February 2, 2015 – Belize City, Belize…CARICOM acknowledges the contribution of the Government of Japan in promoting sustainable use and management of living marine resources for the benefit of the people of the CARICOM States and Japan.

Mr. Milton Haughton, Executive Director, CARICOM’s Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) said, “the fact that Japan has been willing and steadfast in contributing so generously to promote sustainable use of marine resources in the CARICOM countries, even in these challenging economic times, is in my opinion, a true reflection of the special bond of friendship and importance that Japan attaches to our relationship.”

Over the past 20 years, Japan has emerged as the major contributor toward the development of the fisheries sector at the bilateral level within the Caribbean.  Japan has been providing vital and substantial support in upgrading and improving the artisanal fishing fleet; fishing ports and other shore-based infrastructure for storage, processing and marketing of fish; as well as provision of training in gear technology, processing and quality assurance, resource management and conservation of fisheries,” Mr Haughton added.

The 20-year partnership between the Government of Japan and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) culminated with a series of in-country seminars in 6 CARICOM countries, which discussed national level interventions supported by Japan, with presentations on the successes as well as the challenges. A regional seminar took place in Trinidad and Tobago on 4 December 2014 where regional fisheries officials and stakeholders reviewed the outcomes over the years under the partnership Agreement entitled “A New Framework for Japan - CARICOM Cooperation for the Twenty-first Century”, towards strengthening the relationship between the CARICOM Governments and Japan in promoting sustainable in the fisheries sector.

Under this Agreement, the Government of Japan provided funding and technical assistance to CARICOM Governments in several areas of economic and social development. These included among others, Trade and Investment, Education and Human Resource Development, Disaster Risk Reduction, Environment and Climate Change, Integration in the Global Economy, and Fisheries and Agriculture. 

 At the regional seminar facilitated by the CRFM Secretariat in collaboration with the Government of Japan, through support of the Caribbean Fisheries Co-management (CARIFICO) project CARICOM officials, fisheries country representatives, experts from regional institutions and the Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisation (CNFO) acknowledged Japan’s contribution in the fisheries sector in the CARICOM States at both national and regional levels during the past 20 years.

His Excellency, Ambassador Yoshimasa Tezuka for Japan in Trinidad and Tobago attending the seminar reiterated his country's commitment to the sustainable development of the fisheries in the Caribbean.  He said, "The Caribbean and Japan share many similarities, from islands being surrounded by water to being vulnerable to hurricanes.  Both Japan and the Caribbean can learn and share best practices and exchange expertise, toward making our countries socio-economic and environmentally resilient" He added, "That the 20 years of CARICOM-Japan Friendship Year 2014 is a momentous time for both Caribbean and Japan to harness deeper relations."

The following are some of the areas CARICOM Members have benefited from the 20-year relations with Japan:

• The construction of port facilities for fishing boats, and fresh fish markets and attendant facilities, including cold storage, and in one case, a bus terminal.
• Training attachments of fisheries personnel in Japan, as well as the attachment of Japanese technical experts to the region to facilitate technology transfer and human resource capacity building, have made a significant positive contribution to fisheries development in CARICOM.
• One of the earliest major regional projects was a technical cooperation project started in 1996 at the CFTDI in Trinidad and Tobago. This “regional fisheries training project” provided fisheries officers in the region with training opportunities in the fields of fishing methods, marine engineering and fish processing.
• Provision of in-country JICA expertise from as far back as 1990, up to the present, to provide technical assistance included aquaculture / mariculture; fishing gear and methods; engine maintenance; coastal fishing technology; FAD development; long line fishing technology; fish marketing and product development; and marine biology.
• JOCV volunteers also carried out community development activities that assisted fishers.

The contribution of the Government of Japan towards the sustainable development and management of aquaculture and fisheries in the CARICOM countries continued with a 3 year regional study (2009-2012), which prepared a Master Plan on sustainable use and conservation of fisheries resources for coastal community development.

The Government of Japan is also currently supporting a follow-up project, the CARIFICO Project, to begin implementing some of the recommendations contained in the Regional Master Plan.

