Turks and Caicos Islands

percentage of total imports. In 2008, 13.6% of imports into the territory were from food and beverages
(Byron, 2011). The availability of food could have consequences for the health of the population,
particularly the poorest sectors of the society. The poverty rate is quite high in a number of the islands, for
instance in 2008 Grand Turk had a poverty rate of 32.8%, in South Caicos it was 45.2% and in Middle Caicos
it was 61.4% (ECLAC, 2008). If food availability is altered in neighbouring islands due to a reduction or
change in rainfall patterns and increased pests and invasive species, this can have a ripple effect on the
economy of the Turks and Caicos Islands. Similar impacts on the fisheries sector could reduce revenues and
a reduced ability to meet its food requirements (Climate Change Committee, 2011b).
Ciguatera fish poisoning – The Caribbean region is a well-known for the food poisoning illness called
ciguatera fish poisoning (CFP) (Tester et al., 2010). A recent ciguatera assessment by Tester et al., (2010)
estimated the Annual Ciguatera Fish Poisoning incidence in the Turks and Caicos Islands to be 4.5 per
10,000 which reviewed the years 1980-2006 (but there were no cases reported before 1991) (Tester, et al.,
2010). There were no ciguatera cases in 2006, or 2007 (CAREC, 2008a) but 10 cases were reported in 2008
(CAREC, 2010).
An increase in the incidence of ciguatera may arise as seas become warmer due to climate change,
triggering harmful algal blooms increase (HAB’s) which the toxins that bio-accumulate in fish species
(Confalonieri et al., 2007; Tester et al., 2010). Symptoms of CFP include diarrhoea, vomiting, abdominal
pain, muscular aches, nausea, reversal of temperature sensation, anxiety, sweating, numbness and tingling
of the mouth and feet and hands, altered sense of smell, irregular heartbeat, lowering of blood pressure
and paralysis (Friedman et al., 2008). As the CAREC Annual Report 2007 states “the occurrence of even
small numbers of cases of ciguatera poisoning is of concern since it can result in severe illness, including
neurological symptoms, and can also be life threatening” (CAREC, 2008a).
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