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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