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National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture in TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Fisheries Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries
Report written by Senior Fisheries Officer, Elizabeth Mohammed, with additional information from:
Director of Fisheries (Ag) – Nerissa Lucky; Fisheries Officers – Lara Ferreira, Louanna Martin,
Shandira Ankiah, Harnarine Lalla, Nadia Ramphal, Shane Durgah, Recardo Mieux, Allys Forte, Marc Bejai;
Senior Fisheries Researcher – Judy-Ann Bennett of the Fisheries Division;
and Fisheries Services Officer – Jenise Kirk of the Department of Marine Resources and Fisheries
OVERVIEW
Trinidad and Tobago (TTO) is located northeast of Venezuela between 10° and 11° N and 60° 30’ and 62° W. The country is separated from Venezuela by the 7 to 20 mile wide Gulf of Paria. The overall land area is 5,128km2 with 704 km of coastline and an Exclusive Economic Zone area of 77,502km2, making the ocean space some fifteen times the land space. According to the World Bank, agriculture, forestry and fishing contributed 0.96% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2021, representing a decline from 1.17% the previous year. The fisheries sector contributes about 14% of agricultural GDP and 0.1% of the national GDP, the contribution to GDP being dominated by the oil and gas sector. Nevertheless, fisheries is an important contributor to food security, employment, and domestic and foreign trade, and it supports and enhances the social, economic and cultural stability of its numerous fishing communities. Annual landings in the marine capture fisheries are estimated at about 13,084 metric tonnes, with the ex-vessel value of the commercial landings from Trinidad (70% total landings) being in the vicinity of TT$242.8 million. TTO is a net importer of fish and fish products (chilled, frozen, processed or live); in 2022 the value of exports was estimated at TT$90.7 million and the corresponding value of imports was estimated at TT$366.6 million. There are at least 25 companies in Trinidad engaged in the import and export of fish and fish products. Overall, the fishing subsector comprises about 2,892 fishing vessels and about 6,001 fishers. In 2012, through surveys at fish landing sites, over 800 land-based workers were identified as being directly involved in the fishing sector in Trinidad, performing a range of roles: vendors, wholesale truckers, hustlers at fish landing sites, fishing boat and net builders/repairers, electricians, mechanics, welders and others involved in refrigeration. While in general most fishers and vessel owners are male (based on a 2015 vessel census it was estimated that 90% of the artisanal vessel owners in Trinidad were male), there is an undetermined number of females assuming both roles. Females tend to dominate in the respective processing activities. Annual aquaculture production of food fish is approximately 17 tonnes (valued at approximately TT$255,000).
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HOW TO CITE: Mohammed, E., N. Lucky, L. Ferreira, L. Martin, S. Ankiah, H. Lalla, N. Ramphal, S. Durgah, R. Mieux, A. Forte, M. Bejai, J-A. Bennett , and J. Kirk, 2026. National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Trinidad and Tobago. Contribution 10.16, p 174-228 IN CRFM, 2026. Volume II: National Reports on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture. 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=970
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