INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANCY: Solid Waste Management Specialist | PADF Caribbean Sustainable Ecosystems Activity

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANCY: Sustainable Fisheries and Biodiversity Specialist | PADF Caribbean Sustainable Ecosystems Activity

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 –

Belize City, Friday, 4 October 2024 (CRFM)—The innovative work being done under the New Zealand-funded Sargassum Products for Climate Resilience Project, to develop a plant growth enhancer or bio-stimulant from Sargassum, will be showcased during the upcoming Caribbean Week of Agriculture, to be held in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The work being done under the project by the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism and the New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research (Plant & Food Research) fits well within the event theme, Climate Smart Agriculture for a Sustainable Future. 

Mr. Milton Haughton, Executive Director, Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism Secretariat, said that: “The Sargassum Products for Climate Resilience Project has the potential to make a substantial impact towards the attainment of the CARICOM vision to reduce the region’s food import bill by 25% by 2025 (called ‘Vision 25 by 2025’). This is because a Sargassum-derived fertilizer produced within the Caribbean could ease the financial burden caused by the increasing costs for imported fertilizers. This, in turn, could boost agricultural production for farmers and producers by making their operations more cost-effective. 

Haughton added that, “Using Sargassum in this way mitigates the impacts of the inundations, which include the release of methane—a powerful greenhouse gas which is emitted as the Sargassum decomposes in coastal waters. The Sargassum Products for Climate Resilience Project, therefore, helps the Caribbean to adapt and build resilience to climate change, which is one of the key factors fueling the Sargassum blooms.” 

The CRFM and Plant & Food Research (PFR) are working together to mitigate the environmental and economic impacts of Sargassum influxes in affected Caribbean countries through the creation of inclusive value chains for Sargassum. 

Mrs. Sophie Jones-Williams, Program Manager - International Development, Plant & Food Research, New Zealand, said: "Together with our partners in the Caribbean, we have worked hard to test the efficacy and safety of the bio-stimulant we are developing from Sargassum. Our trials and thorough testing for heavy metal contamination, has ensured confidence that the product we are developing will not only bring benefits through increased yields but also healthy, more resilient production systems." 

Since its inception in 2020, the project has ensured that regional partners are involved in this initiative. The CRFM and PFR have been working in collaboration with researchers at the University of the West Indies (Cave Hill Campus in Barbados and Mona Campus in Jamaica) and the University of Belize; the Governments of Barbados, Belize, and Jamaica; as well as the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) of the Dominican Republic, and the private sector, to ensure that the project taps into the best expertise available in the region. 

Based on the successful outcome of prior scientific studies and greenhouse trials for a Sargassum-derived liquid bio-stimulant, the partners commenced field trials earlier this year. In August 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security of Barbados, in partnership with the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification, Green and Blue Economy, hosted a Sargassum Liquid Extract Field Day to showcase the progress being made with growing cucumbers using the Sargassum-derived bio-stimulant in ongoing field trials.

 Representatives of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) recently visited a farm in Barbados where the bio-stimulant is being tested on plots of vegetables (Photo: CRFM Secretariat). 

The CRFM and PFR are also working to engage institutional and private sector partners to commercialize and upscale production, based on the successful outcome of the testing and trial phases which are due to conclude by year-end. 

During the upcoming Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), the CRFM and PFR will partner to host the Sargassum Seminar on Supporting Climate-Smart Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Agriculture through Product Innovation. The purpose of this hybrid event—to be held on Wednesday, 9 October 2024, at 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Atlantic Standard Time (AST), at University of West Indies, Open Campus, Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and online—is to showcase the innovative work being done to develop a fertilizer and compost from Sargassum seaweed using the principles of the circular economy and the precautionary approach, to ensure safety across the value chain. 

In addition to Haughton of the CRFM and Jones-Williams of PFR, other event speakers include: David Mogollon - EU Head of Cooperation to Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, the Eastern Caribbean States, the OECS and CARICOM/CARIFORUM; Dr. Maren Headley - Programme Manager, Fisheries Management and Development, CRFM Secretariat; and Chadeene Beckles - Value Chain and Marketing Specialist, Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).

This seminar is one of two events to be hosted by the CRFM and its partners during the upcoming Caribbean Week of Agriculture, with a focus on the theme, Promoting Climate-Smart and Resilient Fisheries and Aquaculture for Food Sovereignty & Food Security, and a Sustainable & Profitable Future. The CRFM will also host the Caribbean Small Scale Fisheries & Aquaculture Forum on Tuesday, 8 October 2024, at 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Atlantic Standard Time (AST), at the same venue. This Forum will provide a space for small-scale fishers to engage with CRFM, Member States representatives, other stakeholders, and partners on matters of key importance to the sector, surrounding the central themes of climate change, food security, and sustainable livelihoods.

The CRFM and PFR will also showcase the project at the CWA Tradeshow and Expo, which will be held at the Kingstown Cruiseship Terminal from 7 – 11 October 2024.. 

– ENDS –

Link to register for the event:

https://forms.gle/VAEEYJ6DPw6rwVjF7

Link to access the project brochure:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VkXyskYUmdovkmWaZlKgSALwom409IeW/view

 Link to project webpage:

https://crfm.int/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&layout=item&id=792&Itemid=499

 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

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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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