The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat’s new Programme Manager – Climate Change & Blue Economy Development Policy, Planning, and Management, Ms. Sanya Compton, delivered opening remarks on behalf of the CRFM at the Blue Justice Conference 2025, on Tuesday, 2 December, in UN City, Copenhagen.

She addressed two key issues at the heart of the conference theme: “United in Action against Fisheries Crimes.” These are transnational organised crime in the fishing industry, including illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing; as well as the need for strong partnerships to strengthen responsible, sustainable management of our fisheries and other ocean assets.

In her remarks, Ms. Compton flagged four (4) perils of IUU fishing:

1. It undermines the foundation of sustainable fisheries management;
2. It erodes confidence in legal frameworks;
3. It destabilizes regional markets; and
4. It threatens the long-term viability of target species.

She urged stakeholders to strengthen their resolve and partnerships, and reaffirm their commitment to safeguarding the marine resources that provide food security, livelihoods, resilience, and rich cultural value.

She underlined the vital importance of strong strategic partnerships for addressing the challenges of IUU fishing and fisheries-related crimes and to responsibly manage our fisheries, our oceans, and all aspects of our Blue Economy.

Mr. Virun Lutchman, Environmental Crime Lead, Caribbean Community Implementation Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS), Blue Justice Caribbean Hub, presented on data and digital technology in addressing fisheries crime.

Three CRFM Member States offered their country insights. Ms. Wynnona Joseph, Senior Fisheries Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy, presented for the Commonwealth of Dominica; H.E. Noersalim Mike Mohamed Faizel, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, presented via digital recording for Suriname; and H.E. Floyd O’Brian Green, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, delivered a live digital presentation for Jamaica.

Jamaica also participated in a discussion on regional cooperation. H.E. Green, and Dr. Gavin Bellamy, Chief Executive Officer of the National Fisheries Authority, Jamaica, shared their experiences with hosting and administrating the Blue Justice Caribbean Hub - the first of its kind under the Blue Justice Initiative.

Prior to traveling to Copenhagen, Ms. Compton had attended a Global Affairs Canada (GAC) Results-Based Management (RBM) Training–a three-day event held in Jamaica–with CRFM's Sherron Barker, Regional Project Coordinator of the Global Affairs Canada/CRFM STAR-Fish Project. The training provided insights into GACs RBM concepts and tools, allowing participants to explore RBM methodology and practice to improve project management, decision-making and reporting. The training also addressed the conceptualization of and process for the development of logic models and theory of change.

Ms. Compton was appointed in September 2025 to take up a newly created post within the CRFM Secretariat–Programme Manager – Climate Change & Blue Economy Development Policy, Planning, and Management–in line with the CRFM’s strategic direction for the period 2022-2030.

Some specific elements covered under her portfolio are:

Policy and Programme Development and Implementation: Lead the planning and development of policies, implementation and monitoring of programs and projects addressing climate change impacts, adaptation and mitigation, and blue economy development focused on the marine living resources.

Blue Economic Development: Design and implement blue economy programs that enhance sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, marine tourism, and ocean-based livelihoods; identify investment opportunities and partnerships for the blue economy within the Caribbean region; promote gender-inclusive and socially equitable approaches to blue economic development.

Capacity-Building and Stakeholder Engagement: Support institutional and analytical capacity building on policy analysis, formulation, and implementation for sustainable management of fisheries, climate change adaptation, blue economic and aquaculture development.

Ms. Compton–who holds over 15 years of experience in the sector and a Master of Science Degree in Marine Science from Savannah State University in Georgia, USA–has been working with the CRFM Secretariat since May 2023. She started out providing consultancy services to support the portfolio for Fisheries Management and Development. After completing that consultancy, she was hired as Research Graduate, Research and Resource Assessment and retained that role until her recent Programme Manager appointment.

Event photos courtesy Peter A. Murray, CRFM Advisor, Fisheries Management and Development.

Fisheries and aquaculture, including mariculture, supports food security, sustainable livelihoods, trade, employment, and even cross-sectoral growth across the Caribbean economy—both the blue and the green economies which span sectors across terrestrial and coastal marine expanses.

Small-scale fisheries and aquaculture in Member States of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) employ almost 540,000 people, including women and youth, accounting for 6% of the labour force of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), according to data compiled and analysed by Mrs. June Masters, Statistics and Information Analyst at the CRFM Secretariat.

