The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC) has received grant funding from the Green Climate Fund (GCF) under a Project Preparation Facility (PPF) to fund the project titled: “The Road to Resilient Fisheries- Adopting Ecosystems-Based Adaptation in Four CARICOM Member States (R2R Fisheries) Programme”, to be implemented in Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, and St. Kitts and Nevis.

CCCCC in collaboration with the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) developed a Simplified Approval Process (SAP) concept note for this programme which was endorsed by the GCF in January 2023. To transform the endorsed concept note into a funding proposal, the CCCCC seeks to carry out critical studies to inform the final programme design. The CCCCC is therefore seeking the services of a consulting firm to develop a project preparation package for the proposed programme. The package is to include:

• a Feasibility Study and Programme Design,
• an Environmental and Social Due Diligence Package, and
• a Gender Assessment and Action Plan for the proposed programme

The NEW Deadline for submission is now on or before 2:00 p.m. (GMT- 6) on Friday 20th September 2024.

Learn more here.

The Updated Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (2024) was approved by the Ministerial Council of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism at its Eighteenth Regular Meeting held Friday, 26 April 2024.

The Fourteenth Inter-sessional Meeting of the CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government, held in Trinidad and Tobago on 14 - 15 February 2003, mandated the elaboration of a Common Fisheries Policy and Regime for the Caribbean Community. Subsequently, on 20 May 2011, the Ministerial Council of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) approved the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (CCCFP) during its Fourth Meeting held in St. Mary’s, Antigua and Barbuda. Support for the policy was granted by the Seventy-first Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) – Agriculture, held at Georgetown, Guyana, which designated the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism as the Competent Agency for the CCCFP.

This version of the CCCFP contains the 23 original articles and four protocols approved by the Ministerial Council and COTED:

1. 1. 1. The Protocol on Securing Sustainable Small-Scale Fisheries as the First Protocol under the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy;
      2. The Protocol on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management in Fisheries and Aquaculture under the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy with the changes proposed by the Council;
      3. The Protocol on Aquatic Foods as a Strategic Resource for Food and Nutrition Security under the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy; and
      4. The Protocol under the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy on the Principle of Sustainable Use of Marine Living Resources for Blue Economic Growth and Sustainable Development of CRFM Member States.

At its meeting in April 2024, the Council urged all organs of the CRFM and its Member States to continue their collective efforts, in collaboration with regional and international development partners, to advance the implementation of the CCCFP, as well as the development of any and all additional protocols necessary to attain its stated vision and purpose.

To access the document, click here.

Resilient prosperity in the region’s small-scale fisheries is vital to securing the livelihoods of fishers who depend on this sector.  (Photo courtesy: Communication Unit - Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour (MAFFRTIL), Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)

Hurricane Beryl’s impacts on Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Jamaica, and Barbados underscore the need for urgent attention to retooling and protecting this vital sector

Hurricane Beryl—which broke record as the earliest major hurricane on record to form in the Atlantic—woke the region up to a stark reality: In the current environment created by acelerated climate change, strong hurricanes can rapidly form very early in the season, displacing entire communities and devastating the livelihoods of thousands in the blink of a hurricane’s eye. Beryl struck the Caribbean islands of Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines,   Jamaica, Barbados, Saint Lucia, and  Trinidad and Tobago, over a span of a few days at the start of July, and the fisheries and aquaculture sector was not spared from its furious winds, torrential rains, and erratic storm surges.

This catastrophe unfolded about a month after people from across the world converged on the Caribbean island of Antigua and Barbuda for the 4th International Conference on Small Island Developing States (SIDS), under the theme: Charting the Course Toward Resilient Prosperity. On the sidelines of this event, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) convened two seminars on key topics which are most relevant to the present realities confronting the fisheries and aquaculture sector, looking holistically on how we can chart a progressive way forward for the sector and our countries. This dialogue is even more relevant today.

The seminars were convened by the CRFM Secretariat and co-hosted by the CRFM and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda, with support from the CARICOM Secretariat, the National Fisheries Authority of Jamaica, and Green Initiative. They discussed: (1) Revitalizing SIDS Economies & Food and Nutrition Security through the Sustainable Use of our Living Marine Resources; and (2) Accelerating the Decarbonization of Fisheries in the Caribbean - from science-based targets to climate mitigation finance.

