Leveraging Lessons From the Caribbean to Enhance the Value-Chain Approach in Developing Sustainable Small-Scale Capture Fisheries

Alexander S.T*. Girvan, Melanie Andrews-Bacchus, Sharon D. Hutchinson, Terrence Phillips

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ABSTRACT

Participatory Value Chain Analysis (VCA) provides a structured approach to developing sustainable small-scale fishery value chains by engaging key stakeholders in identifying gaps and providing suitable solutions to add value and create livelihood opportunities along seafood value chains. When small-scale fishery VCAs are used to inform policy and evaluate investment opportunities, they can yield significant positive results for environmental sustainability, social benefits and socio-economic resilience to climate change and economic shocks. VCAs can also contribute to the achievement of important regional and global goals, including the CARICOM 25% by 2025 Reduction in the Regional Food Bill initiative, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Strategic Plan 2022 – 2030 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

This paper is novel in reviewing the recent application of VCAs in Caribbean small-scale fisheries for Queen conch in Grenada, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines; Caribbean Spiny lobster in Jamaica; Mahi-Mahi in Barbados and Seabob in Guyana in order to obtain lessons learned, identify best practices, and make recommendations for improving VCAs in small-scale fisheries. The review outlines criteria for selecting and prioritising species for VCAs, guidelines for applying VCAs in Caribbean small-scale fisheries using participatory and gender-sensitive methods, and strategies for identifying and engaging key stakeholders in VCAs. The paper also discusses how VCAs can be used to better position sustainable small-scale fisheries development in the context of the Caribbean blue economy and contribute to the success of important global and regional food security and sustainable livelihood initiatives.

 HOW TO CITE: Girvan, A.S.T., M. Andrews-Bacchus, S. D. Hutchinson, T. Phillips, 2026.  Leveraging Lessons From the Caribbean to Enhance the Value-Chain Approach in  Developing Sustainable Small-Scale Capture Fisheries.  Contribution 3.4, p133-148 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=909

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The Power of Data-driven Fisheries Governance

Vilhjálmur Hallgrímsson

Fisheries Technologies ehf.,
Chief Executive Director,
Básbryggja 15, 110, Reykjavík, Iceland
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ABSTRACT

Fisheries management is a complex field with limited research and comprehensive data on techniques and costs. Many fisheries worldwide face challenges due to knowledge deficiencies, lack of standardized data management solutions, and high costs.

Iceland's experience demonstrates how data-driven fisheries management can revolutionize practices and contribute to long-term sustainability and success. This paper aims to identify key challenges affecting fisheries management data systems and answer what an optimal fisheries management system would look like.

Our goal is to research how to develop dynamic, adaptable data management solutions while reducing costs, enabling other nations to emulate Iceland's success in fisheries management.

The insights gained from Iceland's experience could offer valuable guidance and tools to other fishing communities aspiring to establish sustainable fisheries management techniques.

HOW TO CITE: Hallgrímsson, V., 2026. The Power of Data-driven Fisheries Governance. Contribution 3.3, p120-132  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=908

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The Need for Rigor in the Fisheries Space - Why the Term “IUU Fishing” is a Hindrance

Dr. Ian Ralby

President, Auxilium Worldwide,
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ABSTRACT

The term “IUU Fishing” has become colloquially synonymous with bad action in the fisheries space.  To confront both the sustainability and the security implications of IUU Fishing, however, there is a critical need for greater rigour in defining and dissecting the problem sets so that meaningful solutions can be pursued. Illegal fishing, unreported fishing and unregulated fishing are each distinct issues.  At the operational level, the actors who can address illegal fishing are usually maritime law enforcement agencies.  But the same navies, coast guards and marine police forces that address illegal fishing have little ability to do anything about unregulated fishing.  That is the purview of legislatures and regulatory agencies.  So even as a bucket of three seemingly related matters, “IUU Fishing” is a problematic term that combines issues that must be addressed by different actors.  Yet beyond illegal, unreported, or unregulated fishing, there are also other fisheries issues that are being mislabeled as “IUU Fishing,” making it difficult to recognize their true nature, and thus find effective measures to tackle them.  Drug trafficking on a fishing vessel, money laundering through the fishing sector, or using a fishing vessel to collect intelligence on a state’s maritime agencies are all outside of the ambit of “IUU Fishing,” but are certainly undesirable. In the Caribbean for example, criminal cartels are exploiting gaps between the actors and agencies focused on sustainability and those that are focused on security.  As a result, fisheries crimes – both on the water and in the financial record books – undermine the credibility and the integrity of the fishing sector despite not having a direct impact on fish stocks.  That degradation of the region’s fisheries space has also opened the door to state actors who are looking for inroads to gain strategic presence in the region.  As a result, the Caribbean must become more rigorous in recognizing the spectrum of undesirable fishing-related activities throughout the maritime domain, and working within and between governments to combat them.

