The Barbados Fisheries Division Ministry of Agriculture

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The Barbados Fisheries DivisionMinistry of
Agriculture

• MISSION STATEMENT
• To ensure the optimum utilisation of the
  fisheries resources in the waters of Barbados for
  the benefit of the people of Barbados through
  management and development.

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• The Fisheries Division was established within the
  Department of Agriculture and Science in 1944.
• The mandate of the FD was the development of
  local fisheries.
• To this end the first critical work was getting
  dormant fishing vessels back in the water through
  the establishment of a loan scheme to allow
  fishers to repair their boats and purchase gear.
• Establishment of landing site infrastructure.
• Establishment of a data-collecting system for
  catch and effort statistics.

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• By law fishing vessels had to be registered with
  the FD and inspection for sea worthiness of the
  vessel was made a requirement for registration.
• By the mid-1950s mechanization of the fleet was
  driven by the FD and this including technical
  support through the establishment of a mechanical
  workshop.

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• This vessel became the working platform for an
  extensive scientific and technical programme
  geared at developing local fisheries.
• One of the most important outcomes of this
  programme as introduction of the gillnet to
  capture flying fish.

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• In July1949, a Fisheries Experimental Station was
  opened at the Reef, (later Reef Road), St.
  Michael.
• In December 1949, the first motor propelled
  fishing vessel in the form of the "Investigator",
  owned by the Fisheries Division, was introduced
  to the Barbadian fishing fleet.

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Current work includes

• Vessel inspection and registration of vessels.
• Registration of fisherfolk.
• Data collection and collation of all fisheries
  related statistics.
• Developing stakeholder participatory management.
  (BARNUFO, fisherfolk organisations)
• Participation in local (e.g. sea eggs) and
  regional (e.g. flying fish, dolphin and wahoo)
  stock assessments and monitoring work.
• Expanding involvement in food heath and safety
  regulation.
• Advising on fisheries-related projects including
  aquaculture initiatives

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• Developing management programmes for all
  fisheries ranging for regulating fishing to stock
  enhancement or rehabilitation.
• Main facilitating legislation is the Fisheries
  Act (1993)
• Limited financial and human resources result in
  limited independent involvement in other
  scientific fisheries-related studies.
• However, FD collaborates with academic
  institutions e.g. UWI in fisheries-related
  research.
• Most recent e.g. is an island-wide survey of the
  conch stock of Barbados.

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Lobster project

• This project will assess recruitment patterns and
  examine the feasibility of enhancing the size of
  the Barbados spiny lobster (Panularis argus)
  population with artificial nurseries.

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Thank You!