The participation of stakeholders at national and regional levels of cooperation and interventions recognized that Japan and CARICOM Members shared a similar philosophy on sustainable use of marine resources and made recommendations on the scope for  new interventions through emerging issues and priority areas consistant with the Caribbean Common Common Fisheries Policy and the CARICOM Strategic Plan.  These include:

• Continued assistance with capacity building and training.
• Obtaining baseline information on the deep slope resources to determine the potential for this type of fishery and management requirements.
• Upgrade of processing and marketing facilities to support better access to local, regional and international markets.
• Develop post-harvest processing facilities for small-scale fisheries.
• Provide  technical assistance in
  • • post-harvest quality control for small-scale fisheries
    • boat building with fiber glass
    • fishing net construction and repairing
    • outboard engine maintenance and repairs
    • utilisation of By-catch Reduction Devices
    • business management and marketing.
• Support Aquaculture activities in general and, in particular, marine aquaculture such as, but not limited to, grouper farming, mangrove oyster farming and culture of selected ornamental species.
• Support the development [and/or obtaining] of cost effective sources of feed for aquaculture
• Study for potential markets for underdeveloped fisheries.
• Consider support to intra-regional pelagic and/or deep slope demersal fishermen’s exchange programmes, as appropriate.
• Support scientific research (stock assessment) of main target species of artisanal fisheries (including for Penaeus species in collaboration with Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana).
• Support scientific research on invasive species such as lionfish and Sargassum to consider the current and long term impacts on the regional fisheries.
• Facilitate continued collaboration with CFTDI and further implementation / expansion of the Basic Fishermen’s Training Course.
• Strengthening fishers and fishers’ organization.
• Capacity building of stakeholders along the industry chain is important for successful uptake of emerging new ideas and technologies.

In closing the seminar, participants noted that the relationship with Japan was very beneficial to the CARICOM countries and expressed their gratitude to Japan for the support provided over the past 20 years to strengthen sustainable use, conservation and management of the marine living resources and improve livelihoods of coastal communities. They also expressed the desire to further strengthen and deepen the bond of friendship and cooperation between CARICOM and Japan over the next 20 years.

For additional information contact:

Milton Haughton

CRFM Executive Director

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Adelle Roopchand

Media Relations

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About CRFM:The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) was officially inaugurated on 27 March 2003, in Belize City, Belize, where it is headquartered, following the signing of the “Agreement Establishing the CRFM” on February 4, 2002. It is an inter-governmental organization with its mission being to “To promote and facilitate the responsible utilization of the region's fisheries and other aquatic resources for the economic and social benefits of the current and future population of the region”. The CRFM consist of three bodies – the Ministerial Council; the Caribbean Fisheries Forum; and the CRFM Secretariat. Its members are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

SUMMARY

Fisheries are an important source of food, income and cultural identity for Caribbean communities. While reef fisheries in the Caribbean are frequently over-exploited, offshore pelagic resources also targeted by the US sport-fishing industry may generate alternative economic benefits and divert pressure from reefs. Key to the efficient harvesting of thinly-distributed pelagic fish is the use of fish aggregation devices (FADs). Traditionally, FADs were deployed by individuals or close-knit groups of fishers. Recently, governments have deployed public FADs accessible to all. There is concern that public FADs are exploited less efficiently and produce conflicts related to crowding and misuse.

In partnership with Counterpart International, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism and the Dominica and St. Vincent and the Grenadines Fisheries Divisions, Florida Sea Grant collected information from fishermen on their use of FADs that were deployed privately, by small groups or by the government. This allowed for a determination of governance arrangements that were most profitable and provided input to stakeholder meetings with FAD fishers to identify best practices for sustainably using and co-managing FADs.

The fishing trip analysis shows that catch and profitability are higher when FADs are managed privately or by small groups and access to the aggregated fisheries resources is somewhat restricted. An engagement strategy that introduced an activity planner as a best practice to increase information sharing helped strengthen the rapport between government and fisheries stakeholders. Study results are helping shape regional implementation of policy, which favors FADs co-managed by fishers and government, but can benefit from positive aspects of FADs managed privately or by small groups.

ROSEAU, Dominica, April 23 (CRFM) – The future of the conch and lobster sector is being examined as the 12th meeting of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum,the main technical and scientific decision-making bodyof the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), opened here Wednesday at the Fort Young Hotel.

Acting Permanent Secretary in Dominica’s Ministry of the Environment, Natural, Physical Planning and Fisheries, Harold Guiste, made special mention of the issue while presenting the feature address on behalf of the host nation.

Mr. Guiste said that amid systems put in place region-wide to monitor the harvesting of the delicacies, “it appears some countries are bent on wanting to exercise control over all the resources in the world.”

He further noted: “Globally we have noticed a rush to fish accompanied by a lack of responsible behaviour in the fishing sector. This type of hooligan behaviour has resulted in severe decline in some major fisheries of the world and collapse in some others.”

The senior ministry official called on the CRFM to work closely with its stakeholders and partners to safeguard against the depletion of the region’s already challenged resources.

