Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green says the development of the National Fisheries and Authority (NFA) has led to the fisheries sector experiencing continuous growth in 2023.

Green, while commending the NFA, noted that as the ministry continues to appropriately staff, resource and build out the NFA, the sector will see greater growth numbers.

“We, in 2021, would have seen 10,000 metric tons of our marine fish catch, and those included conch, lobster and shrimp. That rose to 10,696 metric tons in 2022 and we do expect that for the first time in our history, we will pass 11,000 metric tons for 2023, which is a continuous period of growth for our fisheries sector,” Green said during a recent press briefing.

He further mentioned an expansion in aquaculture and its production, witnessing an increase from 869 metric tons in 2021 to 948 metric tons in 2022. Projections indicate a continued upward trend, reaching an anticipated 954 metric tons in 2023.

“So, we are seeing a continuous rise in our fish production figures, but we are working to accelerate the pace of growth and we do hear some of the concerns being raised by our fisherfolk, and we do look to see how we can address them,” Green said.

The Minister also commended the nongovernmental organisation (NGO) network, for assisting with the rebuild of the marine population

He shared that in a meeting last week, productive discussions took place regarding additional measures. He highlighted ongoing collaboration with the World Bank, facilitated by a US$4-million grant, aimed at enhancing the capacity of the NFA and providing direct support to specific sanctuaries.

“We do have a training vessel valued at US$250,000, which will arrive in the island on the 13th of February, which will give the NFA greater capacity in leading training initiatives, including longline training initiatives for our artisanal fishers. More of them need to go further out to get greater catch, to really increase their profitability, but they need the training. We have purchased a vessel through the help of the World Bank to provide that support,” he noted.

Through a collaborative arrangement with HEART/NSTA Trust, enhancements totalling US$106,000 have been made to three one-acre tilapia ponds at the Ebony Park Agriculture Academy in Clarendon. These upgrades serve dual purposes, providing a platform for training in aquaculture production and facilitating curriculum development in food fish management and production.