Belize City, Belize, 3 June 2026 (CRFM)—The Ministerial Council of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), a regional inter-governmental body of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), convened its Twentieth (20^th) Regular Meeting today. The Council, comprised of Fisheries, Aquaculture, and Blue Economy Ministers from the Caribbean, deliberated via teleconference on key issues confronting the sector. These include bolstering aquaculture development, improving food security, strengthening resilience to climate and disaster risks through insurance, and notable gains in addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing.

Before delving into these pressing matters, the Council elected Hon. Randy Baltimore, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Antigua and Barbuda, as Chair. Minister Baltimore succeeds Hon. Kyle Hodge, Minister of Economic Development, Industry, Commerce, Lands, Planning, Water, and Natural Resources, Anguilla, who rendered stellar service as Chair of the CRFM Ministerial Council during the previous year.

In accepting the Chairmanship, Antigua and Barbuda reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening regional cooperation, promoting sustainable use of marine resources, supporting fisherfolk livelihoods, and advancing innovative solutions to challenges facing the fisheries sector, including climate change, illegal fishing, and marine resource management.

Minister Baltimore said: “The Government of Antigua and Barbuda looks forward to working closely with CRFM Member States and regional partners to further the sustainable development of the Caribbean’s fisheries and blue economy sectors during its tenure as Chair.”

He noted that he had recently been assigned to the portfolio following national elections in the Member State. Supported by the Chair of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum, Mr. Ian Horsford, Chief Fisheries Officer, Antigua and Barbuda, the Ministers effectively addressed a range of topics, resulting in the passage of 19 resolutions critical to the advancement of the fisheries and aquaculture sector.

Minister Baltimore chairing the Council meeting from Antigua and Barbuda (Photo: Government of Antigua and Barbuda)

In addressing the Council at the conclusion of the meeting, CRFM Executive Director, Dr. Marc Williams said: “The Caribbean stands at a pivotal moment when sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, the Blue Economy, climate resilience, and ocean governance must be integrated to secure prosperity for present and future generations. I encourage all Member States to maintain their strong engagement in implementing today's resolutions and to continue supporting the CRFM as a premier regional institution for fisheries and ocean governance.”

The Ministers approved a new 5-year aquaculture action plan, as well as a new biennial work plan and budget for the CRFM, spanning 2026-2027. They also received updates on three regional initiatives through which critical work is being undertaken by the CRFM, in collaboration with its Member States and institutional partners, to strengthen the sector. These are the Canadian-funded Sustainable Technologies for Adaptation and Resilience in Fisheries (STAR-fish) Project, the IICA/EDF-EU Food Security Project, as well as the GEF/FAO/CAF/CRFM BE-CLME+ Project: Promoting National Blue Economy Priorities Through Marine Spatial Planning in the Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem Plus.

“The Council’s decisions on the CRFM work plan and budget, financial management, staffing, and strategic priorities provide a strong foundation for advancing the CRFM’s goals and delivering tangible benefits to the people who depend on our marine resources,” Dr. Williams said.

The Council is scheduled to meet again later this year, during the 20^th Caribbean Week of Agriculture in Jamaica.

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National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture in ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

OVERVIEW

The state of Antigua and Barbuda lies in the Lesser Antilles Island Chain. The islands are bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the East and the Caribbean Sea to the west. The islands of Antigua and Barbuda are located between latitude 17° 00' N and 17° 44' N and longitude 61° 39` W and 61° 55' W, with Antigua to the south and Barbuda approximately 42 kilometres to the north. The uninhabited Redonda lies to the southwest at 16 55` N and 062 21` allowing for the territory being established as an Archipelagic State in 1982. With a coastline measuring 153km, the islands cover a total land area of 442 km2 with Antigua accounting for 280 km², Barbuda 160 km² and Redonda 2 km². In contrast to the relatively small landmass, Antigua and Barbuda sits on an extensive insular shelf encompassing the inhabited islands with gentle bathymetric relief down to 30 metres depth. This vast shelf along with the Redonda shelf and various offshore shelves, amounting to a total shelf area of 3,568 km², provides adequate habitat for demersal resources targeted by artisanal fishers. The fishing industry is responsible for half of the agricultural sector’s 2% contribution to the National GDP. In 2020, during the global pandemic, the importance of the fishing industry for its role in food security and securing the livelihood of residents was realized. In 2020, the number of licenses issued to local fishers increased by over 200% over the previous year as people displaced from major industries such as tourism and construction made the transition or re-entry into fishing to maintain their livelihood. At the end of 2021 the number of registered Fishers in Antigua and Barbuda inclusive of 7 Aquaculturist, was 2497 of which 131 were females.

