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."
No. |
Date |
Author |
Title | |
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2019 | CRFM |
CRFM Research Paper Collection Volume 9 ISBN: 978-976-8257-92-5 |
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2019 | CRFM |
CRFM Research Paper Collection Volume 8 ISBN#: 978-976-8293-07-7 |
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2014 | Kimberlee Cooke-Panton | |||
2013 | CRFM | |||
2013 | CRFM |
CRFM Research Paper Collection -Volume 6 ISBN # 978-976-8165-67-1 |
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2012 | Murielle Felix | |||
2012 | Alisa Martin | |||
2012 | Tricia Lovell |
Towards a Management Plan for Antigua and Barbuda's Queen Conch Fishery: A Co-Management Approcah |
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2011 | Mitchell Lay | |||
2011 | Netty Martowitono |
Efficiency on Cleaning and Disinfection on Fish Contact Surfaces |
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2011 | Stacy-Ann Gray |
An Economic and Production Assessment Model for Ornamental Fish Production in Jamaica |
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2011 | Yvonne Edwin |
An Apraisal of the Fisheries Data Collection System in Saint Lucia |
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2010 | Mauro Gongora |
Assessment of the Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) of Belize based on Fishery-Dependent Data |
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2010 | Rolerick H. Sobers | |||
2010 | Ricardo A. Morris |
A Bioeconomic Analysis of the Jamaican Industrial Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) Fishery |
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2009 | Maren Headley |
Harvesting of Flyingfish in the Eastern Caribbean: A Bioeconomic Perspective |
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2009 | CRFM | |||
2009 | CRFM | |||
2007 | Dawn Maison |
Management of Inshore Artisinal Fisheries in Guyana a Co-management Approach |
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2007 | June H. C. Masters | |||
2006 | CRFM | |||
2006 | Maria Pena | |||
2006 | CRFM |
Report of the Study Mission to Canada conducted 9 - 22 July 2006 |
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2006 | CRFM | |||
2006 | CRFM | |||
2006 | Jennifer Cruickshank, Peter A. Murray, Terrence Phillips, Susan Singh-Renton, Leslie Straker |
Discussion paper on Implementing Mechanism for a Common Fisheries Policy and Regime |
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2005 | CRFM | |||
2005 | CRFM | |||
2005 | CRFM | |||
2005 | CRFM | |||
2005 | CRFM | |||
2004 | CRFM |
The Effects of Liberalization and Trade Related Policies on Fisheries and Measures Required for their Sustainable Development in the CARIFORUM / CARICOM Region (Parts A and B) by Lloyd B. Rankine (PhD), Govind Seepersad (MSc), Ranjit H. Singh (PhD), December 2004 |
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2004 | Joseph O. Palacio | |||
2004 | CRFM | |||
2004 | CRFM | |||
2004 | CRFM | |||
2004 | CRFM | |||
2004 | CRFM | |||
2004 | CRFM | |||
2004 | CRFM |
Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve Fisheries Boat Census 2004 (PART 1), Belize by Sandra Grant, June 2004 |
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2004 | CRFM |
Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve Data Collection Plan (PART 2), Belize by Sandra Grant, June 2004 |
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2004 | CRFM | |||
2004 | CRFM | |||
2004 | Camilo Coral | |||
2004 | Trevor Hamilton and Associates |
Options for Institutional Rationalization of Coastal Zone Management in Belize. |
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2004 | CRFM | |||
2003 | CRFM |
Report of the Multidisciplinary Survey of the Fisheries of Haiti, 24 November 2003 |
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2003 | CRFM |
Strategic Plan for the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism |
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2003 | CRFM | |||
2003 | CRFM | |||
2002 | CRFM |
Regional Overview of the Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) resources in CARICOM / CARIFORUM Countries |
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2002 | CFTU |
Report of the Capacity Training Workshop for Fisheries Field Officers, 22 – 27 July 2002, Dominican Republic |
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2002 | CFTU | |||
2002 | Almerigi, S | |||
2001 | CFTU |
Report of Fisheries Data Collection and Management Training Workshop, 23 – 26 October 2001, Dominican Republic |
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2001 | CFRAMP | |||
2001 | CRFM | |||
2001 | CFRAMP | |||
2001 | CFTU | |||
2001 | CFTU | |||
1998 | CFRAMP |
National Reports and Selected papers presented at the Regional fishery Management Planning Workshop, 22 - 24 April 1998, Christ Church, Barbados |
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1997 | Adele Ramos, Gilbert Richard and Terrence Phillips | |||
1997 | Adele Ramos and Terrence Phillips | |||
1996 | Stephanie Marshalleck |