Across the seventeen CRFM Member States, almost 130,000 fishers—approximately 10% of them females—harvested an estimated 150,000 tonnes of seafood valued at US$527 million during 2023, from the marine capture fisheries.

Since 2003, the domestic marine capture fisheries of CRFM Member States had contributed 40% to total sector production, whereas the high seas fisheries (still active only in Belize) added 58%, and aquaculture (including seamoss mariculture) - 2% to the total fish production.

Marine capture fisheries production stood at 335,196 tonnes (in live weight) in 2023, although over the prior 21 years (2003-2024), the annual average was 389,473 tonnes.

From 2023 to 2024, CRFM Member States imported approximately 87,200 tonnes of fish and fish products valued at US$ 348.4 million annually, while the countries exported 47,000 tonnes valued at US$ 231 million.

For the period spanning 2004 to 2022, the annual average value of seafood traded between CARICOM countries was estimated at US$50 million. The fish exports with the highest average values were fish fillets and frozen fish. Exports across the region included live fish, fish dried, salted or in brine, and smoked fish.

Noting an overall decline in marine capture fisheries production and an opportunity to improve growth and employment in the fisheries and aquaculture sector across CARICOM, Ministers responsible for fisheries, aquaculture and the blue economy in CRFM Member States took a bold and decisive move to set new goals. The Ministers deliberated and formulated their decisions during the 16^th Special Meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM)—an institution of CARICOM—convened on September 30, 2025, in Saint Kitts and Nevis, during Caribbean Week of Agriculture 2025.

Leveraging data to improve production and earnings

At its 14^th Special Meeting convened during the 18^th Caribbean Week of Agriculture, held in 2024 in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Council had stressed the need for the CRFM to take the lead in transforming the statistics and information into actionable knowledge through focused assessments and analyses of the data. It charged the CRFM Secretariat to develop prescriptive measures geared at optimising Caribbean blue economic growth and sustainable aquaculture (including mariculture), as well as to improve the production metrics and earnings for those working in the sector across CRFM Member States. At its recently held meeting, the Council set a timeline of early 2026 for the CRFM Secretariat to report back on actions taken to deliver upon this mandate.

Strengthening CARICOM’s Labour Force

Via Resolution No. SMC 16 (02) of 2025, passed in September 2025, the Council furthermore requested the development of an action plan for increasing employment in the fisheries and aquaculture sector over the next 5 years, from the current reported level of 6% of the CARICOM labour force.

It recommended that attention be given to value-added products and processing as a means of boosting employment opportunities in the fisheries and aquaculture (including mariculture) sector.

Boosting intraregional trade in CARICOM

Another noteworthy decision passed by the Council is its directive for the CRFM Secretariat to present a special report to the Council for adoption in 2026, on strategies for improving fisheries trade—with a focus on intraregional trade—using the lessons learned from experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The CRFM Ministerial Council showed keen interest in reports from the CRFM Secretariat signaling that intra-regional trade yielded notable improvements during the pandemic and post-pandemic period. Intra-regional trade—that is, trade in fisheries and aquaculture products between CARICOM countries—accounts for approximately 15% of CARICOM’s regional trade, according to data available to the CRFM.

For the period spanning 2004 to 2022, the annual average value of seafood traded between CARICOM countries was estimated at US$50 million. The fish exports with the highest average values were fish fillets and frozen fish. Exports across the region included live fish, fish dried, salted or in brine, and smoked fish.

Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis, 29 September 2025 (CRFM)—The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) is convening three hybrid events spotlighting the fisheries and aquaculture sector, this week during the 19th Caribbean Week of Agriculture. The annual event, held under the auspices of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat, opened at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort on Monday, 29 September 2025.

Hon. Samal Duggins, host Minister for CWA 2025 and the upcoming 16^th Special Meeting of the CRFM Ministerial Council, addressing the audience at the opening of CWA 2025 in Saint Kitts and Nevis

Host Minister for the weeklong event, Honourable Samal Duggins, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Marine Resources, said in his remarks: “Our region has not always given agriculture the priority it deserves. Too often, it has been seen as a sector of last resort, rather than being recognized as a pillar of sovereignty and a pillar of growth. For too long, our farmers and our fishers—the true heroes of food security—have carried the heaviest of these burdens with too little recognition and too little support.”

He added that, “This week must be remembered as the moment when we moved from words to deeds, the moment we moved from intentions into deliberate actions… Let us leave with commitments rooted in the soil, reflected in our oceans, and lived in the homes of our people.”