CRFM Executive Director, Milton Haughton (at the podium), addressing attendees at the CRFM’s Sustainable Use seminar on the vital importance of ocean and marine resources, worth at least US$24 trillion, according to World Wildlife Fund (WWF) estimates

In addressing the gathering on Sustainable Use, Hon. Samal Duggins, Minister of  Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources, Cooperatives, Entrepreneurship and Creative Economy, Saint Kitts and Nevis, said that, “The development of our mariculture industry offers a viable solution to improve the sustainability of our fisheries. By cultivating marine organisms in their natural habitats, we can boost local fish production, reduce import dependence, and provide fresh, nutritious seafood, as well as sustainable livelihoods for our coastal communities.”

“There is no reason why we cannot be self-sufficient in seafood (and fish) production through aquaculture and through utilizing and diversifying our marine fisheries,” said CRFM Executive Director, Milton Haughton, later in the dialogue.

In addressing the second session on climate change, Haughton said that with the increased frequency of storms and hurricanes, the Caribbean needs to build the sector’s resilience by investing in the restoration of protective marine habitats such as mangroves and coral reefs, enhancing fisheries management and biodiversity conservation. He noted several key initiatives being implemented by the CRFM with support from donors and partners, to strengthen resilience. These include carbon footprint assessments for the sector.

“We must play our part in contributing towards the decarbonization of fisheries and aquaculture in our region and moving from science-based targets to climate mitigation action,” Minister Duggins said in his welcoming attendees to the climate change session.

The Minister furthermore highlighted the critical need for financing, to empower the sector with the resources needed to retool itself and to implement the critical mitigation and adaptation measures needed in this post-COVID era.

Access to funds—whether grants or soft loans—can enable fishers to upgrade their equipment, adopt sustainable practices, and increase their productivity, the Minister said, pointing to some ‘low-hanging fruit,’ such as the adoption of cleaner burning engines and increasing reliance on renewable energy options, such as geothermal and solar power.

Frédéric Perron-Welch, Head of Climate and Nature Policy, Green Initiative, agreed on the need to transition to clean energy solutions, using more efficient engines and renewable energy. In his presentation on the carbon footprint assessment of National Fishermen Cooperative Society Limited in Belize, which was commissioned by the CRFM, he focused on the lobster value chain and found that the greenhouse gas (GHG) indicator for carbon dioxide emissions was relatively low. However, transportation and energy were the main areas of concern where he said interventions could be made to further reduce  greenhouse gas emissions. 

Slide showing emission sources for lobster value chain in carbon footprint assessment of National Fishermen Cooperative Society Limited, Belize, commissioned by the CRFM

“Financing sustainable fisheries management, upgrading infrastructure to withstand climate impacts and deploying advanced innovative technologies, including renewable energy and risk-informed early warning systems are now urgent priorities,” said Cristelle Pratt, Assistant Secretary-General, Environment & Climate Action, Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS), in her presentation during the session on climate change.

She added that: “The conundrum we find ourselves in, is that if SIDS have to foot much of the bill to adapt to and mitigate against climate change, they worsen the ocean of debt they are wallowing in now, and which may, in fact, sink SIDS before rising sea levels—another problem they did not cause.”

She expressed concern that financing is inadequate and not easy for SIDS (particularly those in the Africa, Caribbean, and Pacific regions) to access. The OACPS has estimated that SIDS require USD 28.7 billion annually (until 2030) to implement their nationally determined contributions (NDCs) to fight climate change. However, she noted that the NDCs provide an opportunity to secure the  requisite resources to build resilient societies and economies. The 79 ACP States, 39 of which are SIDS, have stewardship over 30% of the world’s oceans, Pratt noted.

The landscape of financing options, she said, covers national public finance, blue bonds, grants, and funds from multilateral development banks. She also pointed to support mechanisms such as the World Bank’s ProBlue and EU Blue Sustainable Ocean Strategy and Blue-Action initiative.

Frédéric Perron-Welch (Green Initiative), Cristelle Pratt (OACPS), Keith Nichols (CCCCC), and Milton Haughton (CRFM) - appearing left to right

Keith E. Nichols, Head, Special Projects, Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), said that every risk presents an opportunity. As for the risks associated with climate change, Caribbean countries can use the NDC Partnership as a key opportunity to secure the resources needed to build resilient societies and communities. Nichols said that achieving science-based targets means that we have to do what we can, adding that the transition is for our economic benefit.