The spiny lobster industry brings in about US$456 million per year to CARICOM producers but high demand has led to an unhealthy state of the stock.

The CRFM is also concerned that since 2012 an environmental NGO in the US has called for the queen conch, a delicacy and the largest mollusc fished commercially across the Caribbean to be listed as an endangered species in accordance with the US Endangered Species Act.

The protection of queen conch is already governed by the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), whose guidelines CARICOM signatory nations follow scrupulously.

The matter has been taken to the Council for Trade and Economic Development COTED and the Ministries of Foreign Affairs in CRFM member countries.

In light of annual, substantial losses caused by Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishingthe Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy is also getting special attention at the meeting.

CRFM Executive Director Milton Haughton said while regional governments have agreed to the policy, mandated by CARICOM close to a decade ago, it was not signed at the 25th Inter-Sessional meeting of CARICOM Heads recently held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

The common fisheries policy would act as a treaty to guide sustainable contributions for regional development and food security, develop the scientific basis for decision-making, strengthen sanitary and phytosanitary systems and market research which could lead to improved access to overseas markets, through cooperation to increase the fish processing which offers value added products and create jobs.

“We have to strengthen our systems to ensure better conservation and resource management, especially of the resources that are our main commercial resources including lobster and queen conch etc. Long term sustainability is one of the key challenges facing the fisheries sector in the region s well as globally,” Haughton said.

Fourteen of the 17 member countries of the CRFM are present at this year’s meeting;absent are Barbados, Haiti and Suriname. Two observers, The Netherlands and Curacao, have expressed an interest in joining the Belize-based CRFM.

ABOUT THE CRFM

Based in Belize, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) was established in 2003. It is the core of a complex interactive network of a wide variety of stakeholders in fisheries. Three bodies together make up the Mechanism. These are: a ministerial body, a Fisheries Forum (the main technical and scientific decision-making body) and a Fisheries Technical Unit or Secretariat.

CRFM promotes the sustainable use of fisheries and aquaculture resources in and among Member States, by developing, managing and conserving these resources in collaboration with stakeholders to benefit the people of the Caribbean region.

Its membership includes all CARICOM countries, as full members. Other countries and territories in the Caribbean may join the Mechanism as Associate Members.

BELIZE CITY, Tuesday, April 22, 2014 (CRFM)—In the face of new and emerging challenges—such as climate change adaptation and disaster risk management, and food and nutrition insecurity—Caribbean countries are strengthening collaborative effort which they hope would maximize their initiatives to further drive down poverty rates within fishing communities and improve food and nutrition security, while ensuring that they take advantage of modern technological avenues to add dollar-value to the fisheries resources that are a source of livelihood for nearly 200,000 fishers across the region.

It is in this vein that heads of national fisheries authorities from the seventeen (17) member states of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), as well as observers and partner agencies, will converge at the 12th Meeting of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum, the technical, advisory arm of the CRFM, on Wednesday, April 23, 2014, at Fort Young Hotel in Roseau, Dominica.

  Honourable Dr. Kenneth Darroux, Dominica's Minister of the Environment, Natural Resources, Physical Planning and Fisheries, is scheduled to deliver the keynote address, at this auspicious gathering of fisheries managers and stakeholders from across the region.

 The Caribbean Fisheries Forum will discuss plans for the region to adopt the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy – a progressive legal instrument which is ready for endorsement by Caribbean Heads of Government.

The country representatives will also look at the advancement of the region in implementing the Castries (St. Lucia) Declaration on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing, including the recent conclusion of a Prosecution Manual and the companion Standard Operating Procedure Manual for Caribbean states, and a regional strategy to strengthen monitoring, control and surveillance systems.

The Forum will be updated on the progress of technical activities being undertaken by the CRFM Secretariat, its member states and network partners. For example, the technical team will review the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR), supported by the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank, as well as joint action to strengthen the conservation and management of important fisheries such as the spiny lobster, queen conch and flyingfish.

Finally, they will formulate recommendations on the way forward, for consideration by the Ministerial Council, due to meet on May 23, 2014 in Dominica.

At the 11th Forum Meeting held in Barbados a year ago, the fisheries managers contributed greatly to the development of the newly adopted Information Communications Technology (ICT) Strategy for the CRFM, as well as the Independent Performance Review and Strategic Plan for 2013-2021 for the regional fisheries body.

CRFM Executive Director, Milton Haughton underscored the importance of the upcoming meeting of CRFM states and regional development partners.

