Anguilla 
Antigua and Barbuda 
Grenada 
Bahamas 
Barbados 
Belize 
Dominica 
Guyana 
Haiti 
Jamaica 
Montserrat 
St. Kitts and Nevis 
St. Lucia 
St. Vincent and the Grenadines 
Suriname 
Trinidad and Tobago 
Turks and Caicos 
Events 20th Anniversary Celebrations Anniversary Events Seminars and Workshops 20th AnniversaryThe CRFM is pleased to share with you our Twentieth Anniversary e-Magazine.
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CRFM 20th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS | WEBINAR SERIES
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WEBINAR No. 1: Improving SPS Standards in Fisheries in the CARICOM, 15 June 2023
This webinar provides insights into the issues impacting on improvements in the region’s ability to improve food safety in fish and other aquatic products, mindful of the recently approved Protocol on aquatic foods as a strategic resource for food and nutrition security under the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy.
WEBINAR No. 2: Blue Economic Growth: Aquatic resources value chain development in CARICOM, 19 July 2023
This webinar highlights the perspectives of various stakeholders on the development of competitive fisheries value chains within the context of blue economic growth.
WEBINAR No. 3: Progress and Challenges in Addressing IUU Fishing and Fisheries Crime, 10 August 2023
This webinar provides insights into the issues impacting on addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing and fisheries crime in CRFM States over the past 20 years, mindful of recent initiatives such as Member States’ signing on to the International Declaration on Transnational Organised Crime in the Global Fishing Industry (a.k.a. the Copenhagen Declaration) and the launching of a Caribbean Blue Justice Hub.
WEBINAR No. 4: Tackling abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear in the Caribbean, 10 August 2023
This webinar explores the challenges associated with ghost fishing in the Caribbean, as well as some of the practical, cost-effective, and environmentally sound options for tackling the problem. It also provides an overview of the status of abandoned, lost, or discarded fishing gear in the Caribbean; present efforts made by the CRFM, including those in partnership with the Global Ghost Gear Initiative (GGGI), to address the problem; and options for the way forward.
WEBINAR No. 5: Building Resilience to Climate Change, Ocean Acidification, and Disaster Risk Management in Fisheries & Aquaculture, 18 December 2023
This webinar builds awareness on the global climate stocktake at CoP 28 from a Caribbean perspective, while highlighting strategies and actions for building resilience to climate change, ocean acidification, and disaster risk management in fisheries and aquaculture. This will foster sustainable development of a regional fisheries and aquaculture sector that is resilient to climate change and ocean acidification, through research and integrated, adaptive planning and policy development, awareness and capacity building, and regulatory reforms.
CRFM Twentieth Anniversary Scientific Conference Proceedings
The CRFM 20th Anniversary Scientific Conference proceedings is a compilation of presentations delivered at the conference, convened from 28-31 August 2023. This virtual conference featured presentations across ten (10) thematic areas, including national reports on the status of fisheries and aquaculture in CARICOM/CRFM Member States. Below is a list of all conference items, with links to the PowerPoint Presentations and YouTube Videos of the presentations.
Session I: Fisheries and Food Security in the Region
1.1 | Driving Circular Economy By Transforming Fish Parts From Processing (“Fish Waste”): a Barbadian Case Study for Resource Optimization in the Caribbean Countries
Authors: Yvette Diei Ouadi et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
1.2 | Food for Thought: Fisheries and Aquaculture Contributions to Food Security in the Caribbean
Authors: Maria Delesalle et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
1.3 | Strengthening Sanitary and Phytosanitary Capacity of the Fisheries Sectors within CARIFORUM Countries for Improved Market Access Under the Economic Partnership Agreement
Authors: Janet L. Lawrence and Peter A. Murray
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
Session II: Legal, Policy and Institutional Frameworks for Fisheries
2.1 | The Regional Aspect of Fisheries Governance in the Wider Caribbean
Authors: Robin Mahon and Lucia M. Fanning
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
2.2 | Review of the Legal and Policy Framework for Sustainable Use of the Living Marine Resources of the CRFM Member States
Author: Milton O. Haughton
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
2.3 | Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development Suite of Laws for the Barbados Fisheries Sector
Authors: Shelly-Ann Cox et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
2.4 | A Review of National Intersectoral Committee (NIC) Governance Arrangements for Shrimp and Groundfish in the Northern Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem (NBSLME)
Author: Sanya S. Compton
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
2.5 | Developing a Policy Framework for Gender Mainstreaming in the Fisheries Sector
Author: Peter A. Murray
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
2.6 | The WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies: CARICOM’s Interests, Participation and Outcome
Author: Nigel Durrant
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
2.7 | The Need for Rigor in the Fisheries Space - Why the Term “IUU Fishing” is a Hindrance
Author: Ian Ralby
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
Session III: Data and Science for Sustainable Fisheries Development & Management
3.1 | Implementing a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan to Inform Fisheries Governance in the Wider Caribbean
