A United Kingdom national has taken up the post of Marine Biologist at the Department of Fisheries and Marine Resources in Anguilla. He is Stuart Wynne who succeeds James Gumbs, who now holds the appointment of Director.

Stuart Wynne

Mr. Wynne studied Zoology at Reading University in the 1990s. He served in South and Central America for a number of years as Dive a Master, teaching the first level of diving. He later went on to South-east Asia where he worked in the same field. During that period he developed a love for the ocean and marine life and went back to university where he did a MSc. degree in Applied Ecology and Conservation.

Mr. Wynne came to Anguilla in 2004 to undertake a research project in the crayfish and spiny lobster and submitted a copy of his work to the Government. He completed his degree in the UK and then travelled to the Bahamas where he served as the Chief Scientist for a project for a UK organisation called Green Force.

Faced with a student loan, and other financial obligations, he decided to pursue more gainful employment and eventually applied for the advertised post of Marine Biologist in Anguilla.

His job includes travelling out to sea, with an assistant, to conduct various marine surveys for such projects as impact assessments, coastal development, fisheries populations particularly (conchs and lobsters) and other marine resources including the reefs. He noted that Anguilla is heavily dependent on the reefs as they provide storm protection for marine life. He added that the long-spine sea urchin, commonly known as sea egg, was important as it eats the algae which, if allowed to take over the reefs, would stop the growth of the coral.

Mr. Wynne will also be involved in the turtle conservation efforts on the island.
Wynne, who is looking forward to an interesting, productive and rewarding experience in Anguilla, is accompanied by his wife.

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