Agriculture Ministry expends $77.3 million on fisheries project

A total of $77.3 million has so far been spent by the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries under the Promoting Community-based Climate Resilience in the Fisheries Sector Project to include procurement of a much-needed high speed vessel and three motor vehicles for enforcement activities in the fisheries sector.

At the launch of the project and sensitization meeting on July 24, in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, Acting Chief Executive Officer of the National Fisheries Authority (NFA), Courtney Cole, said the project will have a lasting impact on the country’s marine environment and fisherfolk.

He said it will do so by building resilience through the strengthening of “aquaculture policy and regulation, supporting livelihood diversification and the development of alternative livelihoods for fishers”.

“Through this intervention, the NFA will also seek to modernise the fisheries sector by providing the requisite organisational structure and capacity for the sustainable development and management of capture fisheries and aquaculture fisheries,” he added.

Funded by the World Bank to the tune of the tune of US$4.8 million, the project will also safeguard fishing communities and the economy against the vagaries of climate change such as sea warming, sea level rise, and storm surges.

Meanwhile, in her remarks, Project Manager, Selena Ledgister, said
that other activities currently under way include the conducting of two national surveys, one of which will analyse the knowledge, attitude, and practices in fishing and fish farming communities throughout Jamaica.

The second relates to a social assessment of climate change impacts on gender, youth and labour dynamics in the fisheries sector.

Other activities to be carried out under the project are upgrading of the existing hatchery at Twickenham Park in St. Catherine, and the improvement and upgrading of the mariculture demonstration facility at Bowden in St. Thomas.