Authors: Lucia M. Fanning and Robin Mahon
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.2 | Analysis of Trends in Production, Fleet, Trade and Economic Contribution of the Fisheries and Aquaculture in CRFM Member States
Authors: Pranaya Parida et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.3 | Data Management for Fisheries Management: Addressing Challenges and Unleashing Revolutionary Innovations
Author: Vilhjálmur Hallgrímsson
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.4 | Leveraging Lessons From the Caribbean to Enhance the Value-Chain Approach in Developing Sustainable Small-Scale Capture Fisheries
Authors: Alexander S.T. Girvan et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.5 | Commercial Sea Cucumber Stock Assessment to Determine Sustainable Quotas in Belize
Authors: Kenneth Esquivel et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.6 | DIGIFISH: Data Driven Solutions to Inform Decision Making
Authors: Shelly-Ann Cox et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.7 | Video methodologies for deep water surveying of queen conch (Strombus gigas): a comparison study in Turks & Caicos Islands
Authors: J Van Rijn et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.8 | Modern Tools for Fisheries Data Collection and Data Management: Experiences From Suriname
Authors: Tomas Willems et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.9 | Assessing the Spatio-Temporal Dynamics and Overfishing Implications for Guyana’s Seabob Shrimp Industry
Authors: Ray Netwon and Mikhail Amsterdam
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.10 | Digitizing the Vessel Inspection Process in Barbados
Authors: Adriel Jackman et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.11 | Comparative Analysis of Shark Capture Data: Species Composition, Diversity, and Abundance Along the Northeast Coast of Trinidad
Authors: Imran Khan et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.12 | Socio-Economic Features of Antigua’s Small-Scale Fisheries Sector – Implications for Economic Security and Sustainable Development
Author: Ian Horsford
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.13 | The Evolution of Data Collection, Analysis and Reporting of Fisheries Data for the Commonwealth of Dominica
Authors: Derrick Theophile and Kurt Hilton
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.14 | Improving Social and Economic Resilience Through Enhanced Regional Trade in Fish and Seafood
Authors: Milton O. Haughton and Adele O. Ramos
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
3.15 | Biology and Diseases of Panulirus argus on Saint Kitts and Nevis
Authors: Nicole A. M. Atherley Herbert et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
Session IV: Capacity Building in Fisheries
4.1 | CRFM’s Training and Capacity Building Activities: 2003-2023
Authors: Pamela Gibson et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
4.2 | Investigating the Economic Implications of Weather-Related Damages and Theft on Fishing Vessels: a Survey-Based Analysis in the Coastal Communities of Trinidad
Authors: Vivan Alexander et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
4.3 | Women Empowerment in the Belize Fishing Industry
Authors: Sandra C. Grant et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
4.4 | Reflections on a Collaborative Program to Build Capacity in the Caribbean Fisheries Resource Management Sector
Authors: Nancy Montes and Charles Sidman
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
Session V: Aquaculture and Marine Science
5.1 | A Bioeconomic Approach for Sea Cucumber Mariculture in the Caribbean
Authors: Ricardo Anthony Morris (rescheduled to Thursday)
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
5.2 | Looking Back Before Moving Forward: Learning From History to Develop Aquaculture and Mariculture in Barbados
Authors: Christopher Parker and Colvin Taylor
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
5.3 | Restorative Aquaculture: How Commercially Important Sea Urchins Can Aid in Coral Reef Recovery
Author: Stacey M. Williams
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
5.4 | Investigating the Effectiveness of Three Different Growing Methods for Seamoss Farming in Saint Lucia
Author: Makeba B. Felix
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
5.5 | Evaluating the outcomes of selective breeding in optimizing the growth performance of tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) for commercial production in the Bahamas
Authors: Mia Avril and John Reid
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
5.6 | Outlook and Key Considerations for Sustainable Commercial Aquaculture Development in CARICOM
Authors: Samia Sarkis et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
Session VI: Fisheries Conservation and Management
6.1 | Historical Local and Traditional Knowledge and Key Messages for Present-Day Holistic Fisheries Management – An Example from Haiti
Authors: Susan Singh-Renton et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
6.2 | Sustainable Harvesting of Commercial Species in the Belize Exclusive Economic Zone
Authors: Silvana N. R. Birchenough et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: No Video
6.3 | 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
Authors: Shanna-Lee Thomas et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
6.4 | Use of a Maritime Domain Awareness Tool for Detecting Fishing Activity in the Waters of Caribbean States
Authors: Peter A. Murray et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
6.5 | Update on the Status and Management of the Caribbean Spiny Lobster Fisheries in the CARICOM Region
Authors: Maren Headley et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
6.6 | What is the Right Balance Between International Management and the Involvement of Fishing Communities in the Management of Caribbean Spiny Lobster Fisheries?
