As COP30 begins in Brazil, bringing together global leaders to address the escalating climate crisis, this short article will focus on a critical and imminent climate tipping point: the potential breakdown of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and its impacts on Caribbean fisheries and countries. For CARICOM States, which already face existential threats from increasingly powerful hurricanes, sea-level rise, altered rainfall patterns, and destabilization of coastal ecosystems and marine living resources, the demise of the AMOC could have dire and immediate consequences, demanding urgent attention from the international community and national and regional policy-makers. The breakdown of the AMOC, often referred to as a slowdown of the ocean's "conveyor belt," would dramatically destabilize and alter global and regional weather, rainfall, the marine environment, fish stocks, and undermine the national economies, food security, and livelihoods across the region.

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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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The hurricane season is upon us, and we need to be prepared to protect lives and property! This advisory is intended for fishers and other stakeholders in the Fisheries and Aquaculture sector. It provides practical steps that can be taken before, during and after a storm. On 1 June 2023, right at the start of the Hurricane Season, a tropical depression emerged in the Gulf of Mexico showing a strong chance of development over the Florida area, with a projected path that would place it in the northwestern Caribbean by the weekend. This became the first named storm of the 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season - Arlene. Although the threat has now passed, we need to stay vigilant!

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A direct hit last September by Hurricane Maria — a catastrophic category 5 hurricane — left a trail of destruction on the Caribbean island of Dominica, where the fishing community suffered millions of dollars in losses, including 40% of its fleet, in the wake of the storm. Barbuda had previously been devastated by Hurricane Irma, which had also caused monumental losses to the fishing community there. It can never be said enough that it only takes one hit to devastate places that lie within the hurricane belt, and so preparation is key.

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Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated fishing (IUU fishing) remains a major concern for the international community and for developing countries, in particular, Small Island Developing States and small, vulnerable economies. It disproportionately affects many fisheries on which these States depend for food security, livelihood and trade. For these reasons IUU fishing is a high priority for CRFM Member States because we continue to suffer significant economic losses, damage to our marine environment and flagrant violations of our sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction due to illegal fishing.

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