On Tuesday, September 30, 2025, Minister Duggins will host the 16th Special Meeting of the CRFM Ministerial Council, which will be chaired by Honourable Kyle Hodge, Anguilla’s Minister of Economic Development, Industry, Commerce, Lands, Planning, Water, and Natural Resources.

Chair of the CRFM Ministerial Council, Honourable Kyle Hodge of Anguilla (right), with Undersecretary in the Ministry of Agriculture & Marine Resources, The Bahamas, Mr. Montez Williams

The agenda of the CRFM Ministerial Council focuses on items such as the status and trends in fisheries and aquaculture production, trade, and employment; initiatives to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing; a new grievance redress mechanism for the CRFM; a regional training and capacity needs assessment being undertaken by the CRFM with support from GRÓ-Fisheries Training Programme (FTP), under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), as well as south-south cooperation with China.

The Ministers will also receive updates and provide policy guidance on regional initiatives to address climate resilience and blue economic growth. These include the Global Affairs Canada-funded Sustainable Technologies for Adaptation and Resilience in Fisheries (STAR-Fish) Project; the GEF/CAF/FAO/CRFM BE-CLME+ Project: Promoting National Blue Economy Priorities through Marine Spatial Planning in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Plus (BE-CLME+); and the New Zealand Bioeconomy Science Institute: Plant and Food Research Group/CRFM Sargassum Products for Climate Resilience in the Caribbean Project.

Also on Tuesday, September 30, starting at 1:00 p.m. in the Saint Kitts (Plenary) Room at the Marriott, the Ministers will be invited to join stakeholders and partners, in person and online, at the final event being implemented under the Sargassum Products for Climate Resilience in the Caribbean Project: the Sargassum Seminar titled, From Sargassum to Biostimulant: Sowing Change and Harvesting Resilience.

Then on Wednesday, October 1, starting at 1:30 p.m. in the Dominica Room, the CRFM will partner with the Department of Marine Resources and the National Fisherfolk Organization of Saint Kitts and Nevis to convene the Caribbean Small-scale Fisheries & Aquaculture Forum.

Both technical events—the seminar and forum—will be held in hybrid format, and interested persons can either attend in person or online. Registration is still open via the CRFM’s website (crfm.int).

Finally, the CRFM, through the Canada-funded STAR-Fish project, will mount a renewable energy exhibit at the 30th Agri Open Day & Marine Expo to be held at the Royal Basseterre Valley National Park, Kim Collins Highway, on Thursday, October 2 and Friday, October 2, 2025.

– END –

(Photos and video footage courtesy Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources, Saint Kitts and Nevis)

Belize City, Belize, 8 July 2025 (CRFM)—Fish trade, fisheries-related crimes, and a new environmental and social safeguard policy were among key matters on the agenda of the Ministerial Council of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), which convened its 19^th Regular Meeting virtually on Friday, 4 July 2025.

The Council—which is comprised of Ministers responsible for fisheries, aquaculture, and the blue economy from 17 CRFM Member States—elected Honourable Kyle Hodge, Anguilla’s Minister of Economic Development, Industry, Commerce, Lands, Planning, Water, and Natural Resources, as the new Chair.

The newly elected chair of the CRFM Ministerial Council - Honourable Kyle Hodge of Anguilla

(Photo: Government of Anguilla)

Hon. Hodge said: "we will forge resolutely ahead with... actions aimed at ensuring safe, healthy and fair working and living conditions for over half-million fishers, fish workers, and others employed across our fisheries and aquaculture value chains."

“It is a distinct honor for Anguilla to take up this mantle of Chair from The Turks and Caicos Islands. We have very important work to do over the next year, as we continue to chart the way forward for this regional authority for fisheries and aquaculture across the Caribbean Community,” Minister Hodge said.

“As Ministers responsible for fisheries, we will forge resolutely ahead with promoting the efficient management, conservation and development of the region's living marine resources; developing and maintaining relations with national, sub-regional, regional, and international partners that share our vision and mission for sustainable Caribbean fisheries; as well as supporting actions aimed at ensuring safe, healthy and fair working and living conditions for over half-million fishers, fish workers, and others employed across our fisheries and aquaculture value chains,” he added.