The partners agreed that genuine and inclusive engagement of stakeholders—especially including the marginalized—underpins the success of future efforts to unite in addressing climate change.

“The fisheries sector maintains food security even after hurricanes or other adverse weather disasters,” said Ambassador H.E. Daven Joseph, Office of the Prime Minister, Antigua and Barbuda. He emphasized the need for development finance to mitigate the effects of climate change and risk insurance for fishers.

Ambassador Joseph asserted that the time has come to look at climate resilience financing through property rights innovative schemes, adding that those now taking over the coastal zone and resources should compensate those who they are replacing and who have been relying on these resources for their livelihoods.

Speaking from the floor, a fisher of Antigua and Barbuda stressed the need for adequate investment and financing so that fishers would be equipped with the requisite resources, including larger, safer and and better boats and equipment, to access the largely untapped deep sea resources.

Dr. Salome Taufa, Resource Economist and Team Leader Fisheries at the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat, observed that limited capacity to sustainably develop the sector, as well as challenges related to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and overexploitation, are common issues confronting SIDS.

She shared two important initiatives used by the Pacific region: (i) the Hubs and Spokes Project to upscale the sector by using resource-rich, lesser developed locations as suppliers, and more developed locations as hubs for production, trade, and export; and (ii) the establishment of a regional fisheries development fund, which could help to defray the revenue losses expected to occur due to adverse climate change impacts.

She also spoke of the need to change mindsets to expand economic opportunities and improve wealth distribution, and the need to strike a balance between development and  environmental protection.

Dr. Gavin Bellamy, Chief Executive Officer, National Fisheries Authority, Jamaica, said: “How fisheries authorities in the region can address food and nutrition security is with a holistic approach in looking at all facets of the industry from both regulations, and laws and compliance, as well as research and development, to support fishers and to help develop the industry in a sustainable manner.”

Kareem Sabir, Senior Project Officer - Sustainable Development, CARICOM Secretariat, noted the efforts being made under CARICOM’s Vision 25 by 2025 initiative–aimed at reducing the region’s food import bill by 25% by 2025, including imports of fish and other marine products. He informed of plans to develop a CARICOM policy document on ocean management. Additionally, he pointed to the need for a common framework for understanding what is in our oceans, as well as to understand the associated uses and conflicts in a meaningful way, to avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

“The issue of property rights for fishers is something that must come back to the table and be given serious consideration by governments, because that is the only way you can have sustainable livelihoods and proper planning and development in the industry,” Ambassador Joseph reiterated.

G. Andre Kong, Jamaican fisheries expert, who previously headed Jamaica’s Fisheries Division (now the National Fisheries Authority) said that property rights can be ascribed to users of aquatic resources. He agreed that the right of tenure and right of access to resources are key to ensuring sustainable development of the sector.

Milton Haughton, CRFM Executive Director, highlighted the need to pursue actions aimed at spreading the risks associated with disasters and climate change, with a focus on livelihood diversification, risk insurance, planning and preparedness, and the empowerment of local communities to enhance resilience. He underscored the importance of ensuring that each local community has the resources, knowledge and systems required to harden coastal infrastructure, as well as to establish safe areas of refuge during the passage of severe weather systems.

In surveying the situation in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, the CRFM Secretariat noted the devastation caused to the island community of Carriacou, Grenada, which took a major hit from the hurricane.  (Photo courtesy June Masters, CRFM Secretariat)

Apart from retooling the sector and enabling fishers to transition to more climate-smart and resilient fishing vessels and gear technology, including underwater fish aggregating devices (or FADs), the Fisheries and Aquaculture sector needs better infrastructure, including safer harbors, jetties, piers, and other infrastructure—a need that must be borne in mind as the Caribbean jurisdictions affected by Hurricane Beryl rebuild their affected sectors and communities in the months and years ahead.

Honduran poachers detained on-board a Jamaican Coast Guard vessel (photo 1), and IUU vessels intercepted in Jamaica waters (photo 2). (Photos: National Fisheries Authority, Jamaica)

BELIZE CITY, Tuesday, 23 July 2024 (CRFM)—The Caribbean has a strong and impactful presence in the Blue Justice Community–an international alliance which has its genesis in an intersectoral, cross-boundary movement to fight the scourges of illegal, unreported or unregulated (or IUU) fishing and transnational organized crime in the fishing industry. The Blue Justice Community views these nefarious activities as serious and pervasive threats that undermine the rule of law, sustainable development and conservation of the marine living resources, and social and economic stability of the countries participating in the Blue Justice Initiative.

