Fishing Industry Notes

Primary Industry - Fishing

Fishing is an extractive industry providing a major food source. Caricom countries earn over US300300 million annually from fish and fish product exports.

Average Yearly Earnings from Selected Caribbean Countries

The following are average yearly earnings from selected Caribbean countries:

  • Bahamas: US8383 million

  • Surinam: US3939 million

  • Belize: US2828 million

  • Guyana: US5050 million

  • Jamaica: US1313 million

The Caribbean fishing industry relies heavily on boat-owners who employ small crews. Fishermen typically sell their catch locally.

Commercial fishing involves larger crews and trawlers, sometimes managed by cooperatives. These cooperatives:

  • Provide a readily available market on a larger scale.

  • Offer loans to members for purchasing boats and equipment.

  • Seek reliable export markets and negotiate satisfactory prices.

Some cooperatives also offer pensions, sick leave benefits, and education funds.

Continental Shelf and Shallow Banks

Many fish species feed on plankton, specifically phytoplankton, which requires sunlight for growth. The best fishing grounds are in relatively shallow waters, not exceeding 200200 meters in depth.

Factors Influencing the Location of Fishing Industry

  1. Coast: A coastline is a primary factor for establishing a fishing industry, facilitating close resource access. Indented coastlines offer harbors and bays for fishing boat operations. The development of fishing industries in the Caribbean has been possible due to many settlements being located on the coast.

Market

Fish is a perishable resource, leading to potential wastage if a market isn't readily available.

  • Domestic (Local) fishermen: Sell to local people.

  • Commercial fishermen: Sell to supermarkets, restaurants, and hotels.

  • Cooperative Society: Where available, fish can be sold to a Cooperative Society, which negotiates with foreign buyers. In Belize, the Cooperative Society sells to the USA, Europe, and Japan. Profits are distributed to members as a “second payment” at year-end.

Fishing Methods

  • Drift Nets: Nets hung vertically onshore to catch fish swimming near the surface.

  • Trawling: A trawler tows a cone-shaped net over the seabed to catch fish like cod, haddock, and hake (near the sea floor).

  • Seining: Corks keep a net floating vertically while two small boats encircle a school of fish. The net is dragged onto the boats or shore to remove the trapped fish.

  • Lining: Long lines with up to 10001000 hooks are towed by a boat. This method targets fish close to the sea floor.

Trends and Problems in the Fishing Industry

  1. Over-fishing (Fishing Unauthorized & Undersized Species)
    The use of trawling fleets with large nets results in over-fishing in coastal waters, catching both large and small fish, leading to a decrease in the number of fish caught annually. Trinidadian fishermen have faced issues with Venezuelan authorities due to their nets having smaller holes than allowed in Venezuela for shrimp fishing. Guyana has experienced problems with Venezuela and Trinidad entering its waters with large trawlers, resulting in over-fishing and depletion of fish stocks like grouper, lobster, and snapper.

  2. Marketing
    Poor marketing arrangements limit the expansion of commercial fishing. Foreign markets, such as the USA and Europe, can be unreliable. These markets often require the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system for monitoring and recording all aspects of fish production. Small fishermen struggle to comply with these regulations due to inadequate processing and storage facilities.

  3. Inadequate Equipment
    In some Caribbean territories, fishermen lack optimal boats and fishing equipment. Most operate from small boats (4-11 meters), restricting them to approximately 1616 kilometers offshore, limiting their ability to locate fish stocks. While some large commercial boats exist, they represent a small portion of the total fishing capability in the Caribbean.

  4. Pollution
    Solid waste from cruise liners and commercial boats pollutes the sea with oil, sewage, solid waste, and scrubber wastewater. This pollution impacts the natural habitat of fish, contaminates fish, and can kill fish stocks.

  5. Destruction of Habitat (Mangroves)
    The destruction of mangroves for coastal development linked to tourism destroys critical breeding grounds for fish, significantly impacting their reproduction cycle and reducing fish populations in the Caribbean.

  6. Lack of Investment
    A lack of government investment in the fishing industry and cooperative societies hinders fishermen. Refrigeration is often needed to prevent spoilage, and better boats with modern technology are required. However, small fishermen often struggle to access loans for purchasing modern equipment and larger boats.

  • Advanced fishing trawlers now use sonars or echo-sounding equipment to locate schools of fish.

  • Modern boats utilize refrigeration plants to keep fish fresh for longer periods.

  • Radars help fishing vessels navigate safely.

Conservation and Sustainable Management of Fish

Managing fish stock is a challenge, that governments address via laws.

Fish Reserves:

Designated areas used for educational and research purposes and leisure activities associated with ecotourism. These reserves protect and restore endangered species of fish, attract tourists, and provide alternative livelihoods. They maintain fish life and restore key processes like water purification and carbon capture. The Bahamas has the region's largest fishery reserve: the 455455-square kilometer Exuma Cays Land & Sea Park. Reserves are also found in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Belize, and the Cayman Islands.

Fishing Seasons:

Designated fishing and closing seasons are implemented, with the closing season coinciding with fish-breeding periods. In the Cayman Islands, the Department of Environment enforces these laws strictly. Lobster season runs from December 1 to the last day of February, with a limit of three lobsters per person or six per boat per day. Conch season begins on November 1 and ends on April 30, allowing up to five conch per person or ten per boat per day, whichever is less.

  • Young fish below a minimum size must not be removed from the sea to allow them to mature.

  • Scuba diving for fish is prohibited in waters over 1515 meters deep.

  • Fishing for depleted fish stocks (e.g., grouper) is prohibited, and governments institute bans for extended periods as needed.

Penalties and consistent enforcement are necessary for those who break these laws.

  • Removal of mangroves for housing and tourism poses a threat to the marine environment.

  • Pollution from sources like pesticides or domestic sewage also impacts the marine environment.