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National Statistical Office (NSO) representatives from Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Member States gathered in Barbados on March 20 and March 21 for the final Project Steering Committee meeting of the Canada-funded Project for the Regional Advancement of Statistics in the Caribbean (PRASC).

Launched in 2015, the CAD$19.5 million initiative, implemented by Statistics Canada, worked to build capacity of NSOs in 14 CARICOM countries and regional institutions to address statistical gaps to improve socio-economic measures and support evidence-based policy making in the Caribbean.

Specifically, the PRASC helped to enhance the Systems of National Accounts by ensuring adherence to international standards; to enhance economic statistics by working on a robust business survey infrastructure; to improve social statistics by incorporating sex-disaggregated socio-economic indicators into household surveys; and, to encourage statistical information and expertise sharing at national and regional levels.

Co-chaired by Global Affairs Canada, Statistics Canada and the CARICOM Secretariat, the two-day Project Steering Committee meeting allowed partners and stakeholders to present key activities and achievements from the eight-year project and to outline future priorities.

In her remarks, Executive Director of Canada’s Caribbean Regional Development Program Sharon Peake referenced the benefits of collaboration between Statistical Offices in the Caribbean to learn from each other post-PRASC. She shared, “This is exactly the sort of vision and proactive cooperation that is needed to ensure the sustainability of any project – especially like PRASC which has invested CAD$19 million into the region over the past eight years.”

Meeting participants included NSO representatives from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Montserrat, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago as well as the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, the Caribbean Development Bank, the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean, the International Monetary Fund and the United Nations Population Fund.

Regional Director of Statistics at the CARICOM Secretariat Halim Brizan noted, “PRASC has provided capacity building and technical assistance that have contributed to strategic drivers in the Regional Statistics Development Strategy.” Participating NSOs recognized the tangible benefits of PRASC to the region, referencing the extensive support Statistics Canada provided for development of their websites in an effort to bring data closer to citizens. They also noted that, through PRASC, they are now able to provide accurate, reliable and much needed data in a timelier manner. In some cases, results from surveys are made available within one month after data validation.

The PRASC, which formally concludes in September 2023, reflects a shared commitment by the Government Canada and CARICOM to advance gender equality and environmental sustainability in the Caribbean by enhancing social infrastructure and social services at the national level and regional levels.

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The Working Groups on Spawning Aggregations and Queen Conch of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC), convened hybrid meetings on 14-15 and 16 March respectively in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

The meetings were led by WECAFC, a regional fisheries body established under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). However, the Caribbean Fishery Management Council, and The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service provided support for the meetings.

The implementation of the Regional Fish Spawning Aggregation Fishery Management Plan (RFSAMP) and the Regional Queen Conch Fisheries Management and Conservation Plan for the WECAFC region were the two main important discussion topics.

The two discussion topics of the hybrid meetings attracted 45 government officials and scientists from 13 member States, including, Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States of America. Also in attendance were regional and international partners, including, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), French Institute for Ocean Science, Regional Activity Centre for the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife for the Wider Caribbean Region, Central American Fisheries and Aquaculture Organization and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Spawning aggregations, which refers to the massive gatherings of adult fish for breeding purposes, is critical to the survival of the fisheries sector in the region as many fisherfolk depend on the fishing industry for their livelihood.

During the process of spawning, the fish, in either single or multiple species releases sperm or eggs for the purpose of reproduction at the same place and time. Normally this occurs around objects such as drifting flotsam, rafts, jellyfish and floating seaweed, which offers refuge for juvenile fish from predators.

The spawning aggregations of reef fish, mainly groupers and snappers, have high ecological, biological and socio-economic value. Not only do spawning fish and their offspring benefit, but also the influx of eggs creates a nutrient rich food source for other animals, which contributes to supporting a healthy ecosystem and enhancement of the marine biodiversity in the region.

While countries have boundaries, many reef fish species including groupers, snappers, and parrotfish have none. They can transcend boundaries of over 40 nations, which are connected by ocean currents and intertwined economies, making them potentially available for catch to several countries and fisherfolk.

Millions of people in communities and nations throughout the Western Central Atlantic depend on these coral reef fisheries for food security and sustainable livelihoods from fishing and tourism industries. The lack of regional awareness of the vulnerability of spawning aggregations to fishing and insufficient management of aggregating species are contributing to declines in most areas. Therefore, reversing the trends in the declines of these species that aggregate to spawn, with an initial focus on mutton snapper and the threatened Nassau grouper, is a critical aspect requiring timely enforcement of the measures undertaken by the RFSAMP.

Yvonne Sadovy, one of the leading experts in the development of the RFSAMP stressed, “To effectively manage aggregating species, it is essential to ensure the survival of their spawning aggregations. These are the only times and places such species produce their young. These young fish support fisheries far-and-wide across the region, and well beyond the aggregations themselves. So we need to ‘mainstream’, or integrate, aggregation protection and management at both national and regional levels into fishery and conservation planning, through existing legislation, and by applying the multiple agreements and commitments made around sustainable use and biodiversity conservation”.