Author: Lester Gittens
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
6.7 | The Fish Sanctuaries Network: Jamaica’s Quiet Fisheries Success Story
Authors: Karl A. Aiken et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
6.8 | Ten Years of Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) Closed Season: Evidence From Antigua and Barbuda’s Small-Scale Fishery
Authors: Ian Horsford and Hilroy Simon
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
6.9 | Utilization of Artificial Reefs for Enhancement of Spiny Lobster Resource
Authors: Hiroaki Terashima et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
6.10 | Uncovering Stakeholder Perspectives on Belize's Managed Access Program: Implications for Sustainable Fisheries Management
Author: Eric Wade
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
6.11 | Recommended Strategies to Protect Parrotfish Populations in Barbados
Authors: Christopher Parker and Shelly-Ann Cox
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
Session VII: Climate Change, Ocean Acidification, Disaster Risk Management and Recovery
7.1 | The Role of Climate Risk Insurance in Building Resilience of the Fisheries Sector– the Coast (Caribbean Oceans and Aquaculture Sustainability Facility) Example and Application
Authors: Isaac Anthony et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
7.2 | Gender Perspectives in Social, Blue and Climate Justice
Authors: Maria Pena and Patrick Mcconney
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
7.3 | Sargassum in the Caribbean: Challenges and Opportunity for Blue Growth Based on the Circular Economy Approach
Authors: Mario Ayalon et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
Session VIII: International & Regional Cooperation and Partnerships
8.1 | Fisherfolk Organisations in Fisheries Governance and Policy
Authors: Patrick Mcconney and Maria Pena
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
8.2 | Regional Cooperation Among CRFM, OSPESCA and WECAFC for Sustainable Fisheries in the Caribbean
Author: Milton O. Haughton
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
8.3 | An Examination of Integrated Marine Planning and Management in CARICOM and the Wider Caribbean Region
Author: Mikhail Amsterdam
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
8.4 | Regional Cooperation on Marine Biodiversity and Fisheries Management in the Wider Caribbean Region
Authors: Geraldine Conruyt et al
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
8.5 | Transforming Our Seas and Oceans Resources Collaboratively with Accredited Development Partners for the Benefit of all
Author: Alwyn R. Ponteen
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
8.6 | The United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development: Potential for Regional Ocean Science Coordination and Partnership
Authors: Lorna V Inniss and Cesar Toro
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
8.7 | A Modernized and Results-Based ICT Framework to Strengthen Institutional Governance, Administration, Productivity, Outreach, Visibility, and Engagement
Author: Adele O. Ramos
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
Session IX: The Future of the CRFM in Blue Economic Growth
9.1 | Promoting a Fishery-Centered Blue Economy Through Co-Benefits and Knowledge Sharing
Authors: Nariaki Mikuni and Saori Imamura
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
9.2 | Building the Capacity of Aquaculture and the Blue Economy in the Caribbean
Author: Juli-Anne Russo
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
9.3 | Laying the Foundation for Blue Economic Growth in the Caribbean: the BE-CLME+ Project
Authors: Milton Haughton & Maren Headley
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
Session X: National Reports on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture in CRFM Member States
10.1 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Anguilla
Author: Remone Johnson
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.2 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Antigua and Barbuda
Author: Hilroy Simon
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.3 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | The Bahamas
Author: Alexandra Sinclair
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.4 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Barbados
Author: Gregory Franklin
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.5 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Belize
Author: Kenneth Esquivel
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.6 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Dominica
Author: Kurt Hilton
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: No Video
10.7 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Grenada
Author: Justin Rennie
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.8 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Guyana
Author: Denzil Roberts
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.9 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Haiti
Author: Not presented
Presentation: No PowerPoint
Video: No Video
10.10 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Jamaica
Author: Dr. Azra Blythe Mallett
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.11 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Montserrat
Author: Alwyn Ponteen
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.12 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Saint Kitts and Nevis
Author: Kadean Smithen
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.13 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Saint Lucia
Author: Makeba Felix
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.14 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Author: Jennifer Cruickshank-Howard
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.15 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Suriname
Author: Zojindra Arjune
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.16 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | Trinidad and Tobago
Author: Shandira Ankiah
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
10.17 | National Report on the Status of Fisheries and Aquaculture | The Turks and Caicos Islands
Author: Kathy Lockhart
Presentation: PowerPoint
Video: YouTube Video
In commemoration of its 20th Anniversary, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) will convene a 4-day virtual Scientific Conference from 28-31 August 2023. The event will open at 10:30 a.m. AST (8:30 a.m. Belize time) on Monday, 28 August, with an official ceremony, after which we will proceed with presentations on several key thematic areas. The conference culminates with national reports from representatives of the 17 CRFM Member States on the status of their fisheries.
More than 100 authors are contributing to this signal anniversary event, with 50+ papers scheduled for presentation over the duration of the conference. The papers from the conference will be compiled in a Special Scientific Publication, slated for release in October 2023.
We anticipate the attendance of a diverse range of participants from across CRFM Member States, as well as our community of regional and international partners and donors.
The goal of the conference is to showcase our collective work over the decades while providing a space for information exchange and dialogue on a range of important topics.
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