HOW TO CITE: Fisheries Division, Antigua and Barbuda, 2026. National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture in Antigua and Barbuda. Contribution 10.2, p 11-22 IN CRFM, 2026. Volume II: National Reports on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture. Papers presented at the CRFM 20th Anniversary Scientific Conference, 28-31 August 2023. CRFM Special Publication No. 37, CRFM Secretariat https://www.crfm.int/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=956

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Ten Years of Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) Closed Season: Evidence From Antigua and Barbuda’s Small-Scale Fishery

Ian Horsford* and Hilroy Simon

Fisheries Division, Point Wharf Fisheries Complex, St. John’s, Antigua, West Indies
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ABSTRACT

Catch and effort and biological data were collected from commercial fishing trips, research trips, at-sea stop and search, and from inspections of processing plants, retailers, and restaurants in Antigua and Barbuda. The objectives were to: 1) appraise the impact of the annual two-month closed season enacted in 2013; and 2) determine trends (catch per unit effort, carapace length, etc.) and status of the fishery. Significant temporal differences existed amongst the mean catch per unit effort (p < 0.001) with the catch rates for traps (fish pots) increasing by at least three-fold after the implementation of the closed season. The odds of catching a spiny lobster via traps was also statistically greater (1.7 times more likely) after the implementation of the closed season (OR = 1.7, 95% CI [1.3, 2.1]); note the mean number of traps hauled per trip per vessel size class were not significantly different between the two periods (p > 0.05). Mean sizes of lobsters were significantly larger (p < 0.05) than the estimate of the size at 50% maturity for females (95.7 mm) and comparable to those over the past two decades. The overall enhancement of the fishery was attributed to the general compliance with the closed season coupled with a catch certification programme that requires exporters to comply with the various management measures (minimum size, closed season, prohibition on moulting and egg-bearing lobsters) as well as provide proof of purchase from authorised sources (i.e., fishers or traders possessing a valid fisher licence and from duly licensed vessels possessing a valid lobster permit). As of 2023, a catch certificate is required for export of any fish (including lobster) or fishery product from Antigua and Barbuda regardless of the destination. The next step in “closing the net” on illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the lobster fishery is adapting the catch certification programme for the other major consumer group – local hotels and restaurants.

HOW TO CITE: Horsford, I. and H. Simon, 2026.Ten Years of Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) Closed Season: Evidence From Antigua and Barbuda’s Small-Scale Fishery. Contribution 6.8, p455-466 IN CRFM, 2026. Volume I: Technical Papers. Presented at the CRFM 20^th Anniversary Scientific Conference, 28-31 August 2023. CRFM Special Publication No. 37, CRFM Secretariat https://www.crfm.int/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=938

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Socio-Economic Features of Antigua’s Small-Scale Fisheries Sector – Implications for Economic Security and Sustainable Development

Ian Horsford

Fisheries Division, Point Wharf Fisheries Complex, St. John’s, Antigua, West Indies.

