BE-CLME+ Knowledge Management Platform aims to connect policymakers, fisherfolk, private sector, and communities

Belize City, Belize (CRFM) – The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), have officially launched an open-access, Caribbean Blue Economy (BE) Knowledge Hub that brings together decades of the region’s expertise and insight on fisheries, aquaculture, and marine spatial planning.

The knowledge hub is a permanent, multilingual home for Blue Economy data, best practices, policy tools, and technical insight from across the participating countries–Barbados, Belize, Guyana, Jamaica, Panama, and Saint Lucia—built on CRFM’s expertise and the knowledge generated through the BE-CLME+ Project.

The digital platform is a crucial outcome of the Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded, BE-CLME+: Promoting National Blue Economy Priorities Through Marine Spatial Planning in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Plus project.

Dr. Marc Williams, Executive Director, CRFM, stated, “The BE-CLME+ Knowledge Management Hub represents the continued drive of the CRFM to make knowledge products more accessible to all stakeholders; connecting policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and communities to the evidence they need to act, adapt, and lead.”

Dr. Williams further elaborated: “Small-scale fishers, women who process and trade the catch, youth deciding whether this industry has a future worth joining, and Indigenous communities whose stewardship of marine ecosystems spans generations — all will find, in this platform, a resource calibrated to their realities. That means accessible formats, multilingual content, and practical tools that translate regional expertise into actionable guidance for every practitioner in the value chain, including fisherfolk, academics, and policymakers alike.”

Powered by insights produced through the BE-CLME+ Project and CRFM, the Hub organises technical reports, policy briefs, fact sheets, and multimedia resources across seven thematic areas for easy discovery. Users can search, filter by theme, and access an AI-powered assistant — “Ask BE-CLME” — available in both English and Spanish to help navigate the platform's resources.

Across the six participating countries, governments now have a consolidated evidence base—which can be found at www.beknowledge.crfm.int—to drive marine spatial planning, sharpen national fisheries policy, and attract blue economy investment.

Dr. Renata Clarke, FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean, said, “The importance of this platform cannot be overstated. It would help to unlock grey literature to better support decision-making by practitioners that is centered on benefits to communities. At present, piles of information and knowledge produced over decades sit unused, on desks and in drawers of national officers.”

With “over USD 200 million in annual Caribbean exports and more than half-a-million jobs” at stake across coastal communities from Belize to Barbados, according to the CRFM Statistics and Information Report – 2021/2022, the sustainable management of marine resources is an economic and food security imperative.

Erick Castro, Principal Executive, CAF, said, “

Advancing a sustainable blue economy requires long-term investment in knowledge, governance, and human capital. Through BE-CLME+, we are helping to build the foundations that enable countries to make informed decisions, strengthen institutions, and unlock opportunities for inclusive and resilient growth. This platform is a tangible example of that commitment, transforming regional knowledge into a shared asset that will continue to generate blue value over time.

”

Sustainability Is Not a Cost — It Is the Business Case

The Caribbean sits at the centre of one of the most biodiverse marine regions on earth, yet a significant share of its seafood continues to be exported as raw, unprocessed product which leaves most of the value, and most of the jobs, somewhere else. Closing that gap is a trade strategy, not a conservation ambition.

The BE-CLME+ Knowledge Management Platform provides the market frameworks, training, and certification pathways for seafood standards, and value chain intelligence that make sustainable seafood profitable, scalable, and investable; while equipping businesses with the regional data they need to make decisions with confidence.

Since 2023, the BE-CLME+ project has aimed to maintain and preserve cultural heritage through sustainable fisheries management, improved livelihoods, and alternative livelihoods while strengthening the integration of fisheries and ecosystem management to restore, protect, and maintain marine biodiversity, productivity, and resilience of marine ecosystems.

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A Modernised and Results-Based ICT Framework to Strengthen Institutional Governance, Administration, Productivity, Outreach, Visibility, and Engagement

Adele O. Ramos

Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat
Princess Margaret Drive, Belize City, Belize
mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.   

