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(CARICOM Secretariat, Turkeyen, Greater Georgetown,
Guyana) The Ministerial Council of the Caribbean
Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) held its Second
Special Meeting on July 28, 2010 to discuss
sustainable fisheries development as mandated by the
Second Regular Ministerial Council Meeting, held in
March in Suriname.
The Meeting, held at the Bel Jou Hotel in Castries, St.
Lucia, examined issues pertaining to the CARICOM
Common Fisheries Policy; the Draft Declaration on
Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing,
as well as matters related to the functions of the
CRFM Secretariat. The Minister of Agriculture,
Lands, Forestry and Fisheries, St. Lucia, Honourable
Ezechiel Joseph, Chaired the meeting.
Conscious of the importance of a Common Fisheries
Policy, the meeting highlighted the need for the
completion of the policy. To this end, the
Ministerial Council mandated the CRFM Secretariat to
work in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat
to review to finalize the existing draft for
presentation at the Third Ministerial Council
Meeting in October 2010.
The highlight of the Ministerial Council Meeting was an
agreement on the Castries (St. Lucia) Declaration
on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing
which demonstrates the Region’s determination and
commitment to protect the economic interests of
CARICOM Member States and to prevent, deter and
eliminate IUU fishing by enhancing the effectiveness
of monitoring, control and surveillance at the
national and regional levels by creating and
sustaining the necessary harmonized and contemporary
legislative and regulatory regimes.
The Declaration would also serve as a useful tool in
the mobilization of resources to develop and
implement the national and regional plans of actions
to combat IUU fishing.
The Ministerial Council recommitted to supporting the
work of the CRFM and called on Member States to
provide the financing necessary to ensure that
fisheries resources are being conserved effectively
and managed for the benefit of the people of the
Region. It also stressed the need for continued
cooperation and collaboration with stakeholders
(including fishers and their organizations) and
partner institutions at the national, regional and
international levels.
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