The fisheries sector lies at the heart of a vibrant Caribbean blue economy, which operates within a dynamic international legislative and policy landscape that impacts fish trade in the Caribbean—and by extension both national and regional economies. The Council deliberated upon the implications of the listing of the queen conch under the United States Endangered Species Act (ESA). It also deliberated upon strategies for securing Caribbean trade amid measures arising under the US Marine Mammal Protection Act, the US Import Provisions & High Seas Driftnet Fishing Moratorium Protection Act, the US NOAA Fisheries Seafood Import Monitoring Program, and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) Strategy on Reduction of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Ships.

The CRFM has played an active role in regional and international initiatives to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and other fisheries-related crimes. The Council received updates on the efforts made by the CRFM Secretariat and Member States to address fisheries-related crimes, including efforts through the global Blue Justice Initiative and the Blue Justice Caribbean Hub, based in Jamaica. They also received updates on interventions led by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), as well as a new partnership with the Caribbean Community Implementing Agency for Crime and Security (CARICOM IMPACS) and Auxilium Worldwide.

The Ministers approved the CRFM’s new Environmental and Social Safeguard Policy, which will serve as a guiding framework to manage environmental and social risks and ensure compliance with relevant national, regional, and international safeguard principles and standards.

They also approved the CRFM Strategy for Mainstreaming Biodiversity into Regional Fisheries Management. This document signals the commitment of CRFM Member States to ensure that marine biodiversity and environmental protection are integrated into fisheries management.

The CRFM expresses its sincerest gratitude to Hon. Josephine Olivia Connolly, former Minister of Tourism, Environment, Fisheries and Marine Affairs, Culture and Heritage, Agriculture and Religious Affairs, of The Turks and Caicos Islands, for her stellar service as Chair of the Council for the 2024 Programme Year. We also welcome her successor, Hon. Zhavargo Jolly, who became the new Minister of Tourism, Agriculture, Fisheries & Environment in the Turks and Caicos Islands in February 2025.

The Council is scheduled to hold an in-person meeting in October 2025 at Caribbean Week of Agriculture, to be convened by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat in Saint Kitts and Nevis. 

– END –

Belize City, Thursday, 19 June 2025 (CRFM)—The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) is moving full speed ahead with the implementation of the Canada-funded STAR-Fish Project: “Sustainable Technologies for Adaptation and Resilience in Fisheries.” This CAD 4 million initiative is designed to increase clean energy transition in Caribbean fisheries and aquaculture while building resilience, by addressing the need to improve competitiveness and unleash key economic drivers.

This month, the CRFM Secretariat welcomed two highly experienced project staff: Mr. Sherrón Barker – Regional Project Coordinator, and Mrs. Daintyann Barrett-Smith – Environmental and Social Safeguards Specialist.

"The STAR-Fish Project represents an important opportunity to drive innovation and sustainability in Caribbean fisheries. I am honoured to support our partners in delivering real progress on climate resilience, gender equity, and clean energy transition in this critical sector for our region’s economies and communities," Mr. Barker said.

He joined the CRFM Secretariat in Belize City in February 2025, as the Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer under another regional initiative – the GEF/FAO/CRFM BE-CLME+ Project titled, “Promoting National Blue Economy Priorities Through Marine Spatial Planning in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Plus.” He previously worked as Project Manager for the Sustainable Seabed Knowledge Initiative, at the International Seabed Authority in Jamaica from 2023 to 2024.

In his new role as the Regional Project Coordinator for the STAR-Fish Project, Mr. Barker will oversee and coordinate the implementation of STAR-Fish. He also holds responsibility for planning, implementing, and ensuring the delivery of timely and quality project outputs.

Complementing his work, Mrs. Barrett-Smith will assess environmental and social risks, recommend solutions, ensure compliance with the relevant environmental and social safeguard policies and standards, as well as provide technical support for the implementation of the project and its activities. She will also lead the development of an environmental and social screening checklist for the project. She is furthermore tasked with identifying mitigation and corrective measures which may be required by the project. Of note is that Mrs. Barnett-Smith has also been retained to fill the role vacated by Mr. Barker as the Environmental and Social Safeguards Officer for the BE-CLME+ Project.

In 2024, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) approved the implementation of STAR-Fish—a four-year project which was developed by the CRFM to address climate resilience in the Caribbean. The Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada, has donated CAD 4 million to the project, while the CRFM has committed CAD 324,000 in counterpart funding. Although this project is being implemented in countries eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA)—namely Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname—the CRFM Secretariat is committed to ensuring that other Member States across the region garner as many spin-off benefits as possible.

