1. Regional Policy Briefing No.7
Building resilience in small island economies:
from vulnerabilities to opportunities
Panel 3: Enhancing Sustainable Development of Small Island Economies
Mauritius, 23-24 April 2012
2. Blue economy: new threats and opportunities to
sustainable use of marine resources
by
Terrence Phillips
Outline
- CRFM
- Importance of fisheries
- WCR: CLME - EAF and governance arrangements
- CRFM/CARICOM region - new threats and initiatives/opportunities
3. Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM)
Inaugurated: 26 March 2003 in Belize (HQ), Eastern Members:
Caribbean Office – St. Vincent and the Grenadines *Anguilla,
*Antigua and
Barbuda,
*The Bahamas,
Mission: to promote and facilitate the responsible *Barbados,
utilization of the region‟s fisheries and other aquatic *Belize,
resources for the economic and social benefits of *Dominica,
the current and future population of the region. *Grenada,
*Guyana,
*Haiti,
*Jamaica,
SIDS: low-lying coastal countries that share similar *Montserrat,
sustainable development challenges, including *St. Kitts / Nevis,
small population, limited resources, remoteness, *St. Lucia,
*St. Vincent and
susceptibility to natural disasters, vulnerability to the Grenadines,
external shocks, and excessive dependence on *Suriname,
international trade. *Trinidad and
Tobago
Turks and Caicos
Islands.
4. Importance of the fisheries sector
Economic data from 14 CARICOM/CRFM Member States
• 2008 GDP contribution of fisheries ranged from 0.01% to 2.5%, or from
0.115 M US to 77 M US$
• Employs approx. 332,000 fishers, boat owners/operators, boat builders,
dock workers and processors.
• Marine production (2007): over 102, 000 tons, with total exports being
approximately 47, 800 tons or 208 M US$.
The fisheries sector is a major contributor to income, employment,
food security and social and economic stability, especially in coastal
communities throughout the Caribbean.
5. Sustainable management of the shared living marine
resources (LMR) in the Wider Caribbean Region
„Blue-green‟ economy - transition towards a human-ocean centered relationship where
humankind would be living with the ocean and from the ocean in a sustainable way. Three
pillars of sustainable development (environmental, economic, social).
SIDS: “Green Economy is a Blue Economy”.
Wider Caribbean Region: provides valuable ecosystem services, including through
fisheries, tourism, energy, coastal defences and biodiversity support. These systems are
under growing threat from direct and indirect human activities, including climate
variability and change .
Caribbean Large Marine Ecosystem (CLME)
Participating states: 23 GEF-eligible countries and 2 associated countries.
Considerable ecosystem resources that contribute to the socio-economic growth of the
region and offer ecological and biodiversity value.
Objective: Sustainable management of the shared Living Marine Resources of the
Caribbean LME and adjacent areas through an integrated management approach that will
7. Sustainable management of the shared living marine
resources (LMR) in the Wider Caribbean Region cont‟d
Ecosystems Approach to Fisheries (EAF) : Reef, pelagic and continental shelf
ecosystems.
Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis (TDAs): unsustainable exploitation of fish
and other living resources (overfishing, IUU fishing, by-catch and discards);
habitat degradation and community modification; and pollution.
3 issues: impact on the overall health and functioning of all three fisheries
ecosystems. Negative effect on the socio-economic development and
sustainability of the WCR reducing the benefits available from the ecosystem
services.
Common root causes: poor or inadequate governance, poverty, inadequate data
and lack of public and governmental interest.
Need for a coherent marine governance structure to protect and allow for
sustainable development in the region.
Approach: EAF/policy cycle - case studies/pilot projects (lobster, shrimp and
groundfish, large pelagics); development of a proposed regional governance
framework; development of IMS/REMP – Strategic Action Programme (SAP).
8. Generic governance policy cycle
ANALYSIS
AND
ADVICE
DATA AND
INFORM
-ATION
DECISION
MAKING
REVIEW
AND
EVALUATION
IMPLEMENT
-ATION
9. Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development in the
CRFM/CARICOM region
CRFM region: “subset” of the WCR – reef, pelagic and continental shelf ecosystems
Fisheries sector:
Mainly artisanal/small-scale fisheries - concentrating on mostly primary production,
utilising small boats and limited technology such as traps, seines and hook and line.
Industrial fisheries - targeting high priced species such as spiny lobsters (Jamaica
and the Bahamas), conch (Jamaica,The Bahamas and Belize), shrimp (Guyana ,
Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago).
Recreational fisheries - spanning various aspects of tourism, including domestic and
international sports fishing tournaments, weekend group and family fishing events.
Fisheries of the region which stretches from Suriname to Belize and The Bahamas is
varied. Ranges from shrimp and groundfish stocks off Guyana and Suriname to the
carite and kingfish fishery of Trinidad and Tobago. Also, contains reef species of the
Eastern Caribbean, and the conch and lobster of Jamaica and Bahamas. Migratory
pelagics such as wahoo, tuna, flying fish and dolphin fish roam through the area.
10. Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture development in
the CRFM/CARICOM region cont‟d
• Aquaculture sector - significant development limited to countries like Jamaica and Belize.
Other countries like Guyana, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago have begun to put more
emphasis on aquaculture as an area for development.
• Practices mainly involve the use of ponds to culture such species as penaeid shrimp,
tilapia, carp and cachama. Long line culture for algae in St. Lucia and the mangrove oyster
in Jamaica.
• Most CARICOM states have limited land and fresh water resources, however some, like
Belize, Guyana and Suriname, do have ample supplies. On the other hand, most states
have larger expanses of marine space than land mass, which offers the potential for the
promotion and development of mariculture.
