CANARI is an independent regional technical non-profit institute working in the Caribbean for nearly 30 years, with a mission to promote and facilitate equitable participation and effective collaboration in the management of natural resources critical to development in the Caribbean islands, so that people will have a better quality of life and natural resources will be conserved, through action learning and research, capacity building, communication and fostering partnerships.

CANARI works directly with the full range of stakeholders in the islands of the Caribbean who have rights to, interests in, or formal or informal responsibilities for natural resources, in order to facilitate avenues for their equitable and effective participation in decisions about the use and management of these resources. Stakeholders include people in rural communities, community based organisations, non-governmental organisations, media, academic institutions, donors and technical assistance organisations, governmental and intergovernmental agencies, and the private sector.
The Institute is committed to developing the CLME+ Civil Society Action Programme and corresponding Small Grants Coordinating Mechanism which are aimed at promoting broader participation of, and contributions from civil society organisations and small and micro enterprises to the overall set of actions aimed at achieving the long-term vision for the CLME+ region.

The CLME+ Civil Society Action Programme will lay out a strategy for capacity building and civil society engagement in fisheries and ocean governance at the local, national and regional levels and enhancement of associated livelihoods that takes gender considerations into account. It will include a database on existing civil society organisations and small and micro enterprises that should be targeted for capacity building and engagement. It will also include a database on existing capacity building initiatives and identify opportunities for coordination and synergies.

The Small Grants Coordinating Mechanism will lay out a framework for engagement of and coordination and collaboration among the various small grant programmes (supporting civil society organisations and small and micro enterprises in relevant areas) to meet priorities under the CLME+ Strategic Action Programme. It will include a framework for ongoing mapping of existing initiatives, exchange of best practices, and tracking of contribution to achievement of the CLME+ Strategic Action Programme.

This commitment is supportive of the 10-year CLME + Strategic Action Programme for the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems and the associated long-term vision of a healthy marine environment that provides benefits and livelihoods for the well-being of the people of this region.