ABSTRACT

Since its inauguration in 2003, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) has placed high priority on Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for effective institutional governance and stakeholder engagement. During the initial period (from its official establishment by CARICOM Heads of Government in 2002 to 2012), the CRFM’s focus—notwithstanding the limitations of the technologies that then existed—was on information dissemination and data services to support the programs of the CRFM and to enhance its impacts on the fisheries and aquaculture sector, with a focus on the fishing industry and fisherfolk organizations in Members States. The strategic growth in the CRFM’s ICT framework reached its pinnacle during the 2013-2021 period, with direct benefits redounding to those CRFM Member States which also benefited from capacity strengthening in ICT through the CRFM’s alliances with institutional partners. It was during this period that the CRFM finalized its Communications and ICT strategies to address the needs of the Secretariat, Member States and other stakeholders; deployed a new website and the CRFM Data Portal; as well as mainstreamed the use of teleconferencing for electronic meetings and virtual stakeholder engagements, resulting in significant cost savings and enhanced efficiencies to the organization, while ensuring its continued effectiveness even during the mobility restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rising influence of social media platforms during this era also provided further impetus for the CRFM to disseminate information through different channels. This monumental shift in the CRFM’s ICT landscape positioned the organization closer to fulfilling its core functional objective of ‘Effective collaboration with member states and stakeholders.’ This third period (2022-2030) focuses on addressing key constraints and harnessing opportunities through a results-based approach to ICT and the further modernization of the CRFM’s ICT framework to serve its growing regional and international audiences.

HOW TO CITE: Ramos, A.O., 2026.  A Modernized and Results-Based ICT Framework to Strengthen Institutional Governance, Administration, Productivity, Outreach, Visibility, and Engagement. Contribution 8.7, p588-605 IN CRFM, 2026. Volume I: Technical Papers. Presented at the CRFM 20th Anniversary Scientific Conference, 28-31 August 2023. CRFM Special Publication No. 37, CRFM Secretariat https://www.crfm.int/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=951

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EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

CARIBBEAN REGIONAL FISHERIES MECHANISM (CRFM) SECRETARIAT, is recruiting a consultant to perform in the capacity of a Knowledge Platform Facilitator, for the CRFM/CTA Caribbean Fisheries Knowledge Platform Project.

Duration and Time Allotment

The assignment shall be conducted during the period 1 April 2014 to 31 July 2014. The assignment will require a total of sixty (60) person days.

Duty station

Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat, Belize City, Belize, although, travel to the Caribean region will be required as part of the duties/responsibilities.

Duties and and Responsibilities

The Facilitator will develop institutional capacities of participating discussants from fisherfolk organisations, the CRFM and other stakeholders, at the regional, national and community levels. He/She will:

1. Build organizational capacity to host debates and discussions online using existing systems;
2. Ensure that targeted users make effective use of email/web exchange systems to discuss ARD issues;
3. Put in place an integrated platform for knowledge exchange;
4. Deliver a technical platform that will host: (a) online repository that will comprise key documents regularly updated and (b) moderated e-mail exchanges and alerts. The selected platform will be part of the CTA’s and partners’ online resources; integrated with existing material and promoted;
5. Submit consultancy reports as per the Terms of Reference for this assignment.

Required Skills and Experience

• At least a Bachelors degree in Mass Communications or the equivalent
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, Publisher, etc) and other business computer applications.
• Working knowledge of modern forms of remote collaborative communication systems (teleconferencing, video conference, Dgroups, Skype, GoTo Meetings, Webinars, etc.).
• Accurate, meticulous and results/performance oriented.
• Proven skills and experience in Information and Communications Technology (ICT).
• Five or more years experience at the regional and national levels in the Caribbean.
• Proven facilitation skills / knowledge are also required.
• Proven teaching experience would be an asset
• Project management experience would be an asset

Emoluments

An attractive compensation will be offered. Interested applicants should submit written applications, providing full details of qualifications, skills and experience no later than Friday, 14^th March 2014.

Applications should be addressed to Executive Director, CRFM Secretariat, Princess Margaret Drive, P.O. Box 642, Belize City. Belize, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or faxed to 501-223-4446

For more details regarding the post, please visit our website at www.crfm.int. or call 501-223-4443