Hon. Saboto Caesar - Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry & Labour, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, addressing gathering at CRFM-Government of Norway side event during the UN Oceans Conference 2022 in Lisbon, Portugal (Photo: Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries)

The Caribbean region was recently acknowledged by the Blue Justice Community for setting a stalwart example for other regions to follow, because its chief policymakers have prioritized this matter and taken concerted action. The adoption of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Ministerial Council Resolution No. MC 15 (6) of 2021 regarding the Copenhagen Declaration on Transnational Organized Crime in the Global Fishing Industry and the Blue Justice Initiative was a clear signal of their commitment. En masse, at a high-level meeting in October 2021, several Caribbean Ministers responsible for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and the Blue Economy subsequently signed the International Declaration on Transnational Organized Crime in the Global Fishing Industry. Also known as the Copenhagen Declaration, this international instrument was originally adopted on 15 October 2018 at UN City in Copenhagen, Denmark, and the Blue Justice Initiative was established in 2019 to support countries with implementing the declaration. Twelve CRFM countries signed the Declaration in 2021, and two others signed in 2023. Several of these signatories are now active members of the Blue Justice Community.

Hon. Jullan Defoe, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy with specific responsibility for Fisheries and Blue Economy, signed the Copenhagen Declaration at the Blue Justice 2023 Conference (Photo: Blue Justice Secretariat)

“The Caribbean region stands as a global leader in tackling organized crime within the fishing industry. It brings me immense pride to witness the significant advancements made in this area. On the governance front, the establishment of the Blue Justice Caribbean Hub marks a crucial milestone, demonstrating a robust commitment to combating illegal activities in fisheries,” said Gunnar Stølsvik, Head of the Blue Justice Secretariat.

Stølsvik added that, “the region has achieved notable operational successes, showcasing the effective implementation of the Copenhagen declaration, which is the political basis of the Blue Justice Initiative. The combined efforts in governance and on-the-ground actions highlight the Caribbean's exemplary role in fostering a fairer and more sustainable blue economy worldwide.”

The 2024 Blue Justice Community Gathering

CRFM Executive Director, Milton Haughton, spoke at the 5th Blue Justice Anniversary (See related story here.)

Milton Haughton, Executive Director at the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat, and Peter A. Murray, CRFM Advisor – Fisheries Management and Development at the CRFM Secretariat and the CRFM’s technical lead on matters pertaining to IUU fishing and transnational organized crime in the fishing industry, attended the recent Blue Justice Community Gathering (which also doubled as the 5^th Anniversary of the Blue Justice Initiative) held on 18-21 June 2024 at Oscarsborg, Norway. Oscarborg, known in the early 1900s as the strongest fortress in all of Northern Europe, has notable historic significance, as it was used as a strategic defense to prevent Nazi Germany’s imprisonment of the King of Norway and his government in 1940.

"Fisheries crimes undermine the significant sacrifice that our countries and our law-abiding fishers make in order to conserve and protect the fish stocks and the marine ecosystem. In these difficult times, characterized by high levels of unemployment, high and rising import bills, growing food and nutrition insecurity, rising crime and social ills, as well as the enormous challenges brought on us by the negative impacts of climate change and ocean acidification, we just cannot continue to allow our fisheries and ocean resources to be plundered and destroyed; our conservation and management measures to be undermined; and the future of our countries and indeed our children, damaged by fisheries crimes," Haughton said, in addressing the gathering.

These efforts are being strengthend with cutting-edge techologies and tools. The Global Investigative Ship Tracking User Portal (GLISTRUP), launched at the Blue Justice anniversary celebration, is now live and accessible to maritime surveillance and enforcement personnel from States forming the Blue Justice Community. GLISTRUP enables satellite information to be collected by five Norwegian government satellites, and the system offers near real-time data, four years of historical data, and an advanced analysis tool.

The Global Investigative Ship Tracking User Portal is accessible to authorized persons from participating countries.

These include CRFM Member States that are actively engaged in the Blue Justice Community.