• Aquaculture - identified as a sector in the region that has potential for improving social
and economic conditions of rural and coastal people, while contributing to regional and
national economic growth, generating employment and earning foreign exchange.
• Challenges: inadequate policy and legislation; inadequate institutional capacity (research
and development, extension services); inappropriate technologies; and inadequate market
intelligence.
11. “New” threats
In addition to such issues as unsustainable exploitation of fish; habitat degradation and
community modification; pollution; challenges to aquaculture development and
problems related to trade (SPS).
Climate variability and change - likely to have profound effects on fishing and fish
farming communities in the region.
- Ecosystem productivity is likely to be reduced because of surface water temperature
increases which will have feedback effects on food chains.
- Increased temperatures are likely to adversely affect coral reefs with greater
incidences of coral bleaching occurring, especially in the wider Caribbean.
- Increasing ocean acidification is also likely to affect reef structures and a wide array
of other marine organisms with calcium carbonate structures.
- Storms are likely to damage fishing boats, fish processing facilities, landing
infrastructure and houses.
- Sea level rise is likely to increase coastal flooding and the ingress of salt water into
coastal areas will affect fish farming.
12. “New” threats cont‟d
- Sea level rise, although it may take place slowly, will make coastal fisheries and
aquaculture communities more exposed to storms and tsunamis.
- Changes in fish abundance and distribution are likely to affect their availability to
local fisheries and may result in mass migration of fishers affecting the wealth
generated by fisheries in localised areas.
- Changes in weather patterns will affect traditional fish processing methods.
- Post-harvest effects will be particularly important to women who, in many parts of
the region, play the major role in fish processing and trade.
- Changing weather patterns are also likely to affect non-fisheries livelihood
strategies and in many cases increase pressure on people to join the fishery where
other opportunities have decreased.
Sector - demonstrated considerable resilience to climate variability in the past,
however factors such as lack of consistent governance, access to capital on
reasonable terms, weak fisherfolk and other stakeholder organizations and
consequently low bargaining power will compromise adaptation capacity in the future.
13. Interventions
Interventions within the fisheries and aquaculture sector must be fully integrated with wider national,
sub-regional and regional strategies. Key strategies emerging from these adapted for the fisheries
and aquaculture sector, include:
To fully recognize the interconnectedness of climate change adaptation (CCA) and disaster risk
management (DRM), to integrate them into a combined strategic approach and mainstream them
as an integrated part of fisheries and aquaculture development strategies.
To more closely link poverty reduction to sector development, ecosystem approach to fisheries
and aquaculture, climate change and DRM.
To strengthen national mechanisms, legal frameworks and capacities for mainstreaming and
implementing DRM and CCA strategies and programmes in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
To strengthen long-term capacities at regional, sub-regional, national and local levels to
systematically contribute to building resilience to hazards in fishing and aquaculture
communities.
To ensure that institutions concerned with fisheries and aquaculture development at the local,
national, sub-regional and regional levels develop and maintain sustainable mechanisms of
coordination to support the implementation of regional programmes for DRM and CCA across the
fisheries and aquaculture sector.
To work with a range of other sector agencies to implement systematic approaches to livelihood
diversification for poor fishing and aquaculture communities in ways that build their resilience
and reduce their vulnerability.
14. Initiatives/Opportunities
2011 Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (CCCFP)
Vision: effective cooperation and collaboration among Participating Parties in the conservation,
management and sustainable utilisation of the fisheries resources and related ecosystems in the
Caribbean region in order to secure the maximum benefits from those resources for the Caribbean
peoples and for the Caribbean region as a whole.
Key elements: goal, objectives, fundamental principles, conservation and management (EAF), fisheries
sector development, statistics and research, MCS, dissemination of Information, marketing.
Challenge: strengthening the institutional arrangements for implementation.
2006 – 2009 CTA/CRFM partnership with FFOs to create Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations
Purpose: to develop institutional capacities of fisherfolk organizations at the regional, national,
community levels. Phase II: policy influencing and implementation.
2009 – 2012 CARICOM/CRFM/Kingdom of Spain Diagnostic Study to Determine Poverty Levels in Fishing
Communities in CRFM Member States
Objective: determine poverty levels of fishing communities in selected CRFM members States, and its
effects on quality of life and structure, so as to identify suitable planning models and implement
alternative livelihood and poverty alleviation programs in these communities.
Identified poor and vulnerable fishing communities in 10 selected CARICOM/CRFM Member States.
Livelihood assessments.
15. Initiatives/Opportunities cont‟d
EU ACP Fish II Project
Overall objective: to contribute to the sustainable and equitable management of fisheries in ACP
regions, thus leading to poverty alleviation and improving food security in ACP States.
Outputs: improved fisheries policies and management plans; reinforced control and enforcement
capabilities; reinforced research strategies and initiatives; developed business supportive
regulatory frameworks and private sector investment; and increased knowledge-sharing on
fisheries management and trade at the national and regional levels
2009 – 2012 CRFM / JICA Study to formulate a Master Plan on Sustainable Use of Fisheries
Resources for Coastal Community Development in the Caribbean
Objectives: to formulate a master plan for sustainable use of fisheries and aquaculture in the
Caribbean, focusing on small-scale operators in coastal communities.
Components: pelagic resource development and management; aquaculture development policy
formulation (small-scale aquaculture, network of aquaculture organisations); support for
community-based management; and regional fisheries database development.
FAO/CRFM/CDEMA/CCCCC Formulation of a strategy, action plan and programme proposal on
disaster risk management, climate change adaptation in fisheries and aquaculture in the CARICOM
region
Outputs: assessment study on the interface between DRM, CCA and fisheries and aquaculture in
the CARICOM region, with a focus on small scale fisheries and aquaculture ; strategy and action
plan for integrating DRM, CCA and fisheries and aquaculture; and programme proposal.
