Page 15 - Agric Info Mag 2018 - 01

The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI) in Trinidad and Tobago and Nexus Coastal Resource

Management (Nexus) in Halifax, Canada, are leading the remaining three sub-projects. PRESS RELEASE
Blue Earth Consultants will work with stakeholders and officials in the focal countries at both technical and
political levels until the subprojects conclude in mid-2019. The team is taking a participatory approach to
gaining feedback and it will lead a consultative process to updating the Eastern Caribbean Flying fish Fish-
ery Management Plan (FMP). The FMP provides context and guidance for the management of the Eastern
Caribbean region‘s flying fish fishery, developed through a process of extensive research, regional coopera-
tion, collaboration, and stakeholder consultation. Endorsed for regional implementation in 2014, the plan
was the first of its kind to have been sanctioned by the Ministerial Council of the CRFM, consistent with the
Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy. Under this initiative, a sub-regional data policy will be
developed to provide guidelines on how countries and Overseas Territories participating in the flying fish
fishery will collect and share data.

Flying Fish in action

The current status of flying fish fishery data collection will be investigated and legal and drafting support
will be provided by the consultants to develop template regulations for countries to implement. New rec-
ommendations will also be developed on vessel licensing arrangements and a census will be conducted on
existing fishing vessels used to target the flying fish. The initiative will support improved cooperation be-
tween the 17 CRFM Member States and France on the management and conservation of shared living ma-
rine resources. Regional cooperation is vital to the sub-projects, given that flying fish are a migratory spe-
cies fished by six CRFM countries and the French Territories. Therefore, the project is developing a coop-
eration agreement for the CRFM States and France, based on stakeholder and expert inputs. Throughout
the course of the three sub-projects to be led by Blue Earth, information products will be developed and
shared with stakeholders and the public to increase understanding of the flying fish fishery and the sub-
project outcomes. The CLME+ Project was catalyzed by a US$12.5 million grant from the GEF, matched
by government, multi-lateral and other funding for a total of more than US$146 million.