The Outcome Document of the Blue Justice Community Gathering was adopted on 21 June 2024, with the hope that the Blue Justice Secretariat will take it into account when preparing for the high-level Blue Justice Conference of the Copenhagen Declaration Countries to be held in 2025. The Copenhagen Declaration had 60 member countries at the time the Outcome Document was adopted.

Representatives from Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, The Bahamas, and Trinidad and Tobago attended the gathering.

The Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS) and the CRFM were also represented.

(Photo: Peter A. Murray, CRFM Secretariat)

Murray expressed optimism that the Blue Justice Initiative and the Blue Justice Community can strengthen the Caribbean’s fight against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing and transnational organised crime in the fishing industry.

“The Initiative facilitates cooperation and collaboration among participating countries and international allies that form a part of this global community. This bolsters our collective awareness, knowledge and understanding, empowering us to better confront this complex and daunting problem with more effective and targeted countermeasures,” Murray added.

• Blue Justice Caribbean Hub

He notes that the participants at the gathering applauded the Caribbean region for its efforts to implement the Copenhagen Declaration through the establishment of the Blue Justice Caribbean Hub. They also commended Jamaica for being the host of the Hub’s secretariat and signaled their support for other regions that had expressed interest in establishing similar Hubs. 

Hon. Floyd Green, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Mining, Jamaica, welcomed delegates at the Caribbean launch of the Blue Justice Caribbean Hub in November 2023, in Jamaica (Photo: Milton Haughton, CRFM Secretariat)

According to Murray, “The Blue Justice Caribbean Hub serves as a focal point for the priorities and next steps mapped out at the regional technical meeting convened by the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism in March 2022. This regional hub supports CRFM and its Member States in our efforts to combat IUU fishing and organised crime in the fisheries sector.” 

During a recent engagement on the Hub in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada representatives received valuable insights on the extent of such criminal activities in its waters as well as the wider Caribbean. According to Andrea Thomas, Fisheries Officer, Grenada, “the Blue Justice International Tracking Centre (BJITC) revealed an alarming observation: a heavy traffic of objects tracking as fishing vessels with unknown Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) within Grenadian waters and extending into other Caribbean islands. Grenada, like other Caribbean countries, has porous borders and limited resources, such as manpower and technological assets; so we, too, face significant challenges in preventing foreign vessels from entering our shores undetected.” 

Thomas explained that the urgent need to tackle this problem led to the launch of the Grenz Project. This initiative aims to identify, classify, and analyze these vessels in Grenada and the neighboring islands where they also appear, utilizing the Blue Justice framework to address these challenges. By doing so, the project seeks to enhance maritime security and foster regional cooperation in addressing this pressing issue, she added.

• Operationalizing the Caribbean Maritime Security Strategy

The Outcome Document furthermore recognizes the work of the Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), noting that the Caribbean Maritime Security Strategy (CMSS) and Implementation Plan, approved and adopted by CARICOM Heads of Government in April 2023, supports the Copenhagen Declaration.

Virun Lutchman, Maritime Analyst, Regional Intelligence Fusion Centre, CARICOM Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (IMPACS), said: "Collaboration between CARICOM IMPACS, CRFM and the Blue Justice Initiative remains key to operationalizing the Copenhagen Declaration through the Caribbean Maritime Security Strategy.”

Lutchman noted that, “the recognition by CARICOM Member States of transnational organized crime in the global fishing industry–including not only illegal fishing but also gun trafficking, drug smuggling, human trafficking, and other nefarious crimes taking place along the fisheries value chain–following the adoption of the CRFM Ministerial Council Resolution, marked a high point in the fight against crime in the region.”

"CRFM and CARICOM IMPACS continue to move forward in our effort to reduce opportunities for criminal exploitation in Caribbean fisheries as we bolster food security and regional security in the Caribbean,"  Lutchman said.

Strengthening Caribbean Capacity to Fight Back

The formulators of the Outcome Document also acclaimed the launch of the Blue Justice Ocean Surveillance Programme in September 2023. This programme is pivotal to the efforts to adapt to climate change; address fisheries crime; and prevent marine litter from abandoned fishing gear. Through this programme, satellite-based information from a variety of sources will be made available through the Blue Justice Community to eligible authorities.

The need for a Blue Justice Academy was also highlighted. This academy would offer an education programme to strengthen research, knowledge, and skills needed in government agencies and to cooperate in tackling fisheries crime. 

