On Tuesday 20 August 2024, a broad cross-section of fisheries stakeholders in Barbados reviewed the sector’s blue economy roadmap implementation plan, and elaborated their specific interests and concerns for addressing the Sector’s agreed strategic priorities as work gets underway. An evaluation of the power, interest, outlook and impact characteristics of various fisheries stakeholder groups, including key stakeholder groups of other sectors involved in the blue economy, also received careful attention.
The fisheries implementation plan represents a significant milestone by the Fisheries Division to prepare and organise the Sector to maximise new opportunities under the national Blue Economy Roadmap, while ensuring that current investments and livelihoods are integrated into the change process and enjoy improved benefits and risk resilience. The plan uses a results-based management approach, listing the steps in the results chain, along with details about the tasks, activities, duration, expected outputs and performance indicators, that would allow the Sector to track its performance and progress towards achieving the strategic priorities.
Several strategic priorities were agreed for the sector under the national Blue Economy Roadmap and new strategic priorities have since emerged. These include: artisanal fishery resilience to climate impacts; artisanal fisher inclusion and participation in oceanic fishery; sustainability of oceanic fishery; expansion of oceanic fishing beyond national jurisdiction; value chain design supporting oceanic fishery development aspirations; waste management; mariculture development; Sargassum business development; digitilisation of supporting public sector services.
Noting the successful outcome of the milestone event, Chief Fisheries Officer, Dr. Shelly-Ann Cox, said “The national validation workshop was well attended by government agencies, private sector and civil society working in the blue economy space. The sessions led by CRFM consultants were interactive with spirited discussion that offered good feedback on the draft implementation plan and stakeholder map. Next steps, including the implementation of sections of the plan, were discussed and possible funding opportunities.”
Barbados’ Blue Economy Roadmap, as it is often called, is a policy framework with a strategic action plan and is being used to guide development the national blue economy. The Blue Economy Roadmap includes those national sectors that use the goods and services of Barbados’ marine space and a strategic action plan for addressing each sector’s key priorities. The Blue Economy Roadmap also proposes required changes in governance arrangements for ensuring a structured, balanced approach to prioritise management and development decisions across the social, economic and environmental objectives of interest.
Sponsorship and technical support for preparation of the national fisheries blue economy stakeholder map and implementation plan were made possible by the BE:CLME+ project that is ‘promoting blue economy development through marine spatial planning and marine protected areas, the ecosystem approach to fisheries, and sustainable seafood value chains’.
Photo credit: Kyle Foster