Report of the Conch and Lobster Subproject Specification and Training Workshop (Available in hard copy only). |
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1996 | Shrimp and Groundfish Resource Assessment Unit |
Report of the Joint Meeting of the CFRAMP Shrimp and Groundfish Subproject Specification Workshop and Fourth WECAFC Ad Hoc Shrimp and Groundfish Working Group of the Guiana-Brazil Shelf (Distribution Restricted). |
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1996 | David Brown, Ph.D |
Fishermen as Co-Managers of Communal Property in the CARICOM Region - Paper presented at the 6th Annual Common Property Conference of the International Association for the Study of Common Property |
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1995 | Brian Luckhurst and Stephanie Marshalleck |
Subproject Initiation Mission Report and background Review for Spiny Lobster and Conch. |
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1995 | Shrimp and Groundfish Resource Assessment Unit |
Subproject Initiation Mission Report and Background Review for Shrimp and Groundfish. |
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1994 | CRFM |
A Socio-Economic Baseline Survey of Thirty Fishing Communities in Twelve CARICOM Countries (Available in hard copy only) |
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1994 | CFRAMP |
Large Pelagics, Reef and Deep-Slope Fishes Assessment Sub-project Specification Workshop Report |
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1994 | Charmaine Gomez, Robin Mahon, Susan Singh-Renton and Wayne Hunte |
The Role of Drifting Objects in Pelagics Fisheries in the Southeastern Caribbean. |
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1993 | Paul Fanning | |||
1993 | Susan Singh-Renton and Robin Mahon | |||
1993 | CFRAMP |
Report of the Subproject Initiation Mission Report for the Large Pelagic, Reef and Deep Slope Fishes Assessment Subproject (Available in hard copy only). |
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1993 | Garret Manwaring and Paul Fanning | |||
1993 | Stephenie Auil-Marshalleck | |||
1992 | Robin Mahon and R. Bateson | |||
1992 | Milton Haughton |
Report of the Subproject Specification Workshop for National Fishery Management Plans, held in Kingston, Jamaica, 14 - 17 December 1992 (Available in hard copy only). |
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1992 | Robin Mahon, Karl Aiken and John Neilson |
Guidelines for Preparation and Production of Fishery Documentation Series Produced by the CFRAMP |
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1992 | Robin Mahon and Peter A. Murray | |||
1992 | Robin Mahon and Stephen Boyce |
Baseline Survey of Fisheries Department in CFRAMP Participating Countries. |
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1992 | Robin Mahon, Andre Kong and Karl Aiken |
A Preliminary Assessment of the Conch Fishery on the Shelf and Bank off the South Coast of Jamaica. |
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1992 | Susan Singh-Renton | |||
1992 | Paul Fanning | |||
1992 | Neil Ward Faulkner, Robin Mahon and Milton Haughton |
Subproject Initiation Mission Report for National Fishery Management Plans (WBS 1.1.1). |
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Yuri Sanjeev Chakalall, Robin Mahon, Hazel Oxenford and Raymond Ryan |
Fish Exporting in the Grenadines Islands: Activities of Trading Vessels and Supplying Fishers. |
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Fisheries Data Collection and Management Training Workshop, Suriname |
3013CRFM
Date |
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Author |
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Title |
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2020 | CRFM |
ISBN#: 978-976-8293-52-7 |
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2020 | CRFM |
ISBN#: 978-976-8293-32-9 |
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2019 | CRFM |
ISBN#: 978-976-8293-31-2 |
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2019 | CRFM |
Report of Meeting of CRFM Continental Shelf Fisheries Working Group (CRFM-CSWG). CRFM Fishery Report – 2019/1 ISBN: 978-976-8293-26-8 |
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2014 | CRFM |
ISBN # 978-976-8257-00-0 |
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2014 | CRFM |
ISBN # 978-976-8257-01-7 |
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2014 | CRFM |
ISBn # 978-976-8257-02-4 |
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2013 | CRFM |
ISBN #978-976-8165-83-1 |
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2013 | CRFM |
ISBN # 978-926-8165-82-4 |
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2013 | CRFM |
ISBN #978-976-8165-84-8 |
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2013 | CRFM |
ISBN #978-976-8165-85-5 |
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2012 | CRFM | Report of the Eighth Annual Scientific Meeting, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 20 - 30 June 2012. CRFM Fishery Report - 2012, Volume 1 ISBN #: 978-976-8165-62-6 |
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2012 | CRFM |
ISBN#: 978-976-8165-60-2 |
