The “Strategies, technologies, and social solutions to manage bycatch in tropical Large Marine Ecosystem Fisheries (REBYC-III CLME+),” project and the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (MALF) in Trinidad and Tobago will conduct a Sharks and Fish Species Identification Workshop from 24-28 March 2025.

The workshop which will be held at the St. Augustine Campus of the University of the West Indies (UWI), is targeted at the following:

• Researchers assigned to biological sampling of catch from the multifilament gillnets on North East Trinidad during the gillnet LED illumination trials and gillnet selectively experiment scheduled to begin in April 2025.
• Catch and Effort Data Collectors assigned to recording fish catch and effort data at landing sites around Trinidad and Tobago with a view to having the data collected down to species level rather than species group level, for at least the key species.

At the workshop, Catch and Effort Data Collectors will also be introduced to a new Marine Mammal Data Collection Form to be completed by all fishers on the interaction of marine mammals with fishing gear during fishing operations. The Trinidad and Tobago Cetacean Sighting Network (TTCSN) has been invited to give a presentation on marine mammal conservation and identification of key species in Trinidad and Tobago waters.

The US$5.3 million REBYC – III project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Trust Fund, implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and executed by the UWI, Faculty of Food and Agriculture (FFA).

It is expected to be implemented over a four-year period in Barbados, Guyana, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago. The objective of the REBYC-III CLME+ project, is to manage bycatch and reduce discards in the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems (CLME+) thereby promoting sustainable and responsible fisheries that provide economic opportunities while ensuring the conservation of marine living resources, and in doing so support country implementation of the CLME+ Strategic Action Plan.

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