Caribbean maritime enforcement and surveillance professionals receive regular training through a partnership between the CRFM and the Regional Security System (RSS). This practical exercise improved tactical and strategic approaches for boat boarding during the regional Fisheries Prosecution and Interdiction Course (FPIC) in 2023 

(Photo: Peter A. Murray, CRFM Secretariat)

The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism also partners with the Regional Security System, another CARICOM agency, to provide training to Caribbean professionals to bolster their fisheries interdiction and prosecution capabilities.  The CRFM Ministerial Council has urged the RSS to seek regional accreditation, such as Caribbean Vocational Qualification (CVQ) certification for the training, which they hope would resume in 2025.

The CRFM  will also continue to support consultations in CARICOM Member States leading to the finalisation of the National Plans of Action to combat, deter and eliminate IUU Fishing. 

“We continue to band together–as a region–with our international partners and allies in fighting this colossal challenge that compounds the threats posed by climate change and natural disasters, such as hurricanes, to the living marine resources and the livelihoods of our people. The rich biodiversity that thrives under the Caribbean Sea provides not just economic opportunities but also food and nutrition security for our region, while maintaining a dynamic cultural heritage that attracts millions of visitors from across the globe to our unparalleled Caribbean destinations,” Milton Haughton, Executive Director of the CRFM Secretariat, said.

Learn more about the Blue Justice Initiative in the Caribbean

 Download this flyer

Videos on the Blue Justice Caribbean Hub

Take action to protect the Fisheries sector from the increased risk of damages that tropical systems (especially hurricanes) could bring.

The CRFM cautions fishers against operating vessels under adverse weather conditions and urges them to act early to secure their boats and store their fishing gear and basic supplies like ropes, lines, hooks, coolers, crimps and crimpers in the event of an approaching storm. This will help to ensure that fishers can protect their livelihoods and return to fishing more quickly after the storm passes and minimize lost and abandoned fishing gear that will continue to 'ghost fish.'

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The CRFM Secretariat is pleased to announce the recruitment of Dr. Dayne Buddo as the Regional Project Coordinator of the USD 48 million GEF/CAF/FAO/CRFM Project entitled, “Promoting National Blue Economy Priorities Through Marine Spatial Planning in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Plus Region" (BE-CLME + Project).

Dr. Buddo will be responsible for overseeing project activities, ensuring alignment with strategic goals, timely delivery of planned activities and fostering collaboration among stakeholders and partners. His extensive experience and knowledge will be very helpful in advancing the objectives of the project, which is focused on marine spatial planning, marine managed areas, seafood value chain development, and ultimately the sustainable use and management of marine living resources, biodiversity conservation, stakeholder engagement and capacity-building throughout the region, and enhancing resilience to climate change and ocean acidification.

We are confident that under Dr. Buddo’s leadership, we will enhance the project's implementation and impacts, and achieve significant milestones in the months ahead.

He will officially assume duties at the CRFM Secretariat in Belize on 1 July 2024.

In the photo above: Milton Haughton, CRFM Executive Director (left), with Gunnar Stølsvik, Specialist Director at the Blue Justice Secretariat (center), and Marianne Sivertsen Næss, Norwegian Minister of Fisheries and Ocean Policy (right)

Photo credit: Peter A. Murray, CRFM

Oslofjord, Norway, 18 June 2024--The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and ten of its Member States–The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago– are attending the celebration of the 5th Anniversary of the Blue Justice Initiative, being held at the historical site Oscarsborg Fortress in the Oslofjord. CRFM Executive Director, Mr. Milton Haughton, and CRFM Advisor - Fisheries Management and Development, Mr. Peter A. Murray, were among the 130 people who joined Norwegian partners at the event.

In 2018, nine countries came together in Copenhagen, Denmark, to create the Declaration against transnational organized crime in the global fishing industry, known as the Copenhagen Declaration. In 2019, Norway, as the custodian of the Copenhagen Declaration, established the Blue Justice Initiative to assist States attain their aspirations.

In May 2021, the CRFM Ministerial Council at its 15th Regular Meeting adopted the Resolution Regarding the Copenhagen Declaration on Transnational Organized Crime in the Global Fishing Industry and the Blue Justice Initiative. Since then, 14 CRFM Member States have signed on to the declaration.

