Annual Agriculture Review 2008 - Government of Grenada

Performance of the Fisheries Subsector and Assessment and Impact of Supporting Ministerial Division
...continued
Fish Market. Melville Street, St. George’s
© FAO / Giuseppe Bizzarri
However, the most critical issue as it relates
to human resource capacity was the need
for training.
Agriculture Knowledge
Impartation
Consultation and training were the major
strategies used for knowledge impartation
to fishermen. Two major consultations were
held with fishermen island-wide; the first
addressed critical issues such as marketing,
escalating fuel prices, opportunities
for increase fish production, fisheries
conservation and formation of a National
Fisherfolk Organization.
The second consultation dealt with
enhancing communication among and
between fisherfolks. This programme
was jointly organized with the Centre for
Resource Management and Environmental
Studies at the University of the West Indies.
Training was also provided to fishermen in
the areas of: Fishing Vessel Captaincy, use of
VHF/SSB Radio to enhance ship-to-shore
communication, Saftey-at-Sea and Global
Positioning System. To enhance quality
assurance, assistance was also provided to
five fish trading vessels that are engaged
in fish trade between Grenada Grenadines
and French Martinique to prepare their
Sanitation Standard Operating Procedures
(SSOP) and Hazard Analysis Critical
Control Point (HACCP).
Generally there were various levels of
compliance to prescribed practices by the
Division. Nonetheless, on average, the
compliance rate was five out of ten (5/10).
In the past fishermen blatantly contravene
the regulations and prescribed practices of
the fisheries management and conservation
system, however, in recent years the
evidence of their destructive actions may
have contributed to greater compliance.
Inter-Ministry Activity
Integration
Within the Ministry of Agriculture there was
constant and effective collaboration between
the Fisheries Division and other ministerial
divisions. Working collaboration with the
Department of Forestry, the Coast Guard,
Custom Department and the Ministry of
Health was also extremely beneficial to the
affairs of Fisheries. The Ministry of Health
has been ensuring quality assurance and has
been providing certification for fish vendors
and fish cleaners. A good relationship persists
with the Department of Forestry in the
quest to protect marine areas, for instance,
the mangroves which provide an extremely
important habitant for fish breeding and
feeding. This relationship between the
Fisheries and Forestry Divisions existed for
over twenty (20) years.
Projects for Future Development
There are tremendous opportunities for
expansion of the fishing industry in Grenada.
However, further expansion is dependent on
the necessary infrastructural development
to create the environment for proper fish
handling systems and to ensure safety and
security of fishermen. In the past, a number
of fishermen were lost at sea. The expansion
of export markets relies extensively on the
effective implementation of quality and
food standards. Projects relating to fish
processing are also a necessity.
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