(By Ernesto Cooke) – Exports of marine products from St Vincent and the Grenadines expanded during 2020. Fish landings for the first 9 months of 2020 increased by 34% over the similar period in 2019.
2.6 million pounds of seafood landed during the first 9 months of 2020 exceeded the record amounts landed for the entirety of 2019.
In 2016, fisherfolks landed 1.4 million pounds of seafood, valued at $9.4 million.
Five years later, in the first nine months of 2020, those numbers had risen to 2.6 million pounds of seafood and $16.1 million – an 85% increase in quantity and a 71% jump in value for our fisherfolk.
Fish exports from St Vincent in 2020 saw a 44 percent increase and a 71 percent increase in weight.
Minister of Agriculture Saboto Caesar says that the harvesting and exporting of the sea moss in Mayreau and Union Island have been taking place without fanfare.
Sea moss exported up to the third quarter of 2020 has shown an increase of over 300 percent in net weight.
The export value of Sea moss from the Southern Grenadines in 2020 amounted to approximately one Million dollars.
In 2019 the export value $21 thousand dollars.
Caesar says sea moss export is now a multi-million dollar industry and the government t will ensure that full support is given to the producers.
He says as the blue economy is being utilised and the government will ensure it is done sustainably.