Alejandro Acosta, Researcher, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission stated, “This meeting was great and allowed us to share perceptions and experiences about the status of Fisheries Stock Assessment methods (FSA) in the Caribbean region. A major outcome was reviewing and updating the recommendations for the sustainability of Fish Spawning Aggregations. Two major take away points from the meeting were the need to implement and increase the outreach programs about the ecological, social and economic benefits of FSA and to encourage and expedite the implementation of the Focus on Nassau Grouper and Mutton Snapper (FSAMP) throughout the region”.

Meanwhile, the objectives of the sixth meeting of the Queen Conch Working Group (QCWG) were to monitor the implementation of the various queen conch recommendations and resolutions, and continue monitoring the implementation of the Regional Queen Conch Fisheries Management and Conservation Plan. During the meeting, the importance of Queen Conch on the socio-economic and environmental sectors of the wider Caribbean region was re-emphasized.

Mauro Gongora, Fisheries Officer in the Belize Fisheries Department expressed, “Belize is pleased to participate in this meeting and remains dedicated to the sustainable management of the queen conch resource. We endeavour to work with our stakeholders and especially our fishers to continue implementing the management measures outlined in the Regional Queen Conch Conservation and Fishery Management Plan”.

Maren Headley, Programme Manager, Fisheries Management and Development, the CRFM Representative and Convener of the QCWG added that, “CRFM welcomes the outputs of the sixth QCWG meeting and is pleased to collaborate with the working group partners. CRFM is looking forward to the commencement of the queen conch genetic study which will give us a clearer picture of the resource connectivity between the countries and help us to combat the Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing (IUU) fishing.”

Yvette Diei Ouadi, Secretary of WECAFC expressed immense satisfaction with the dedicated inter-sessional efforts by the working group members and the level of engagement that enabled them to meet the objectives of both meetings. She stated, “This sustained quality work is amply recognized in international fora”. She added, “The Decision 19 of the CITES Conference of Parties on queen conch now requires that progress reports on activities of Range States to the CITES Secretariat be made to the QCWG. The Secretariat will then report on progress by the Working Group to the Animals Committee and Standing Committee, which avoids a double reporting”.

The outcome of the deliberations will be tabled for discussion at the 19th Session of the Commission scheduled for 6-8 September 2023, to ensure that the actual benefits of these fisheries for food and nutrition security, income earning, livelihoods and healthy ecosystems are effectively secured and protected.

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With mounting pressures on water from rising consumption demands, increased pollution and climate change, world leaders, civil society, businesses, youth and other stakeholders are gathering at the UN 2023 Water Conference from 22 to 24 March at the UN Headquarters in New York to make bold commitments to address the global water crisis.

“This is more than a conference on water. It is a conference on today’s world seen from the perspective of its most important resource,” said United Nations Secretary-General Ant?nio Guterres in his opening remarks. “This conference must represent a quantum leap in the capacity of Member States and the international community to recognize and act upon the vital importance of water to our world’s sustainability and as a tool to foster peace and international co-operation.”

Access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene is the most basic human need for health and well-being, and a declared human right. But some 2 billion people around the world still lack access to safe drinking water. More people have access to mobile phones than toilets and sanitation, with 80 per cent of wastewater discharged untreated into the environment. More than 90 per cent of disasters are water-related, with climate change adding to the pressure. And humanity’s demand for water keeps growing, with pressure on freshwater projected to increase by more than 40 per cent by 2050.

Despite these challenges, a breakthrough to a water-secure planet is still possible. But urgent action is needed now. With this at the top of their minds, world leaders, together with over 6,000 registered civil society, business leaders, young people, and experts are attending the three-day Conference to present innovative solutions and bold commitments to accelerate transformational change for water. Coming from all sectors, the Conference is an opportunity to unite the global community around a common goal and trigger real action.

“During this conference, we want to get the water wheel spinning,” stated His Highness Willem-Alexander, the King of the Netherlands in his opening statement. “We won’t rest until water is given the place it rightly deserves on global agendas and policy programmes. We will bring all our commitments, pledges and actions together in a Water Action Agenda.”

The key outcome of the UN 2023 Water Conference will be the Water Action Agenda, a collection of commitments from Member States and other stakeholders that aims to present game-changing solutions to accelerate progress on SDG 6. To date, more than 500 commitments have been registered from Governments, UN agencies, business leaders and civil society, ranging from targeting open data sources and improving education around water, to scaling effective water management practices and mobilizing funds to drive action towards water. While many commitments are already available online here, key announcements will be made throughout the three days of the Conference.

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The president of Guyana, Irfaan Ali has sought to assure the United States that his country is ready to guarantee America’s energy security.