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ABSTRACT

Effective governance of small-scale fisheries requires a comprehensive understanding of the complex nature of fishery systems. The term “fishery system” is defined here as a functional unit with complex interactions amongst social, economic, cultural, environmental, biological, legal, and political elements. In the Caribbean context, there is a dearth of scientific literature on the social and economic aspects of small-scale fisheries despite a binding Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy and associated protocols that recognise the importance of taking social and economic factors into consideration regarding fisheries management and development. The objectives of this study were to: 1) update the socio-economic profile of fishers in Antigua as part of the National Fisher Registry programme; and 2) determine the status and trends with respect to key socio-economic metrics and their implications for fisheries management and development. Regarding status and trends, there were significant gains in gender equality with the proportion of females employed in fisheries doubling over the past decade from 2.7% to 5.9%. Significant increases in human capital among fisherfolk was observed as reflected by educational attainment increasing exponentially since the late 1990s with most fishers (77.2%) having a secondary education or higher thereby enhancing labour mobility and resilience. “Occupational pluralism” was a common livelihood strategy or a means of economic security for fishers, depicted by 51.6% of fishers having another occupation or source of income within fisheries or outside of the fisheries sector, in 2019. The small-scale fisheries sector served as a “safety net” in times of economic crisis such as the COVID-19 pandemic, depicted by the number of people renewing their fisher licence or registering and licensing for the first time increased by 262% when compared to the mean number of fisher licences issued in the pre-pandemic years. Given that economic crises tended to result in “spikes” in fishing effort, future studies should focus on understanding the labour market dynamics of fisheries and other related sectors, including recruitment and retention, to ensure the long-term sustainability of fishery resources.

HOW TO CITE: Horsford, I., 2026.  Socio-Economic Features of Antigua’s Small-Scale Fisheries Sector – Implications for Economic Security and Sustainable Development. Contribution 3.12, p225-237 IN CRFM, 2026. Volume I: Technical Papers. Presented at the CRFM 20th Anniversary Scientific Conference, 28-31 August 2023. CRFM Special Publication No. 37, CRFM Secretariat https://www.crfm.int/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=917

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Quick Facts:

• % Contribution to GDP (2003): 1.48% (Preliminary) See Note 1
• Fishing Area: Shelf - 3,568 km²; EEZ  - unknown (see Note 2 below).
• Number of Registered Fishers (2004): 1,088
• Estimated Number of Active Fishers (2004): 699 (2% of labour force)
• Number of Registered Vessels (2004): 728
• Estimated Number of Active Vessels (2004): 276
• Landing sites: 25 in Antigua; in Barbuda
• Capture Production of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, etc, (2004): Caribbean; spiny lobster - 245 metric tons (EC$5.4 Million); Queen Conch - 554 metric tons (EC$1.3 Million); Bony finfish - 1,699 metric tons (EC$23.0 Million; Sharks and rays - 29 metric tons (EC$0.2 Million) (See Note 3)
• Total Imports of Fish and Fishery Products: (2001) 439; metric tons (See Note 4)
• Value of Total Imports of Fish and Fishery Products (2001): EC$4.4 Million (See Note 5)
• Total Export of Fish and Fishery Products (2001): 368 metric tons (National exports: 60.6 metric tons (See Note 6)
• Value of Total Export of Fish and Fishery Products (2001): EC$1.9 million (See Note 7)
• Fish Processors (2004): 4
• Exporters (2004): 9 in Antigua; - 2 in Barbuda

Notes:

1. Calculated at factor cost in constant 1990 prices. (Source: Eastern Caribbean Central Bank National Accounts Digest 2004).
2. The full extent of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is unknown. Antigua and Barbuda is an archipelagic state. Negotiations with neighboring states with respect to EEZ have not been completed.
3. All weights are expressed on a live weight basis while valuations are based on local retail prices.
4. Total imports consist of all imports into country, including goods for domestic consumption and imports into bonded warehouses or free zones. Products are mainly fish, dried, salted or smoked (Source: FAOSTAT data, 2005).
5. Valuation of imports is based on c.i.f. value (Source: FAOSTAT Data, 2005).
6. Total exports consist of the combined total of national exports and re-exports. Re-exports consist of the outward movement of nationalized goods plus which, after importation, move outward movement of nationalized goods plus goods which, after importation, move outward from bonded warehouses or free zones without having been transformed (Source: FAO STAT Data, 2005). National or domestic exports are comprised mainly of the Caribbean spiny lobster.
7. Valuation of exports is based on f.o.b. value (Source; FAOSTAT Data, 2005).

Related Link:

• Ministry Responsible for Fisheries