The Fish Sanctuaries Network: Jamaica’s Quiet Fisheries Success Story

Karl A. Aiken^1*, G. Andre Kong² , Oliver Squire³ & Inilek Wilmot⁴

Fisheries Consultant, 33 Gerbera Drive, Kgn. 6, Jamaica¹
& Fisheries Consultant, Maven Avenue Apartments, Kgn. 6, Jamaica²,
Oliver Squire , National Fisheries Authority, East Bustamante Port, Kgn.³,
Inilek Wilmot, Goldeneye Foundation, St. Mary⁴ *
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  (corresponding author)¹

ABSTRACT

Jamaica formerly lagged behind other Caribbean nations in the introduction of fish sanctuaries, but this is no longer true. In 2009, the government introduced nine small fish sanctuaries distributed around the island; and in 2023, there were 18 such sanctuaries. The areas selected satisfied ecological and fisheries criteria and importantly, have an associated fishers group chosen to enforce these special protected areas. The initial introduction was the result of two years of collaboration by the National Fisheries Authority (formerly Fisheries Division), and fishers’ groups, in conjunction with the then Fisheries Advisory Board. Nearly all sanctuaries include sheltered coastal habitats with mangroves, sea grass beds, sand patches, and coral while having modest fisheries resources, primarily juvenile in size. Close collaboration with and participation of fishers is a key feature of all the sanctuaries. The 18 MPA’s now include one offshore at Pedro Bank, the island’s major fishing ground and nearly all are doing well. Post-introduction studies have demonstrated that most fish sanctuaries have succeeded in increasing fish species diversity, abundance, and mean fish lengths as well as the restoration of several missing apex predator species over time. Algal cover has also significantly decreased compared to pre-sanctuary conditions. Coral restoration activities also occur in some sanctuaries with some success. One significant success indicator was the call by other fisherfolk groups for fish sanctuaries to be introduced in their areas as generally, Jamaican fish sanctuaries have been quietly succeeding in increasing coastal fisheries biomass.

HOW TO CITE: Aiken, K.A.,  G. A. Kong , O. Squire and I. Wilmot, 2026. The Fish Sanctuaries Network: Jamaica’s Quiet Fisheries Success Story.  Contribution 6.7, p443-454 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=937 

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An Assessment of the Reproductive Activity of Queen Conch (Aliger gigas) in Captive and Wild Populations in the Discovery Bay Special Fishery Conservation Area, Jamaica

Shanna- Lee Thomas¹, Camilo Trench¹, Dale Webber², and Mona Webber³

Discovery Bay Marine Laboratory, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica¹;
Centre for Marine Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica²;
Department of Life Sciences, The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica³
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. *, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  and This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  

ABSTRACT

Jamaica’s Queen conch closed-season is based on a temperature-influenced annual spawning activity derived using data from other Caribbean countries. No reproductive and spawning season determination had previously been done for Jamaica. With rising sea surface temperatures and increasing temperature variability across the region, it may be necessary to revise annual closed seasons. Our study therefore sought to design assessments of conch reproductive activity in relation to sea temperatures. Adult Queen conch (mean lip thickness 16.9 mm) were tagged and stocked at a ratio of 2:3 males to females in 50m2 pens in substrate consisting of seagrass, rubble and coarse sand within the Discovery Bay Fish Sanctuary. These were observed for 7 months in 2022 to indicate densities and temperatures at which spawning occurred. Prior to stocking, conch abundance surveys were conducted between July and August 2020 at six sites in the bay and these were repeated at the end of the stocking experiment in November 2022. Data collected from the penned conch included the number of occurrences of mating, pairing and spawning, the presence of egg masses, and temperature for both captive and wild conch (found adjacent to the pens). Conch displayed 8 occasions of spawning (one female spawning 5 times) with 2 occasions of pairing and 1 mating occasion. Peak spawning activity was recorded in August and September, with maximum sea water temperature of 30.65°C. Mean temperatures across Jamaica’s north coast showed an increase between May to October, and decreased thereafter. Conch abundance surveys conducted in 2021 and 2022 in the bay indicated densities of 10.1 ha-1 and 7.5 ha-1 respectively with populations dominated by juveniles and sub-adults. The protocols developed in Discovery Bay will be expanded to other areas around Jamaica with the expectation that these findings will help inform measures to manage conch stocks in Jamaica’s SFCAs towards sustainable harvesting in nearby fishing grounds.

