After attending the Health and Food Safety capacity building trainings held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Department of Marine Resources staff Ms Nikkita Browne assisted by Ms Marva George conducted an inspection of the Basseterre Fisheries Complex. The first site visit for this year occurred on 5 January 2017.
Ms Browne and Ms George used the procedures outlined from the Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) training course surrounding inspections for the fisheries sector especially designed for processing facilities. In the future, other inspections will take place at landing sites, aquaculture sites, as well as small scale and high seas fishing vessels.
Photo taken from inside the Basseterre Fisheries Complex during inspection procedures
The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism Regional Validation Workshop was held 14-15 December 2016 in Barbados. Ms Nikkita Browne – Department of Marine Resources represented the Federation of St.Kitts and Nevis at this workshop.
The workshop covered the legal and regulatory framework for agricultural health and food safety for the fisheries and aquaculture subsectors, including the development of the Model Fisheries Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) Regulations in keeping with international best practice measures.
The Regional Validation Workshop was conducted by the Global Centre for International Law of the UK and was sponsored under the fisheries component of the programme on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, approved under the 10th European Development Fund Caribbean Regional Indicative Programmes implemented by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in partnership with CARICOM Community Secretariat and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CFRM).
Representatives of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food Safety Agency, CARICOM Community Secretariat and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism.
St.Kitts and Nevis was represented at the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism Food Safety Control and Laboratory Operation capacity building training held in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Mr Jermaine Mike – St.Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards attended the training from 28 November – 2 December 2016 which covered Laboratory Testing. Ms Nikkita Browne – Department of Marine Resources attended the Health and Food Safety 5-9 December 2016.
The Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) training course outlined; functions of the competent authority, traceability measures, training in water quality testing, standards surrounding inspections for the fisheries sector ; landing sites, aquaculture, processing facilities, and small scale and high seas fishing vessels. Manuals will be developed and distributed to countries involved in the training sessions.
Capacity building training activities were conducted by Megapesca Ltd of Portugal and was sponsored under the fisheries component of the programme on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, approved under the 10th European Development Fund Caribbean Regional Indicative Programmes implemented by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in partnership with CARICOM Community Secretariat and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CFRM).
Ms Nikkita Browne – Department of Marine Resources attended the Health and Food Safety training
Mr Jermaine Mike – St.Kitts and Nevis Bureau of Standards attended the Laboratory Operation training
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The Department of Marine Resources held consultations with the fishers at every major landing site in the Federation during the month of November 2016.
The St.Kitts based consultations conducted at; 9th November at Old Road Fisheries Complex, 10th November at Pump Bay, Fig Tree for the Fig Tree and Sandy Point based fishers, 14th November at the Dieppe Bay Fisheries Cooperatives and 23rd November at the Basseterre Fisheries Complex for the Basseterre East and West based fishers.
Meeting at Basseterre Fisheries Complex
The Nevis based consultations conducted at; 15th November at the Franklin Browne Community Center for New Castle, Long Haul and John’s Bay fishers, 17th November at the Charles Walters Community Center, Hanley’s Road for the Indian Castle based fishers and 21st November at the Gazebo fishers who use the landing site at Charlestown.
Meeting at Franklin Browne Community Center
The fishers were engaged in an interactive session on topics that included Safety at Sea, Trading of Fish and Fishery Products, Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported Fishing, Basic Fisher Training, Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures, Registration and New Identification Cards for Fishers, Vessel Monitoring Systems, St.Kitts and Nevis Marine Managed Areas, Species Catch Size Limits, Closed Seasons for vulnerable species, and Trap Mesh Sizes. Presentations were made by the Fisheries Enforcement Officer, Wilmot Alleyne. The fisher feedback will be integrated into the final regulations document to be produced.
Declaration of the St. Kitts & Nevis Marine Management Area (MMA)
On August 18th 2016, the Honorable Eugene Hamilton approved on behalf of the Government of the Federation of Saint Christopher and Nevis the declaration of the St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area as defined by the two (2) miles radius of sea water around the St. Kitts and Nevis’ coastline including the Monkey Shoals area to be managed by the Department of Marine Resources as the entity with jurisdiction of the Federal Waters of St. Kitts and Nevis as indicated in the Fisheries, Aquaculture and Marine Resources Act (FAMRA) 2016.
This St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area has been proposed since the late 1980’s. Substantial work was completed in the 2010 Marine Zoning Plan for St. Kitts and Nevis after extensive multi-sectoral consultations to define the marine area to be managed and the zones within the area. However, the Fisheries Legislation at the time was inadequate to adequately manage the St. Kitts and Nevis Marine Management Area.
Since then several consultations and efforts have been geared towards increasing the awareness and importance of this proposed area. With the newly passed FAMRA 2016, there is now legislation that supports for proper management and governance of such an area.
The Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is thankful to the fisherfolk, government officials, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, the Eastern Caribbean Marine Management Areas Network and other stakeholders for their invaluable assistance during the process of establishing the SKNMMA.
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On June 17, 2016, the Honorable Eugene Hamilton, Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources, Environment, Cooperatives and Human Settlement received the keys to a fishing vessel (FV Transformation) from a representative of NBK Corporation out of Japan. FV Transformation is valued at $500,000 USD. This vessel was procured through bilateral arrangement between the Government of St. Kitts & Nevis and the Government of Japan.
The fishing vessel was built in compliance with Japan’s safety regulations for small craft by YANMAR manufacturers, a boat building company with many years of experience in the design and construction of fishing vessels having the same size.
During the week June 13 to 17, 2016, YANMAR sent a team of engineers to the Federation to train the staff of the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) in operations and maintenance of FV Transformation. The engineers from YANMAR checked all equipment on board the fishing vessel, executed sea trials to include test operations of fishing equipment and provided operational explanations and guidance for that equipment to the Department of Marine Resources.
FV Transformation will enable the Department of Marine Resources to conduct at-sea fisherman training, implement various fish catch experiments, resources surveys, and install and monitor Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs). This fishing vessel will improve the quality of fishing activities within the Federation. A commissioning ceremony will be held at the Basseterre Fisheries Complex (BFC) on Caribbean Fisherfolk Day which is June 29, 2016 at 3PM to introduce FV Transformation to our fishers.
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On May 24th 2016, the National Joint Coordinating Committee (NJCC) held its 4th Annual meeting at the Old Road Fisheries Complex. The meeting held covered the timeframe April 2015 to May 2016.
Mr. Ishida, Mr. Honda and Mr. Tamura are members of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) delegation. Local representatives including Ms. Ashadi Duncan – JICA Liaison Officer, Mr. Kharim Saddler – Project Manager and Mr. Marc Williams – Director of the Department of Marine Resources discussed the following:
Fish Aggravated Device (FAD) Project: Positioning and Future Projector
Fishers learned about using the FADs and their advantages.
Discussions on the catch sizes of large pelagic fish occurred. These pelagic fish include Dolphinfish or Mahi Mahi and different species of Tuna and Rainbow Runner and Blue Fin.
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The Subregional Office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Secretariat of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) hosted the WECAFC-FIRMS data workshop in Christ Church, Barbados from 19 to 21 January 2016.
The main goal of this regional workshop, through the WECAFC-FIRMS partnership, is to develop the foundations of a regional data base in support of priority fishery management plans, with initial focus on Flyingfish, Queen Conch and Spiny Lobster.
The workshop was organized as the cornerstone of the joint FAO – European Union DG Mare’s project, “Strengthening national data collection and regional data sharing through FIRMS to support priority regional fishery management plans in the WECAFC area”.
GIS and Oceanography Officer, Ms Nikkita Browne, represented the St. Kitts-Nevis Department of Marine Resources.
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The Project Coordination Unit (PCU) of the UNDP/GEF co-funded Project “Catalysing Implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the Sustainable Management of shared Living Marine Resources in the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems” (the “CLME+ Project”) held the First CLME+ Steering Committee Meeting and Inception Workshop held in Cartagena, COLOMBIA 26-28 January, 2016.
The CLME+ Project Steering Committee (PSC), is expected to provide overall strategic policy and management direction for the project and play a critical role in reviewing and approving overall project planning and execution. More specifically, the CLME+ PSC will be expected to, amongst other things and in line with the adoption of an adaptive management approach, review project progress and results, make recommendations and adopt the (biennial) project work plans and budget.
The objectives of this First CLME+ Steering Committee Meeting and Inception Workshop were to:
Review and adopt suggested updates to the CLME+ Project Document
Review and adopt the CLME+ Project Work Plan and Budget for the period 2015 – 2017
Adopt the proposed TORs for CLME+ Project National Focal Points and Steering Committee, including the proposed Rules and Procedures for the PSC meetings
Review activities implemented during CLME+ Project Inception Phase
Review and adopt proposed coordination and management arrangements for the CLME+ Project and the 10-year CLME+ Strategic Action Programme (SAP)
Representing St. Kitts-Nevis, for the Deparment of Marine Resources, was Ms. Nikkita Browne in her capacity of Oceanography and GIS Officer.
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On June 17, 2016, the Honorable Eugene Hamilton, Minister of Agriculture, Marine Resources, Environment, Cooperatives and Human Settlement received the keys to a fishing vessel (FV Transformation) from a representative of NBK Corporation out of Japan. FV Transformation is valued at $500,000 USD. This vessel was procured through bilateral arrangement between the Government of St. Kitts & Nevis and the Government of Japan.