Several speakers addressed the gathering at the opening ceremony. Speaking on “Ocean on Norwegian Foreign Policy and Development Cooperation”, Trond Gabrielsen, Director, Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that in 2019, Norway launched the Blue Justice Initiative to assist countries with implementing the Copenhagen Declaration. He noted that initially there was only 9 signatories, but today there are over 60 signatories.

Karianne Moen, Head of Section of crime prevention, Norwegian Directorate of Fisheries, presented “A public administration perspective,” highlighting the need to develop a deeper understanding of other crimes related to the fisheries sector as well as the actions needed to combat illegal activities, including the formulation of international accords, intelligence sharing, and the use of technology to identify and track vessels utilized in illegal fishing and transnational organized crime in the sector.

In sharing “A global fisherman’s perspective,” Sverre Johansen, General Secretary, Norwegian Fisherman Association, underscored that for the majority of fishers who are operating legally, it is important to maintain their ability to compete and to secure their future business. He added that transnational organized crime has a severe effect on the economy, distorts markets, harms the environment, devastates consumer trust, and destroys business.

“How can learning institutions support Blue Justice,” Stig Jarle Hansen, Professor at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences, said that the efforts need to be global, intersectoral, and interdisciplinary.

Arve Dimmen, Director Navigation Technology and Maritime, Norwegian Coastal Administration, pointed to the critical importance of interagency collaboration and coordination to leverage the analytical insights derived from satellite and AIS frameworks. She spoke of “The importance of maritime surveillance,” for regulating and monitoring maritime traffic.

Norway's deployment of satellites and antennae networks across 30 locations was noted by Maja-Stina Ekstedt, Vice President Sustainability, KSAT, President NIFRO, among “The technological contribution to solutions.” She emphasized the need for cooperation across jurisdictions, to enhance monitoring of activities across ocean spaces using all available tools.

From the left: Tor Glistrup - Consultant Fisheries Inspector; Fatou Bensouda - Gambian Ambassador to Norway; Henrik Fredborg Larsen - Director UNDP Nordic Representation Office; Bjørg Sandkjær - Norwegian State Secretary for the Minister of International Development; Gunnar Stølsvik - Sekretariat of Blue Justice; Delores Kotze - South African Ambassador to Norway; Nina Vaaja - Director of Barents Watch. (Photo: Peter A Murray, CRFM)

Speaking at the subsequent Launch of the Global Investigative Ship Tracking User Portal (GLISTRUP), CRFM Executive Director, Mr. Milton Haughton, emphasized the need for urgent, enhanced, concerted measures to prevent, deter, and eliminate all forms of fisheries crimes.

"Fisheries crimes undermine the significant sacrifice that our countries and our law-abiding fishers make in order to conserve and protect the fish stocks and the marine ecosystem. In these difficult times, characterized by high levels of unemployment, high and rising import bills, growing food and nutrition insecurity, rising crime and social ills, as well as the enormous challenges brought on us by the negative impacts of climate change and ocean acidification we just cannot continue to allow our fisheries and ocean resources to be plundered and destroyed, our conservation and management measures to be undermined, and the future of our countries and indeed our children damaged by fisheries crimes," Haughton said.

In October 2021, twelve CRFM Member States signed the Declaration together. Those Member States are The Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, The Turks and Caicos Islands, and Trinidad and Tobago. Several of those Ministers participated in the Blue Justice Conference 2023, held 23-24 March 2023 in UN City, Copenhagen, Denmark. On that occasion, two more CRFM Member States—Barbados and Dominica—became signatories to the international declaration.

- ENDS -

Video of the Celebration of the 5th Anniversary of the Blue Justice Initiative and the Launch of the Global Investigative Ship Tracking User Portal (GLISTRUP)

A CRFM participatory approach to developing a modern fisheries and aquaponics data management framework for Anguilla

Staff at the Fisheries and Marine Resource Unit, Anguilla, with members of the CRFM Secretariat Technical Team

BELIZE CITY, Wednesday, 12 June 2024 (CRFM)—A Technical Team of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat is collaborating with the Fisheries and Marine Resource Unit (FMRU) of Anguilla and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, under the European Union-funded Biodiversity Support Programme for ACP Coastal Environments (BioSPACE)  to develop a framework for a statistically sound data collection, management, and reporting system for the coastal and marine fisheries of Anguilla. This initiative is directly aligned with BioSPACE’s objective of providing support to national and local efforts aimed at assessing, protecting, managing, and sustainably using marine and terrestrial biodiversity.