HOW TO CITE: Thomas, S-L., C. Trench, D. Webber and M. Webber, 2026. An Assessment of the Reproductive Activity of Queen Conch (Aliger gigas) in Captive and Wild Populations in the Discovery Bay Special Fishery Conservation Area, Jamaica. Contribution 6.3, p399-413 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=933

 POWERPOINT

VIDEO PRESENTATION 

FULL SCIENTIFIC PUBLICATION

Download CRFM Special Publication No. 37:

Proceedings of the CRFM 20^th Anniversary Scientific Conference

Volume I: Technical Papers

Volume II: National Reports 

 KEY LINKS

Scientific Conference Home Page

Scientific Conference Proceedings Page

Explore all 20^th Anniversary Scientific Papers

 NOTE

If you have challenges accessing or downloading documents in this series, please email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , copied to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or call us at +501-223-4443. Some browsers do not properly load Google Drive documents, so if you have challenges accessing the PowerPoint slides or the full special publication, try switching to another browser such as Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge.

Greenhouse trial with liquid organic fertilizer derived from Sargassum (Photo: M. Haughton, CRFM)

Belize City, Thursday, 7 December 2023 (CRFM)—Groundbreaking work has begun in the Caribbean to produce Sargassum-derived liquid fertilizers or plant growth promoters, as well as an organic compost from processed Sargassum, for eventual incorporation into farmer and grower practices in the Caribbean. The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), an inter-governmental organization of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), and Plant & Food Research, a New Zealand Crown Research Institute, are leading this initiative, under the Sargassum Products for Climate Resilience in the Caribbean Project, a multiyear project funded by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

This builds on work undertaken by the CRFM since 2015, to address the persistent problem of recurring Sargassum inundations which have been plaguing the region for the past 12 years. Sargassum blooms continue to adversely affect the coastal ecosystems and economic sectors—such as fisheries and tourism—in many Caribbean countries, and clean-up efforts have been costly. Although Sargassum levels have fluctuated from year to year, the general forecast is for continued high levels of blooms and beaching of Sargassum in the foreseeable future. Climate change and nutrient enrichment of the oceans have been identified as major contributing factors to this phenomenon which has been affecting our region since 2011.

Sargassum inundation across a fishing beach on the island of Saint Lucia (Photo: M. Haughton, CRFM)

“Sargassum is a natural marine living resource that has been abundant in our coastal waters. It is often an unpleasant sight on our otherwise picturesque beaches, and rotting Sargassum heaps are hazardous to humans and marine life and environmental health. We must, therefore, find ways to use the Sargassum while neutralizing any potential negative effects of the heavy metals contained therein. The safe and profitable conversion of Sargassum biomass into innovative products to adapt to climate change and bolster economic resilience will also generate tangible economic and social benefits for local communities and present and future generations across the entire Caribbean,” said Milton Haughton, Executive Director of the CRFM.

The first phase of the project, which focused on testing the Sargassum to better understand how to handle and use it safely, was completed in 2022. This second phase, which commenced early 2023, focuses on product and process development. In May 2023, the CRFM concluded agreements with the University of the West Indies (UWI), Department of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Cave Hill Campus, and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), which are providing technical support for joint research and surveys to advance the second phase of the project. During this phase, the project will develop and evaluate liquid fertilizers and compost from Sargassum. The hope is that this initiative will help to protect the marine environment and coastal communities, and create jobs and value-added products, while contributing towards the reduction of the region’s high import bill for fertilizers used by farmers.