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2012 | CRFM | Report of the Eighth Annual Scientific Meeting, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 20 - 30 June 2012. CRFM Fishery Report - 2012, Volume 2 ISBN #: 978-976-8165-61-9 |
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2011 | CRFM |
Report of Seventh Annual CRFM Scientific Meeting, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 16 - 24 June 2011. CRFM Fishery Report - 2011 - Volume 1, Suppl. 1 ISBN #978-976-8165-46-6 |
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2011 | CRFM |
ISBN #978-976-8165-45-9 |
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2011 | CRFM |
Report of Seventh Annual CRFM Scientific Meeting, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, 16 - 24 June 2011. CRFM Fishery Report - 2011 - Volume 1 ISBN #978-976-8165-43-5 |
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2010 | CRFM |
ISBN# 978-976-8165-35-0 |
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2010 | CRFM |
ISBN# 978-976-8165-38-1 |
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2010 | CRFM |
ISBN# 978-976-8165-37-4 |
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2009 | CRFM |
978-976-8165-32-9 |
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2009 | CRFM |
ISBN# 978-976-8165-34-3 |
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2009 | CRFM | |||
2008 | CRFM |
ISBN# 978-976-8165-22-0 |
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2008 | CRFM | |||
2008 | CRFM | |||
2008 | CRFM |
ISBN# 978-976-8165-23-7 |
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2007 | CRFM |
ISBN# 978-976-8165-20-6 |
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2007 | CRFM |
ISBN# 978-976-8165-00-8 |
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2007 | CRFM |
ISBN# 978-976-8165-19-0 |
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2007 | CRFM |
978-976-8165-17-6 |
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2006 | CRFM |
978-976-8165-04-6 |
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2006 | CRFM |
Report of the Second Annual Scientific Meeting - Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 13 - 22 March 2006 - CRFM Fishery Report - 2006, Volume 1, Suppl 1 ISBN# 978-976-8165-00-8 |
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2006 | CRFM |
ISBN# 978-976-8165-07-7 |
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2006 | CRFM |
ISBN# 978-976-8165-05-3 |
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2005 | CFRAMP |
Report of the First Annual CRFM Scientific Meeting ISBN # 976-8165-14-6 |
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2003 | CRFM |
Report of the Multidisciplinary Survey of the Fisheries of Haiti (November 2003) |
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2002 | CFRAMP | |||
2002 | CFRAMP | |||
2002 | CFRAMP | |||
2001 | CFRAMP |
Antigua and Barbuda Queen Conch Abundance Survey (1999) |
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2001 | CFRAMP |
Marine Fisheries Census of Jamaica (1998) ISBN 976-8165-11-1 |
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2001 | CFRAMP |
Report of the 2000 Caribbean Pelagic and Reef Fisheries Assessment and Management Workshop |
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2001 | CFRAMP |
Report of the Joint Meeting of the CRFM Pelagic and Reef Fisheries Working Groups (2002) ISBN# 976-8165-13-8 |
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2001 | CFRAMP |
Review of Data Collection and Management Systems of the Marine Fisheries of Suriname (July 2001) |
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2001 | CFRAMP |
Review of Data Collection and Management Systems of the Marine Fisheries of the Dominican Republic |
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2001 | CFRAMP |
Review of Data Collection and Management System of the Marine Fisheries of The Bahamas (April 2001) |
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2001 | CFRAMP |
Report of the Multi-disciplinary Survey of the Fisheries of Suriname ( January 2001) |
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2001 | CFRAMP |
Report of the Multi-disciplinary Survey of the Fisheries of The Bahamas (May 2001) |
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2001 | CFRAMP |
Report of the Multi-disciplinary Survey of the Fisheries of the Dominican Republic (March 2001) |
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2001 | CFRAMP | |||
2001 | CFRAMP | |||
2001 | CFRAMP | |||
2000 | CFRAMP |
Jamaica National Marine Fisheries Atlas ISBN 976-8165-05-7 |
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1998 | Richard S. Appeldoom, Wolfgang Rolke, Stephanie Auil-Marshaleck and Shirlene O’Brian |
Stock Abundance and Potential yield of the Queen conch Resources in Belize |
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1996 | Susan Singh-Renton & Robin Mahon |
ISBN# 976-8165-00-6 |
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 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:
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:
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: