Regional fisheries livelihoods, income and export earnings that provide food security and nutrition and contribute to poverty reduction are under threat due to critical barriers, management and policy gaps in the industry. This includes overfishing, bycatch and discards, data limitations regarding the status of exploited species and fisheries value chains that undermine the sustainability of the resources.

Speaking at the official launch of The University of the West Indies (UWI), Faculty of Food and Agriculture (FFA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) project entitled “Enhancing capacity for the adoption and implementation of Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF) in the shrimp and groundfish fisheries of the North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem (EAF4SG),” on January 25, 2024, Dr. Yvette Diei-Ouadi, Fishery and Aquaculture Officer, FAO said fostering effective governance, management and long-term development of these living aquatic resources is vital to support the attainment of national development goals and the realization of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The ‘sister-project’ of the previously launched Strategies, technologies, and social solutions to manage bycatch in tropical Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries (REBYC-III CLME+) project, EAF4SG which seeks to enhance the knowledge base and governance frameworks for fisheries management at local, national and sub-regional levels is also funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund in the amount of USD 1.7 million, implemented by FAO and executed by the UWI FFA. Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and
Tobago are participating countries of the project which is expected to be implemented over four years.

Dr. Diei-Ouadi stated that shrimp and groundfish fisheries of the North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem (NBSLME) are among the most economically important fisheries in the Western Central Atlantic, with recent annual reported landings valued at approximately USD 400 million. “The three project countries have a high dependence on shrimp and groundfish resources for their socio-economic development. In 2020, these resources accounted for 98 per cent of the total fisheries production for Guyana, 97 per cent for Suriname, and 77 per cent for Trinidad and Tobago. The combined total fisheries landings of the three countries amounted to around 82,000 metric tonnes in 2020. Of this, approximately 45,000 metric tonnes with an estimated value of USD 200 million were exported mainly to the European Union, the United States of America, and other countries in the Caribbean” she noted

Professor Mark Wuddivira, Professor of Agri-Environmental Soil Physics, UWI, St. Augustine Campus, underscored the pivotal role that the FFA at the UWI, as the sole regional institution of higher education and research, played in addressing regional issues to promote the development of the agri-environmental sector. “Through collaborative efforts, we aim to contribute significantly to regional development, fostering a sustainable and thriving environment for our communities” he added.

He explained the intrinsic connection between agriculture and the environment and noted the success of the EAF4SG project relied on a holistic understanding of this relationship, emphasizing sustainable practices that not only benefit the region’s agricultural sector but also contributes to the overall health and resilience of the environment. He said initiatives like EAF4SG address these challenges head-on and implement strategies that mitigate the adverse effects on marine ecosystems.

Dr. Simone Titus, Chief Technical Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (Trinidad and Tobago) added that all stakeholders were ready to embrace the relevance and impact of the project which will merge “synergistically and strategically” with national and regional policy frameworks that emphasize sustainable use and management of natural resources, while showcasing a commitment to environmental stewardship and economic resilience.

The launch was part of the hybrid EAF4SG Project Inception Workshop and first Project Steering Committee meeting which was held from January 25-26, 2024 at the Hilton Trinidad and Conference Centre, Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago and attended by 26 in person and 24 online, including National Focal Points and heads of the national fisheries administrations of the project’s participating countries, representatives from partner organizations and other regional and international stakeholders. A total of USD 498,895.00 was approved by the PSC for the project’s first year work plan.