There are two very important guiding principles of this project. The first is the application of the precautionary principle which ensures that when there is uncertainty and a risk of harm, we should act with care and caution, guided by the best available scientific information. The second principle encompasses the circular economy approach, which ensures total utilization of the Sargassum to eliminate waste and pollution, which is good for people, business, and the environment. The Sargassum harvested from the sea will, therefore, be used to produce fertilizer, and the residue will be utilized to generate other products such as compost and building materials—all of which will be safe and effective for their intended purposes.

UWI has assisted with the process of producing liquid fertilizers from the Sargassum. CARDI has been conducting a survey of farmers to engender a deeper understanding of how they use fertilizers and their interest in a fertilizer product from Sargassum. This knowledge will enhance strategies to promote the uptake of the Sargassum-derived products for use in the agriculture sector.

CARDI is now completing a study to evaluate the performance of the liquid fertilizers developed with the assistance of UWI on crops under greenhouse conditions. Further studies will be conducted in the field with the assistance of farmers.

Since the commencement of the Sargassum Products for Climate Resilience Project in 2020, the CRFM and Plant & Food Research of New Zealand have worked with partners in Barbados, Belize, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic, and with specialized laboratories in the United States and New Zealand, to conduct Sargassum raw material safety testing and to review potential products that could be made from the Sargassum.

The final phase of the project, which is due to commence in 2024, will focus on the establishment of a pilot plant to produce liquid organic fertilizer, as well as on outreach and supply chain development, which would entail the dissemination of a workable model to industry stakeholders in the Caribbean. Through continued stakeholder engagement, the project will also gather feedback to guide future work, strengthen relationships with Caribbean enterprises, and develop sustainable pathways for the commercialisation of new Sargassum products.

– ENDS –

RESOURCES:

• Project Brochure: https://www.crfm.net/images/Sargassum_Products_for_Climate_Change_in_the_Caribbean_14Oct20.pdf
• Explainer Video:https://youtu.be/vLqR08DYkO0

In case you missed it, here is the recording of our recent seminar on Sargassum Value Chain Development.

Belize City, Wednesday, 29 March 2017 (CRFM)—Heads of national fisheries authorities from 17 Member States of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) will be meeting with observers and partner agencies in Jamaica near the end of this week, for the 15th Meeting of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum, the primary technical deliberative body of the CRFM, for talks on the status of and recent trends in the fisheries and aquaculture in the region and plans for the future to strengthen the sector.

Ahead of the opening the hurricane season in June, the Forum meeting—slated for Thursday, 30 March, and Friday, 31 March, at the Knutsford Court Hotel, in Kingston, Jamaica—will also address measures for adaptation to climate change and disaster risk management in fisheries.

CRFM Executive Director, Milton Haughton, said: “Climate change, sea level rise, ocean acidification and disaster risk management are major challenges facing the fisheries sector and the wider economies of our countries. These issues continue to be high priorities for policy-makers and stakeholders because we need to improve capacity, information base and policy, and institutional arrangements to respond to these threats and protect our future. At this meeting, we will be discussing the USA sponsored initiative to provide risk insurance for fishers, among other initiatives to improve and protect the fisheries sector and ensure food security.”

The Forum will also discuss steps to strengthen cooperation and coordination between fisheries and environment departments, as well as partner organizations, in order to strengthen the conservation of marine species and critical habitats to achieve international biodiversity targets.

Haughton notes that, “Working together to improve the health of the marine environment and protection of vulnerable marine species while improving sanitary and phyto-sanitary systems and quality of fish and seafood, will produce tangible social and economic benefits for fishers and fishing communities. It is time for stakeholders in the fisheries and environment sectors to start working in a more cooperative and constructive manner to address common challenges.”

The Forum will be updated on the progress of technical activities being undertaken by the CRFM, its Secretariat, Member States and network partners, after which it will prepare recommendations on the way forward to be tabled when Ministers responsible for fisheries meet on 19 May in Guyana.

Outgoing chairman, Denzil Roberts, Chief Fisheries Officer of Guyana, will demit office after his 12-month tenure. Participants in the upcoming Fisheries Forum will elect a new chair, vice-chair and executive committee members, who will serve for the programme year, 2017-2018.