The successful workshop initiated the preparation of the MMA Management Plans, the cornerstone of sustainable financial management and an important milestone in the operational plans of each country MMA.

The workshop was attended by 35 participants from the MMAs in the 5 countries and partner organisations closely involved marine resource management. These included, in the main, Component 2 (C2) CATS National Project Officers, Short Term Country Drafting Experts for the Management Plan and the Communication Strategy and Plan, members of the C2 PIT drafting/working committees  for each Country, communications specialists and other members from CATS Programme Component 1. The workshop was very hands on with each participant being directly involved in country working group drafting sessions and/or plenary presentations and discussions. The workshop programme applied the “input output” approach to address the conceptual hurdles involved in the practical application of both Sustainable Financial Management principles and Communication Development Tools in the planning and development of a marine managed area. Both concepts fall outside  traditional approaches of MPA Management, so that particular attention was paid prior to each topic to air the conceptual issues and shortcomings in contemporary approaches. The input sessions led by experts in the field  provided inputs and new perspectives on the requirements for sustainable financing for MMAs and the role of communication in the process.

The early input sessions of the workshop focused on gaining agreement on a template/structure of the management plan based on the Zero Country Drafts and inputs from the experts and the participants; following on and guided by experts’ inputs on components of the plan such as operations, financing and communication, the working country groups added body to the template. The plenary sessions on the presentations of the experts and on the reports of the country working groups allowed for a sharing of experiences and best practices and provided the opportunity for a collective growth in knowledge and understanding of the general and country specific challenges.  Dr. Winfried Wiedemeyer and Robert Kerr, both CATS2, as well as invited guest speakers Sara Eminhizer (Blue Earth Consultant on Sustainable Financing) and Emma Doyle CaMPAM/ (GCFI) on Management Planning, provided expert inputs into the discussions and drafting work groups and contributed immensely to the overall output and the success of the workshop. The workshop marked a high point towards the CATS2's Programme Indicators (of Success):

1. At least 5 MMAs are sustainably managed under agreed MMA Management Plans integrating among others CC and gender aspects
2. At least 5 MMAs are implementing Sustainable Financing Mechanisms as part of their MMA Management Plans
3. CARICOM Regional MMA Management Guidelines are developed.