BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – A senior Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) official is warning that climate change could precipitate an annual fish value loss of between US$1.2 to US$2.7 billion across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Addressing the four-day virtual scientific conference organized by the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), Dr. Renata Clarke, the FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator, said such losses underscored the need for building resilience in the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
“Fishing communities are most often vulnerable to hurricanes and floods. Resiliency needs to be built to save lives and enable fisherfolk to restart their livelihoods quickly. We can do so through insurance schemes and social protection schemes and make fisheries infrastructure climate-proof.
“Early warning systems, safety at sea training, adaptation of fishing vessels to the new reality are also investments we need to make,” she added.
Earlier, Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretary General Dr. Carla Barnett had warned the fisheries sector of the region continues to experience numerous obstacles and setbacks.
“Climate change, ocean acidification, overfishing, pollution, sargassum blooms, the invasive pacific lionfish, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing all place immense pressure on our marine fisheries and ecosystems. They also threaten fisherfolk’s jobs and livelihoods and our people’s food security.
“This scientific conference reiterates our call to all fisheries stakeholders to continue embracing collaboration, solidarity, and inclusivity.
“Sustainable fisheries development and management require the active participation of all stakeholders, and use of the best available scientific data and information to guide decisions regarding fisheries development and conservation, as well as protection of the marine ecosystems and biodiversity in the marine environment,” Barnett said.
The conference will feature 130 authors and speakers from the Caribbean and internationally, presenting nine thematic areas of high interest to the fisheries and aquaculture sector.
The CRFM said that the conference aims to showcase the collective work done over the past two decades since its establishment while providing a space for networking, information exchange, and dialogue on various essential topics.
The conference will also feature national reports from the 17 CRFM member states on the status of their fisheries and aquaculture industries.
CRFM executive director Milton Haughton said, “We are very proud to host this conference, which will highlight the importance of science, knowledge, innovation, and international best practices as the basis of our actions and policies to ensure responsible development, management, and conservation of our marine living resources and aquaculture.”
He said the event would also help “sustainable future economic growth based on our ocean resources.”
Chair of the CRFM Ministerial Council, Avinash Singh, said it was important for the CRFM to recommit itself to face the journey ahead as it commemorates its 20th anniversary.
“Our collective vision for a sustainable, prosperous Caribbean region is within our reach. Let this conference be a beacon of hope, a platform for meaningful dialogue, and a catalyst for positive change,” said Singh, the Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries in Trinidad and Tobago.
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