The fisheries sector consumes energy across its value chain, particularly for fish processing—cooling, cleaning, drying, and freezing. The STAR-Fish Project seeks to demonstrate that energy costs can be substantially reduced by transitioning to renewable energy technologies. The project intends to ultimately increase clean energy transition in Caribbean fisheries and aquaculture by applying a gender-responsive approach to its interventions, as it supports the certification of low carbon or carbon neutral fisheries in the region and facilitates technical collaboration and knowledge exchange.

The STAR-Fish Project is pivotal for the advancement of the CRFM’s 2022-2030 Strategic Plan. It particularly supports the attainment of Strategic Goal 4, which envisions “Increased use of renewable energy and energy efficient harvesting, processing, and cold storage systems, and reduction of the region’s reliance on fossil fuels in fisheries and aquaculture.”

– END –

About Global Affairs Canada:

Global Affairs Canada (GAC)—under the leadership of the Minister of Foreign Affairs; the Minister of International Trade; the Minister of Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs; and the Secretary of State of International Development—is responsible for advancing Canada’s international relations, including, inter alia: developing and implementing foreign policy; fostering the development of international law, international trade and commerce; and providing international assistance (encompassing humanitarian, development, and peace and security).

4 June 2025, Dominica--The Regional Seminar for the Project for Strengthening Sustainable Use and Management of Coastal Fisheries Resources in the CARICOM Countries (COASTFISH) has just concluded in Dominica after two days of spirited engagements.

Hon. Jullan Defoe, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green, Economy, Dominica, welcomed the attendees during the opening ceremony held yesterday.

The purpose of the regional seminar was to disseminate the outputs, achievements, good practices and lesson learned across several project activities which focused on strategies and actions to achieve co-management as a tool for resource management and for fostering better livelihoods. The ultimate goal is to further expand the co-management approach established during the project to the wider Caribbean, in line with the overall project goal.

The COASTFISH Regional Seminar brought together fishers and fisheries officials from the project's six participating countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. Two experts from the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat, Dr. Sandra Grant - Deputy Executive Director and Dr. Maren Headley - Programme Manager, Fisheries Management and Development, provided integral technical support and delivered presentations during the course of the two-day event. Dr. Joeli Veitayaki, University of South Pacific, delivered a lecture on "The role of co-management in Fisheries Association in South Pacific Country," while Dr. Mitsutaku Makino, University of Tokyo, delivered a lecture on "Tool Box in Blue Economy in the Fisheries."

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)-funded COASTFISH Project, implemented through IC Net Ltd. of Japan in collaboration with the CRFM has successfully supported a diverse range of pilot initiatives across the region aimed at enhancing the sustainability and resilience of coastal fisheries.

Here are some highlights:

• Among the pilot activities were the construction, deployment, and monitoring of artificial reefs designed to boost the recruitment of juvenile species such as the spiny lobster in nearshore marine environments. An important link to the tourism sector was also showcased through the use of artificial reefs as a dive attraction, and highlighted intersectoral linkages within the blue economy.

• Countries also piloted the construction of fish pots with biodegradable panels to reduce ghost fishing, the use of zinc anodes to combat fish trap corrosion, and the application of pop-up tags to deter theft of fish pots.

• The project further supported activities in sea moss farming and processing, including the development of value-added sea moss products.

• Fish preservation techniques, such as fish salting and product marketing were also promoted. In addition, a lionfish derby and culinary initiatives featuring lionfish recipes aimed to raise awareness and promote the consumption of this invasive species were undertaken.

• To support data-driven management of marine resources, a juvenile queen conch abundance survey was conducted to assess current population levels and inform fishery management strategies.

• Capacity-building was a key component of the project, with training provided in fish processing, product development, facility management and also dive certification for fishers.

• Coral gardening activities were also implemented, contributing to habitat restoration amid growing threats such as coral bleaching and disease.

• In keeping with its commitment to inclusivity, the COASTFISH Project piloted gender mainstreaming initiatives to increase the participation and leadership of women in the fisheries sector.

The success of these pilot initiatives highlights the value of regional collaboration and innovation in strengthening coastal communities and ensuring the long-term sustainability of marine resources in the Caribbean, using a co-management approach and highlighting the roles of fishers.

