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Vessel Monitoring Systems and Licensing Distribution Ceremonies

2019 registered fishing boat owners in St Kitts and Nevis will receive vessel monitoring systems and their fishing vessel registration certificates at ceremonies to be held in St. Kitts at the Police Training Complex on February 5, 2019 at 5 PM and in Nevis at the Nevis Disaster Management Department on February 7, 2019 at 9 AM.

This initiative is a joint effort between the Federal Government of St. Kitts and Nevis and the Nevis Island Administration to improve the safety and security of fisher at sea. The featured address in St. Kitts will be delivered by the Honourable Eugene Hamilton, Minister with responsibility for marine resources within the Federal Government of St. Kitts and Nevis. While the featured address in Nevis will be delivered by the Honourable Alexis Jeffers, Minister with responsibility for marine resources in Nevis Island Administration.

Both administrations are concerned about fishers losing their lives at sea. As a result, a basic fisher training course began in 2017 for fishers in the Federation aim at improving their survival and navigational skills. This year, steps were further taken by introducing vessel monitoring systems to track fishing vessels when fishers are experiencing distress while at sea. There is an emergency button on the vessel monitoring system that can alert rescue authorities in efforts to locate fishing vessels.

Fishing vessel owners do not have to pay for these vessel monitoring systems as the Government has absorbed an estimated $156,520 USD for these systems. Fishers are encouraged to continue practicing their profession while doing so in a responsible manner so that the nation and their families can enjoy the nutritional value and benefits that fish and fisheries products provide.

RUSVM supports DMR -Aquaculture and Research Opportunities

The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) received a welcomed donation of EC$10,752.80 from Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine (RUSVM) for its aquaculture project starting this year. Speaking at a Handing-Over Ceremony on March 27 2018, DMR’s Director, Marc Williams, said that the introduction of aquaculture in the Federation is an important initiative that will help to limit the importing of seafood by better meeting the demand of the local market.

“We can help to alleviate some of our food import bills and have a healthier population overall. This is where we are today, but we are hopeful that our collaboration will continue for the foreseeable future,” he said.

Minister of Agriculture, the Honourable Eugene Hamilton, thanked RUSVM for its continued support, specifically with this new initiative as it will assist with food security and providing employment in the Federation.

“I am pleased that we are making that step forward with the aquaculture project because I believe that there lies an opportunity for new entrepreneurs. This new initiative will help to make some families financially independent,” he added.

Minister Hamilton highlighted the long standing relationship that RUSVM has with the Department of Marine Resources with research projects including coral reef disease, cetacean stranding, lobster, conch , artificial reefs and support for a coral monitoring program within the St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area (SKN MMA).

Queen Conch

 

Caribbean Spiny Lobster

See link for support provided for Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs)   http://dmrskn.com/ross-university-bolsters-fishing-technology-in-st-kitts-nevis/

He also indicated RUSVM has lent assistance to the Ministry of Health on many initiatives including its research on mosquito-borne diseases such as ZIKA and Chikungunya. “We are very grateful that we have a partnership in Ross. A partnership that has lasted more than 30 years and which I hope is only getting stronger,” said Minister Hamilton.

 

Dean of RUSVM and Professor of Anatomic Pathology, Dr.  Sean Callanan, said “we’re very conscious of the need to invest in empowering people” in particular the fisherfolk.

Professor Callanan said that while the aquaculture project was in the “early stages of a development process and feasibility process, which we’re funding right now, we really should consider it as the start of a strong partnership.”

The delegation from RUSVM included Campus Administrator, Ray Francis; Senior Vice President, Corporate Relations, Adtalem Global Education Inc, Lisa Sodeika; and Director of Civic Affairs and Security Projects, Adtalem Global Education Inc, Veron Lake

RUSVM presentation to DMR