Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1697648238426.pdf (Bahamas)
5th meeting of ACP Ministers responsible for fisheries & aquaculture Effectively managing our fisheries : The way ahead for ACP sustainable fisheries Milton Haughton Global Overview Source: FAO SOFIA (2016) ROOT CAUSES Source: FAO SOFIA (2016) RFBs/RFMOs (Source FAO) CORE FUNCTION OF RFMO - Allow States to discharge their legal duty to cooperate & to set appropriate conservation & management measures to ensure sustainable use of living marine resources State of Global Fisheries 1.
Declining state of world’s oceans and fisheries has been on global agenda for decades 2.

Efforts at cooperation at international & regional levels, have not delivered results strong enough to ensure health of oceans & their ecosystems 3.

Poor state of the world’s fish stocks suggests that current conservation and management measures remain inadequate 4.

BUT - progress is being made – RFMO Review and reform (e.g.

ICCAT, NAFO) 5.
ICCAT, NAFO) 5.

Gap between global framework & national implementation particularly for developing states 6.
Limited cooperation with Fisheries & environment WHY Reform necessary  Continued degradation dire consequences  More effort is required to achieve sustainable oceans and profitable fisheries  Optimum sustainable benefits - social, economic, nutritional  Protect and conserve fish stocks, marine environment & ecosystems from degradation arising from various threats Sustainable Development Goal: Target 14.4  Target 14.4 by 2020, effectively regulate harvesting, and end overfishing, IUU fishing and destructive fishing practices and implement science-based management plans, to restore fish stocks in the shortest time feasible at least to levels that can produce maximum sustainable yield as determined by their biological characteristics FAO/WECAFC’s mandate area FAO/WECAFC Region “The region is one of the most overexploited fisheries regions in the world.
Many commercially targeted fish stocks are overfishes or fully exploited at present.

Fish production is currently around 1.4 million tonnes, which is 300 thousand tonnes below the 30 year average.” - Source: FAO 2016  .
Strategically Importance Employment – 180,000  Economic opportunities & social well-being of coastal communities Production (domestic) 161,000 MT Trade - Export high value species - Export earnings 70-75,000 mt (USD 300-350 million) - Main market –USA - Import – 60,000- 70,000 mt 25,000 fishing boats - Mainly small-scale Food & nutrition security, Per capita ~ 32kg MAINLY SMALL-SCALE/ ARTISANAL  Small, open, outboard engine powered boats  Fish traps, diving, seine & other nets, lines, etc.
 Operate from several landing sites  Nearshore –coastal waters State of Resources Most commercially targeted species are fully or overexploited - Coral reef species Most resource assessment effort into lobster, conch, shrimp, flyingfish Ocean-wide large pelagics assessed by ICCAT Regional large pelagics status unknown Some under/unexploited species not making optimum contribution to economies CLME TRANSBOUNDARY DIAGNOSTIC ANALYSES: 3 KEY PROBLEMS UNSUSTAINABLE FISHERIES CLIMATE CHANGE SOCIETAL CHANGE CLME - ROOT CAUSES 1.
Weaknesses in GOVERNANCE 2.

Limited HUMAN & FINANCIAL resources; 3.

Inadequate KNOWLEDGE (DATA & SCIENCE) 4.

5.

Inadequate public AWARENESS & INVOLVEMENT Inadequate consideration of the VALUE of ECOSYSTEM goods & services 6.

POPULATION GROWTH & CULTURAL pressures; 7.