He made the statement as members of the Congressional House Ways and Means Committee are here, laying the groundwork to displace China as a preferred business partner in Latin America and the Caribbean.

“I even asked the Congressional delegation to ensure that Guyana and the US can advance the strategic partnership formally on energy security for the United States and Guyana and climate security and on food security,” he said.

Following a meeting with Ali, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Chairman, Jason Smith issued a statement in which he said that the aim of the Biden administration is to lead the way in developing, extracting, and selling Guyanese oil and that this increasing production has the potential to greatly benefit both the US and Guyana, and help thwart China’s attempts to achieve energy dominance.

“China also is participating in Guyana’s oil production. America must be committed to outcompeting China around the world while strengthening key American supply chains, increasing US production of affordable energy resources, and improving partnerships with allies in the Western Hemisphere and beyond. Our delegation’s meetings have shown how US bilateral relationships in the region benefit American workers and provide a much-needed alternative to countries that might otherwise orient their economies toward China,” he said in a statement.

In their meetings with the Congressional delegation, the government of Guyana as well as members of the opposition discussed relations with China and Venezuela. Chinese companies have over the decades won major infrastructural contracts and provided multimillion dollar loans.

Ali, in referring to the United States as a “trusted partner”, he said that Guyana is open to more American investors.

“Guyana is and will continue to be an important strategic partner of the United States and the opportunities here are open to all and open to the United States and your private sector and we want to see greater participation from the US private sector and the US here in Guyana. There is no second-guessing this agenda. This is a clear strategy of the government.”

Concerning climate change, Ali offered to provide “global” leadership in the area of climate services by teaming up with the US at the next global climate summit, Conference of the Parties”.

“We want the US to be a part of this, we want the US to be a strategic partner with us on the environment because we understand the importance of this relationship,” he said.

Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Guyana Sarah-Ann Lynch lauded the Guyana government for taking steps to modernise the country.

“We applaud the government of Guyana for the strides it has taken to make this country so attractive to investors. They have been excellent partners in energy, in agri-business and in security. They are taking bold leaps to transform the financial, education, health and tourism sectors,” she said.

The delegation from the United States comprised chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Smith and other members Terri Sewell, Carol Miller, Michelle Fischbach, Beth Van Duyne, Mike Carey as well as Kelly Armstrong of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

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High-level delegations from several Member States of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) will participate this week in the Blue Justice Conference 2023, billed by organizers as the largest global high-level event on transnational organised crime in the global fishing industry. The Blue Justice Caribbean Hub–to be housed in Jamaica–will also be launched at the high-level event.

Officials from twelve CRFM Member States–Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and The Turks and Caicos Islands–will be among the participants from approximately 80 countries and territories expected to attend the hybrid event, slated for 23-24 March 2023, in UN City, Copenhagen, Denmark.

The CRFM–the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) institution which leads the region’s efforts to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing and transnational organized crime in fishing industry–is among the partners joining the Government of Norway and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in convening the international conference.

Mr. Milton Haughton, CRFM Executive Director, will deliver official remarks at the Opening Ceremony on Thursday, 23 March, and will subsequently speak with Conference attendees about regional cooperation mechanisms in the Caribbean.

Haughton said: “The Blue Justice Initiative offers our countries significant opportunities to obtain intelligence, improve maritime domain awareness, access technical assistance, and strengthen national and regional capacities to better monitor and protect our marine resources and combat fisheries crimes, including illegal fishing. We are very grateful for the support being provided by the Blue Justice Initiative and the Government of Norway and other Nordic countries to support our countries in turning the tide against fisheries crime in the region and globally.”

During the conference’s high-level session, delegates from several participating CRFM Member States will present their “Country insights”. This segment of the conference will conclude with a discussion on governance and space technology in support of SDG 14 (Life Below Water) and SDG 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions).

Conference side events will be held on the Blue Enforcement Project (UNODC) – “Understanding gender roles in tackling crimes in the fisheries sector in Sri Lanka and Maldives”, and the Blue Fairness Project (ILO/UNODC/IOM) – “Using data to inform policies to combat trafficking for forced labour in fishing”.

The second day of the Blue Justice Conference, Friday, 24 March, is dedicated to the Blue Justice Action Forum. During that event, CRFM Member States will participate in a tabletop exercise.

The CRFM solidified its partnership with Norway and the Blue Justice Initiative in 2022, when 12 Member States signed the International Declaration on Transnational Organized Crime in the Global Fishing Industry (the Copenhagen Declaration) en bloc and pledged their support for the Blue Justice Initiative.

To date, fifty-one countries have signed the Copenhagen Declaration, and other countries have been invited to likewise sign the agreement at the upcoming conference and to join the Blue Justice Initiative. Dominica, a CRFM Member State, intends to sign the declaration at the event and join the global effort against transnational crime in the fishing industry.

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