"We will have thorough discussion on several key issues in fisheries and aquaculture and reach consensus on the way forward in improving the contribution fisheries make to the region's social and economic development," Haughton said. "We will review the progress made over the past year and discuss concrete initiatives to strengthen conservation and management of key fish species and ecosystems through cooperative actions, innovative development and value addition in the sector, as well as promote policy and institutional reforms and capacity-building initiatives to achieve sustainable growth of aquaculture and fisheries."

The CRFM Executive Director concluded by saying that "...this meeting will provide expert guidance and intellectual support to strengthen regional cooperation in fisheries in the coming years."

3013CRFM

The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) was officially inaugurated on 27 March 2003, in Belize City, Belize, where it is headquartered, following the signing of the “Agreement Establishing the CRFM” on February 4, 2002. It is an inter-governmental organization with its mission being “to promote and facilitate the responsible utilization of the region's fisheries and other aquatic resources for the economic and social benefits of the current and future population of the region”. The CRFM consist of three bodies – the Ministerial Council; the Caribbean Fisheries Forum; and the CRFM Secretariat. Its members are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands.

The Ministerial Council

The Ministerial Council is the highest decision making body of the CRFM, and is responsible for formulating the policy of the Mechanism. It is comprised of the Ministers responsible for Fisheries in each Member State. Among other things, the Ministerial Council is responsible for:

• receiving and considering policy proposals from the Forum;

• promoting the efficient management, conservation and development of shared, straddling and highly migratory marine and other aquatic resources of the Caribbean Region through attainment of competence over the resources and through co-operation with the relevant competent organizations;

• promoting and facilitating human resource training and development in the fisheries sub-sector at the professional, technical and vocational levels in Member States;

• promoting and supporting programmes designed to establish, facilitate and strengthen fisheries research, including the acquisition and sharing of relevant data in Member States;

• promoting and encouraging technical co-operation in the fisheries sub-sector, including technology transfer, information exchange and networking among States of the Caribbean Region and beyond;

• supporting efforts aimed at ensuring safe, healthy and fair working and living conditions for fishers and fish workers; and

• submitting annual reports to the Council for Trade and economic Development (COTED) and the council for Foreign and Community Relations (COFCOR).

The Caribbean Fisheries Forum

The Forum is made up of one representative from each Member; each Associate Member and each Observer. The CRFM Secretariat will be the secretariat of the Forum. The Forum, among others, is responsible for:

• recommending for approval by the Ministerial Council, arrangements for sustainable fisheries management and development in Member States based upon the best available technical and scientific data and information;

• reviewing the arrangements recommended by the Technical Unit for sustainable fisheries management and development in Member States;

• promoting the protection and rehabilitation of fisheries habitats and the environment generally;

• encouraging the establishment of effective mechanism for monitoring, control and surveillance of fisheries exploitation;

• encouraging the use of post-harvest practices in the fisheries sub-sector that maintain the nutritional value and quality of products;

• recommending for approval by the Ministerial Council, co-operative and other arrangements relating to fisheries; and

• receiving and examining the draft Work Plan and Budget of the Mechanism and submitting recommendations thereon to the Ministerial Council.

The Technical Unit (Secretariat)

The Unit comprises a permanent body of technical, scientific and support staff. The staff is located at two offices: one in Belize, the headquarters of the CRFM; the other in the eastern Caribbean. The Secretariat is responsible for, among other things:

• providing technical, consultative and advisory services to Member States in the development, assessment, management and conservation of marine and other aquatic resources and, on request, in the discharge of any obligations arising from bilateral and other international instruments;

• collaborating with national fisheries authorities;

• collecting and providing relevant data on fisheries resources, including sharing, pooling and information exchange;

• promoting the conduct of trade in fish and fish products according to applicable agreements;

• supporting and enhancing the institutional capacity of Member States in fisheries’ areas such as: policy formulation; economics and planning; registration and licensing systems; information management; resource monitoring, assessment and management; education and awareness building; harvest and post-harvest technologies;

• implementing the Work Programme recommended by the Forum and approved by the Ministerial Council;

• seeking and mobilizing financial and other resources in support of the functions of the Mechanism;

• establishing, in consultation with the Member States, and where appropriate and approved by the Ministerial Council, a network of relationships comprising non-CARICOM States as well as CARICOM and non-CARICOM organizations, bodies and institutions whose work and interest coincide with that of the Mechanism;

• encouraging, supporting and, as appropriate, providing effective regional representation at relevant international fora;

• serving as the Secretariat to the Ministerial Council and the Forum, and as the central coordinating body for the Mechanism; and

• addressing urgent or ad hoc requests outside of the regular work program presented by Member governments.