HOW TO CITE: Ralby, I. 2026.  The Need for Rigor in the Fisheries Space - Why the Term “IUU Fishing” is a Hindrance. Contribution 2.7, p83-89 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=905

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Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development Suite of Laws for the Barbados Fisheries Sector

Shelly-Ann Cox, Najla King, Christopher Parker, Gregory Franklin, Colvin Taylor, Therese Moore, Khyle Pooler, Adriel Jackman and Seymour Nurse

Fisheries Division, Bridgetown, Barbados
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ABSTRACT

The Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development suite of laws are part of a legislative reform project for Barbados’ fishing industry which commenced in 2019 under the auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Blue Economy. This comprehensive and cutting-edge legislative framework aims to realize to the highest level the potential of Barbados’ fisheries sector and chart the way forward to sustainable development. The suite of laws is two-prong. The draft Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development Act and its regulations provides the legislative framework for the pre-harvest and harvest aspects of the fisheries sector, whereas the draft Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development (Seafood Markets and Businesses) Act, and its regulations, provides the legislative framework for the post-harvest sector. The new Fisheries Management Regulations (2023) will also be subsumed under the new Act. The suite covers a wide spectrum of areas to support fisheries governance and an adaptive co-management approach. It also presents innovative legal regimes including corporate social responsibility in fisheries, fisheries-specific payment for ecosystem services schemes, seafood traceability and fraud prevention in fisheries, and the creation of the Barbados Institute for fisheries and fisheries-related studies.

The suite of laws was approved by Cabinet on 18 May 2023 after several consultations with stakeholders at different points along the fisheries value chain. Since then, the drafting instructions have been sent to the Chief Parliamentary Counsel to be formalised. Further consultation with stakeholders is anticipated after the bill is drafted, followed by the formal presentation and debate in Parliament. Once enacted, the suite of laws will repeal and replace the existing 1993 Fisheries Act, Cap. 391.

HOW TO CITE: Cox, S-A., N. King, C. Parker, G. Franklin, C. Taylor, T. Moore, K. Pooler, A. Jackman and S. Nurse, 2026. Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development Suite of Laws for the Barbados Fisheries Sector. Contribution 2.3, p56-63 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=901

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Driving the Circular Economy by Transforming Fish Offal (“fish waste”) through Processing: a Barbadian Case Study for Resource Optimization in the Caribbean Region

Omardath Maharaj¹, Yvette Diei Ouadi², and Phil Lashley³

Agribusiness Finance Consultant¹ (FAO Subregional Office for the Caribbean), Fishery and Aquaculture Officer² (FAO Subregional Office for the Caribbean), Executive Director³ (PLA Inc.)

ABSTRACT

Fish by-products constitute between 30–70 percent of fish after being processed into fillets and other edible products and were previously considered to be waste. In Barbados, approximately 5 tonnes of these fish parts are generated daily; the largest share of which is redirected to the landfill. The direct impacts include the environmental burden of the waste, since the decomposing offal produces abundant quantities of methane, a gas with an estimated 20 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide, thus contributing to climate change. Another major consideration is the continued demand for landfill space in circumstances of land scarcity within the context of SIDS. This waste is a missed opportunity for transforming the previously untapped raw materials into valuable food and silage-derived products (feed and fertilizer). These lost opportunities are increasingly important in a world with rising food, feed and fertilizer costs impacting farmers and consumers alike.
 
The FAO and partners from national and regional institutions have been working to optimize the recovery process of the fish waste while establishing the safety, comparative growth performance and cost efficiency of fish silage-derived feed relative to imported feed, and their cost efficiency. Awareness of this prompted the establishment of a national fish silage platform, leading to the integration of the fish waste utilization concept in the 2022-2030 Fisheries Policy of Barbados, capacity building of women fish processors, inclusion of small-scale farmers and investment for scaling up.

The pipeline support to the establishment of a national fish silage reference training centre, and incubator unit for young farmers would further widen the potential for expansion of this innovative approach. It holds promise for other countries in the Caribbean region, given that livestock feed importation and fish processing are common to all CARICOM countries. Creating new revenue streams, coupled with the environmental and social benefits of fish waste recovery, as compared to dumping, can contribute to the realization of the commitment of CARICOM to reduce the region’s large and unsustainable extra-regional food import bill by 25% by 2025 and is well aligned with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. 

HOW TO CITE: Maharaj, O., Y. Diei Ouadi, and P. Lashley. 2025. Driving the Circular Economy by Transforming Fish Offal (“fish waste”) through Processing: a Barbadian Case Study for Resource Optimization in the Caribbean Region. Contribution 1.1, p1-13 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 Secretariathttps://www.crfm.int/index.php?option=com_k2&view=item&id=895

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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.