The Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development suite of laws are part of a legislative reform project for Barbados’ fishing industry which commenced in 2019 under the auspices of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Blue Economy. This comprehensive and cutting edge legislative framework aims to realize to the highest level the potential of Barbados’ fisheries sector and chart the way forward to sustainable development. The suite of laws is two-prong.
The draft Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development Act and its regulations provides the legislative framework for the pre-harvest and harvest aspects of the fisheries sector, whereas the draft Sustainable Fisheries Management and Development (Seafood Markets and Businesses) Act and its regulations provides the legislative framework for the post-harvest sector. The new Fisheries Management Regulations (2023) will also be subsumed under the new Act.
The suite covers a wide spectrum of areas to support fisheries governance and an adaptive co-management approach. It also presents innovative legal regimes including corporate social responsibility in fisheries, fisheries-specific payment for ecosystem services schemes, seafood traceability and fraud prevention in fisheries and the creation of the Barbados Institute for fisheries and fisheries-related studies.
The suite of laws were approved by Cabinet on 18 May 2023 after several consultations with stakeholders at different points along the fisheries value chain. The Policy Framework and Legislation for Aquaculture and Mariculture Management were approved on 9 June 2023. Since then, the drafting instructions have been sent to the Chief Parliamentary Council to be formalised into law. Further consultation with stakeholders is anticipated after the bill is drafted, followed by the formal presentation and debate in Parliament. Once enacted, the suite of laws will repeal and replace the existing 1993 Fisheries Act, Cap. 391.
