013 the OECS Heads of Government endorsed the Eastern Caribbean Regional Ocean Policy (ECROP) and its associated strategic action plan (ECROP SAP) to enable a blue economy approach in the OECS. The ECROP guides the future use of the region’s marine waters and provides a basis for enhanced coordination and management of ocean resources within the Eastern Caribbean. Pursuant to efforts under the ECROP, the OECS has sought to form partnerships and access funds to begin to implement the ECROP in earnest. On October 14, 2017, a Grant Agreement for the Caribbean Regional Oceanscape Project (CROP) was signed between the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, acting as an Implementing Agency of the Global Environment Facility, and the OECS.

The grant directly benefits five participating Member States, namely: Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The CROP is designed to contribute to the implementation of the ECROP by strengthening capacity for ocean governance, and coastal and marine spatial planning in the participating countries: a necessity to facilitate transitioning to a Blue Economy. For further information on the CROP visit: https://oecs.org/en/crop and https://oceanwealth.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/CROP_MOW_Project_Overview.pdf