Trade & EXTERNAL DEPENDENCY Management Challenges  Resource Management - major challenge  overfishing, degradation of essential habitats and ecosystems, IUU fishing, Climate related  Capacity varies significantly  Governance: Participatory, transparent, accountability  Ecosystem approach  Management support: scientific information, enforcement, performance evaluation.
Fisheries Governance Framework in Region FAO/WECAFC Membership WECAFC Members outside CARICOM and OSPESCA Brazil Colombia Cuba European Union France Guinee Japan Korea, Republic of Mexico Netherlands Spain United Kingdom United States of America Venezuela CRFM Antigua & Barbuda Bahamas Barbados Belize Dominica Grenada Guyana Haiti Jamaica Saint Kitts & Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent & the Grenadines Suriname Trinidad and Tobago OSPESCA Belize Costa Rica Dominican Republic Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama UK OT: Anguilla BVI Montserrat Management Challenges Trinidad – 1999 Barbados -2000 Belize – 2005 St Vincent – 2006 Guyana – Coop.
non CP Suriname – Coop.
non CP Global treaties: Fisheries governance COUNTRY UNCLOS Straddling Stocks Compliance Agreement Port States Agreement Antigua & B 2/02/1989 Bahamas 29/07/1983 16/01/1997 7/10/2016 Barbados 12/10/1993 22/09/2000 26/10/2000 2/2/2016 Belize 13/08/1983 14/07/2005 19/7/2005 Dominica 24/10/1991 Grenada 25/04/1991 Guyana 16/11/1993 Jamaica 21/03/1983 6/5/2016 17/6/2016 7/3/2016 St Kitts & N 7/01/1993 24/6/1994 9/12/2016 St Lucia 27/03/1985 9/08/1996 23/10/2002 St Vincent & 1/10/1993 29/10/10 23/6/2016 Trinidad & T 25/4/1986 13/10/2006 Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy  Principles & standards for sustainable fisheries & trade  Prevent, deter and eliminate IUU fishing  Strengthen, harmonise & modernize legislation  Protect & conserve fish stocks & ecosystems Other CRFM Policy Instruments  Castries Declaration on IUU Fishing  St George’s Declaration on Spiny Lobster  Flyingfish Management Plan  Strategy & POA on Climate Change and Disaster Rick Management in fisheries and aquaculture  Regional Coral Reef Action Plan  Regional Strategy on MCS to combat IUU  Fisheries and Aquaculture Research Agenda  Manual on FAD Fisheries  Model legislation, regulations, protocols & Manuals to strengthen capacity for sanitary & phyto-sanitary systems Flyingfish Management Plan  Very Important small pelagic fishery  Stable fisheries – not overfished but many challenges for long-term  7 States (Barbados, Trinidad, St. Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, St. Vincent/ Grenadines, Martinique)  FMP developed over several
 years  Adopted 2014 by CRFM Council  FMP implemented by States  1st review of implementation (2016)  CLME+ Project funding supporting implementation e.g evidence-base, catch documentation & traceability Management of Caribbean Spiny Lobster  Most important commercial species – highly traded, IUU fishing  St. Georges Declaration on Conservation, Management and Sustainable Use of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster (P. argus)  Joint WECAFC/CRFM/OSPESCA Regional Lobster FMP  Joint Lobster Working Group Other Caribbean States CRFM States Other Fisheries Management Plans and Instruments  Joint Regional Queen Conch Fisheries Management Plan  FAD Fisheries Management Plan (Draft)  Blackfin Tuna Fisheries Management Plan (Draft) Climate Change & Disaster Management Climate change and disaster risk management are recognized as core development challenges in the Caribbean requiring special attention by policy makers Photo :NOAA Sept 8, 2017 Climate Change & Disaster Management  Storms and hurricanes  Warming waters - Coral bleaching  Sargassum Seaweed  Acidification Photo credit: Richard Roach Climate Change & Disaster Management Risk Insurance for fisheries sector  US sponsored COAST Initiative  Parametric insurance linked to best practices in fisheries management & DRM Capacity Building  High Priority for our countries  Public & private sector focus – CNFO  Partnerships Agreements:  United Nations University  Univ of the West Indies  IOI/Dalhousie: Marine Law and
 Policy  ANCORS, Univ of Wollongong, Australia - 3 regional workshops to date  VIMS – Univ of Virginia  University of Florida  Univ.
of Belize  FAO  Projects – eg EU funded SPS Measures Project Summary  Small scale fisheries but significant variation  Important for food security, employment, trade etc  Most stocks fully /over exploited; few under-utilized  Need policy space for sustainable development  Regional cooperation to improve fisheries management and overcome capacity constraints  Steady improvement in fisheries management –  FMP & policies adopted and being implemented  But challenges remain - old and new:  Human, institutional capacity & policy  Data and information for decision-making  Financial resource limitations  Climate change & DRM Key Priorities Areas Strengthening fisheries governance & management:  Effectively regulate fishing capacity & harvesting,  Prevent overfishing & ensure stocks are within biologically sustainable limits, and are resilient  Improve evidence –based decision-making  Combat IUU fishing – strengthen MCS & cooperation Eliminate harmful subsidies (overfishing & over capacity) Improve trade capacity & competitiveness Protect marine environment, ecosystems, habitats Stakeholder involvement, public awareness Climate change and disaster risk management Building partnerships Regional cooperation imperative – ICCAT participation, FAO/WECAFC reorientation, CRFM, OSPESCA Conclusions –Fisheries Management  data & scientific for evidence based decisions Develop & implement ecosystem-based FMP  Strengthen governance framework for management – legislation & institutional capacity
 Harmonised management measures shared species Improving public awareness & involvement Sustainable financing Value chain approach Better coordination: fisheries & environment Climate change adaptation Capacity building to achieve above Partnerships – Within ACP & outside Thank you www.youtube.com/TheCRFM www.facebook.com/CarFisheries www.twitter.com/CaribFisheries