“We chose to take a participatory approach to the development of the framework, so staff at Anguilla’s Fisheries and Marine Resource Unit were involved in the collection and analysis of data from fish landing sites, an aquaponics census, as well as biological samples from the fish trap reef fishery,” remarked Dr. Sandra Grant, Deputy Executive Director, CRFM Secretariat. “We took a novel approach by introducing digitization in data collection and management, and we will use the information captured to design a statistically sound data system for Anguilla.”

The CRFM Technical Team—comprised of Dr. Grant – CRFM Deputy Executive Director, Mrs. Junes Masters – CRFM Statistics and Information Analyst, and Dr. Pranaya Parida – CRFM Fisheries Scientist—visited Anguilla to provide hands-on training, to strengthen the capacity of the FMRU. The training was delivered in two phases. From 13-15 May 2024, there were online sessions on data collection and analysis, and from 21-28 May 2024, there was an in-person census of fish landing sites and aquaponics facilities, biological sampling of major fish groups, and analysis of the data collected. A total of 12 persons benefited from the capacity-building activities.

The CRFM Technical Team supported Anguilla with conducting a census of fish landing and aquaponics sites using digital tools. (Photo: FMRU)

Building upon previous work done by Fisheries authorities in Anguilla, the census helped to capture data, using digital technologies, on 145 fishing vessels as well as fish landing sites and aquaponics facilities. The support provided by the CRFM to update and streamline processes will strengthen Anguilla’s vessel registration and licensing systems and support evidence-based management of its fisheries. Furthermore, the collection and analysis of biological data—weight, length, sex, and maturity—from 10 species of sampled finfish, contribute towards deeper understanding of the status of the fish stocks upon which Anguilla depends for food security and the sustainable livelihoods of fishers.

The CRFM Technical Team led the analysis, verification, and validation of the data captured, providing valuable information and insights to the Fisheries and Marine Resource Unit of Anguilla, thereby empowering the CRFM Member State to utilize modern tools to improve its management and oversight of the sector.

Using a hands-on approach, the capacity of the Fisheries staff to capture biological and other data using Kobo Toolbox as a digital tool was strengthened. (Photo: FMRU)

“Evidence-based decision-making is critical for fisheries management and updating the Anguilla Fisheries Development Plan. The quality of national fishery statistics depends on adequate funding for the adoption of measures necessary to improve and maintain data quality. The workshops were timely as there are a number of changes happening in fisheries, which could benefit from this sort of training—one of the most impactful changes being amendments to the Fisheries and Marine Parks legislation, for sustainable fisheries development and coastal protection,” noted Kafi Wallace, Director, Fisheries and Marine Resource Unit, Anguilla. She also emphasized the commitment of the Fisheries Unit to engage stakeholders and share the data generated during the recent exercise.

The staff of the FMRU actively participated in the analysis of the captured data. (Photo: FMRU)

“This hand-on training was well delivered by the CRFM team, and I greatly appreciate that it was delivered by the CRFM, as a regional CARICOM institution that understands our fisheries and recognises our limitations. The ability to make data-driven decisions is a crucial element of good Fisheries management. This training has modernised our ability to do this. I loved that the introduction of the Kobo Toolbox will expediate the data collection and analysis process and help us to reduce the chances of user-generated errors,” remarked Remone Johnson, Fisheries Manager, FMRU, Anguilla.

“As it relates to staff, the training has done three things, in my opinion. One: the immediate digitization reduced staff workload and allowed us to concentrate on other matters. Two: the training has reinforced to us that we need to collect good quality data in the first instance, which is essential. Three: the training has bolstered the relationship between the data analyst and the data collectors. This, again, is expected to reduce errors and improve the quality of the data we produce,” he added.

The EU-funded BioSPACE Project is a support programme that was developed to contribute to the sustainable development of ACP Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and coastal countries, while at the same time supporting efforts towards achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). BioSPACE supports the CRFM’s commitment to improving the quality of national and regional data systems in accordance with the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy by building the institutional capabilities of Members to conduct research, collect, and analyse data; improve networking and collaboration among Members; formulate and implement policies; and make decisions.

The CRFM Team thanks the Fisheries and Marine Resource Unit for its continued dedication to improving the lives of fishers and their communities, and the OECS Commission and the EU for the support provided under this project towards strengthening the sustainability and resilience of the region’s fisheries and aquaculture sector.

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