Closing remarks were made by Mr. Hisashi Suzuki, Deputy Director General of JICA, Dominican Republic who noted the successful outcomes of the project. Mr. Andrew Magloire, the project consultant, praised the excellent collaboration of all the partners.

On behalf of its Member States, the CRFM Secretariat thanks the Government and people of Japan for the support provided to the region through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). 

Belize City, Tuesday, 29 October 2024 (CRFM)—Caribbean ministers responsible for Fisheries, Aquaculture, and the Blue Economy held fruitful deliberations during the 18th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), convened by the CARICOM Secretariat in partnership with the host country—Saint Vincent and the Grenadines—from 7 – 11 October 2024. The 14th Special Meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) concluded with a firm commitment to improve climates-smart blue economic growth from the marine living resources and tackling the state of fisheries and aquaculture in the Caribbean through expanded production across the 17 CRFM Member States, to improve food security and jobs. At the conclusion of the week’s events, representatives of the CARICOM Member States convened the 115th Meeting of the CARICOM Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED), which endorsed significant decisions to strategically accelerate blue economic growth, including aquaculture transformation in our region.

Mr. Milton Haughton, Executive Director, Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat; Honourable Josephine Olivia Connolly, Minister of Tourism, Environment, Fisheries and Marine Affairs, Culture and Heritage, Agriculture and Religious Affairs, The Turks and Caicos Islands – Chair of the CRFM Ministerial Council; and Mrs. Kathy Lockhart, Acting Director of Fisheries, The Turks and Caicos Islands – Chair of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum of the CRFM (Photo: CRFM Secretariat)

“These meetings of regional policy-makers were a crucial opportunity to address some of the most pressing challenges in the blue economy and fisheries sector. The decisions we made will help to protect marine ecosystems while supporting food security and the livelihoods of those who depend on our coastal and marine resources,” said Honourable Josephine Olivia Connolly, Minister of Tourism, Environment, Fisheries and Marine Affairs, Culture and Heritage, Agriculture and Religious Affairs, The Turks and Caicos Islands – Chair of the CRFM Ministerial Council, in an official statement following the CRFM meeting.

The CRFM Ministerial Council sets the policy direction of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism, and it is the highest decision-making body of the organization. The Council is comprised of ministers from the 17 Member States of the CRFM. (Photo: CRFM Secretariat)

During its 14^th Special Meeting, the CRFM Ministerial Council deliberated upon priority policies and actions needed to advance the work of the CRFM and its Member States, building upon the decisions made during the 18th Regular Meeting of the CRFM Ministerial Council held in April this year.

“Our previous meeting in April 2024 saw significant progress with the adoption of the resolutions that have helped guide our work... We have the opportunity to further advance these initiatives and solidify our commitment to ensuring the sustainability of our marine resources,” Minister Connolly told her fellow ministers at the start of their deliberations.

The Ministers held extensive discussions following a presentation by the CRFM Secretariat on the status and trends of the fisheries and aquaculture sector in the CARICOM region, which indicated that for the most recent reporting period (2021/2022), domestic production (which excludes high seas fisheries production) stood at approximately 158,000 metric tonnes, valued at US $575 million. Aquaculture accounts for 6% of this production (8,777 tonnes), while marine capture fisheries in areas under the national jurisdiction of Member States accounts for the remainder.

Honourable Saboto S. Caesar, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, highlighted the need for priority attention to be given to boosting production and productivity across the region, particularly from the under-utilized and unutilized resources beyond the coastal waters.

“What percentage of our marine economy is left unharvested that should be harvested, and how [are] we going to set about having an increase in production and productivity to lift our numbers?” he questioned, noting the need for the successes of Member States [such as Grenada in developing their tuna fisheries and Saint Lucia in boosting sea moss aquaculture], to be quickly replicated across the region.

“Grenada is a shining example of what can happen in longline fishing for tuna from a micro-state. Grenada is in the OECS [Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States]; Grenada is in CARICOM; Grenada is covered by the CRFM—so is Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica, and the others around the table! Jamaica, for example, did excellent work in aquaculture. Saint Lucia has done excellent work with sea moss production, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, we are trying to model what we're doing from Saint Lucia...” Minister Caesar added.

