Establishment of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism

A great challenge facing the countries of the Caribbean is the development and management of their fishery resources in a responsible and sustainable manner. The fish stocks of economic importance in the region either straddle or migrate across the national boundaries of several states and require cooperation among the countries for sustainable management. Since 1996 several Caribbean countries have been working to define and establish a regional fisheries body to facilitate closer cooperation for sustainable development and conservation of the fishery resources. After 6 years of consultation and negotiation, on January 4, 2002 CARICOM Heads of State signed the Agreement establishing the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM). The CRFM comprises a core Ministerial Council, Forum and Secretariat, and will network with all fisheries stakeholders in the Caribbean.