The Barbados Fisheries Division had the opportunity to participate in a Deep-Sea Pelagic Fisheries Learning Exchange hosted by the government of the Bahamas and The Nature Conservancy in Nassau, Bahamas.
The Bahamas seeks to dive into fishing deep-sea pelagic species such as tunas, billfishes, dolphinfish, and wahoo on a commercial scale; species currently only targeted by sportsfishermen. They therefore sought to understand how other countries within the region target these species commercially.
The Division represented by Kyle Foster, Fisheries Data Analyst, along with one of Barbados' longline boat owners Jason Kinch, presented on the types of boats and gears used to target deep-sea pelagics in Barbados, methods being used to reduce incidental catch and ensure sustainability, and how and what type of data are collected.
Kyle Foster and Jason Kinch as they give their presentation. (Photo credit: The Nature Conservancy)
Barbados joined several other Caribbean countries, such as Jamaica, Turks and Caicos Islands, Grenada, all which convened in the Bahamas, and wider discussions around fisheries management and science ensued; from the use of Fish Aggregating Devices, to the issues encountered when surveilling Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing in large ocean spaces owned by small islands.
Overall, what occurred was a rich exchange of knowledge. Despite the fact that many of the islands in attendance did not commercially target deep-sea pelagics, much insight was gained on other areas of fisheries management, highlighting the importance of collaboration throughout the region.
Breakout sessions during the workshop. (Photo credit: The Nature Conservancy)
Cover photo credit: The Nature Conservancy