Mr. Milton Haughton, Executive Director, Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat, noted that growth in aquaculture and the blue economy requires targeted and strategic policy actions and investments. These actions include (i) strengthening capacities at the CRFM Secretariat, the National Fisheries Administrations and private sector of Member States to provide the leadership and expertise needed to steer blue economic growth, including aquaculture development; (ii) mobilizing resources from multilateral and bilateral donors as well as private sector partners to provide the finances and investments needed to modernize the sector and realize blue economic growth; (iii) enhancing regional and national policy and legal and institutional frameworks to incentivize and support the envisioned transformation; and (iv) address biosecurity controls and other technical and marketing challenges to minimize the risk of losses and to build a profitable, resilient and sustainable sector. These necessary actions have been incorporated by the Ministers into the resolutions passed at the conclusion of their deliberations.

Haughton noted that the Caribbean lags far behind in aquaculture production, although globally aquaculture produces most of the seafood (including fish) that people eat. He added that aquaculture production today is mostly done in the marine environment—called mariculture, which is the ideal approach for Caribbean countries, most of which have limited land spaces and freshwater availability but large ocean spaces.

The Ministers requested that the CRFM prioritizes the development of aquaculture regionally and that it prepares a modernization strategy with technical support from a cadre of aquaculture experts from across the region, including persons comprising the CRFM Working Group on Aquaculture.

Another major development discussed during the 14th Special Meeting of the Ministerial Council is the innovative work being done by the CRFM and the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Ltd, under the New Zealand-funded Sargassum Products for Climate Resilience in the Caribbean Project, to utilize Sargassum, which is a valuable marine resource, to develop a viable and safe biostimulant to enhance plant growth. This initiative to valorize Sargassum was the showpiece of one of the CRFM’s technical events at CWA 2024, held under the theme: Climate Smart Agriculture for a Sustainable Future.

“We have worked with our partners in the region to design a process that gets rid of [virtually all] of the heavy metals, and we have been able to produce this biostimulant that tested and performed very well in the greenhouse and initial field trials with farmers. The field trials are wrapping up, but the initial findings indicate that it has contributed very well to plant growth,” Haughton said.

“This is a win-win situation. We are still at the early stages. We have the product now, and we will be doing further development work in Jamaica with a private sector partner, where we will set up a pilot production plant. We hope that the pilot commercial type operation will demonstrate a viable and efficient production process that will produce a good organic-based fertilizer from… Sargassum that has been a problem and a challenge for us. Fertilizer is a required input by farmers, and it is very expensive. If we can produce an effective fertilizer/bio-stimulant from Sargassum that can help reduce the high import bill of fertilizer, that would be good for our farmers and help to achieve our goal of reducing the region’s large food import bill,” he added.

The Ministers also provided guidance for the development of a CARICOM Regional Strategy for Mainstreaming Global Biodiversity Considerations in Fisheries and Aquaculture Policies and Practices, which should be returned to them for their review and approval at their next meeting due in April 2025.

They also reviewed the progress being made under the GEF/CAF/FAO/CRFM BE-CLME+ Project: Promoting National Blue Economy Priorities through Marine Spatial Planning in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Plus, and provided guidance on the way forward to advance several regional initiatives, including a new project funded by Global Affairs Canada titled, Sustainable Technologies for Adaptation and Resilience in Fisheries or the STAR-Fish Project.

To round out their work, the Ministers addressed the need for the CRFM to facilitate strengthened disaster recovery from hurricanes and other severe weather events, such as Hurricane Beryl, a major hurricane which struck several Caribbean islands, including Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Barbados, Saint Lucia, and Jamaica, in July 2024.

Apart from the Special Meeting of the Ministerial Council, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism hosted two hybrid public events at CWA 2024, with a focus on Promoting Climate-Smart and Resilient Fisheries and Aquaculture for Food Sovereignty & Food Security, and a Sustainable & Profitable Future. The Sargassum Seminar on Supporting Climate-Smart Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Agriculture through Product Innovation was held on Wednesday, 9 October 2024, in partnership with Plant and Food Research of New Zealand; while the Caribbean Small-Scale Fisheries & Aquaculture Forum took place on Tuesday, 8 October 2024, at the same venue.

The CRFM Secretariat also partnered with the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Fisheries Services to showcase their work, aimed at strengthening the Fisheries and Aquaculture sector, at the CWA 2024 Tradeshow and Expo which ran the entire week, from 7 – 11 October, at the Kingstown Cruise Ship Terminal.

– ENDS –

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.

CONSULTANCY TO DRAFT THE MARITIME ECONOMIC PLAN: IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FOR THE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE SECTOR IN GUYANA