St Vincent Blue Economy: Fishing Fleet Expansion, upgrade to fisheries centres
The Government of St. Vincent will continue to vigorously pursue a multifaceted thrust to capitalize on the potential of the blue economy in SVG.
A new initiative in Budget 2023 is the “Solidarity Fishing Fleet Expansion Program.” The program, funded by the ALBA Bank, provides a further $4.4 million this year to purchase modern fishing vessels and provide training to local fishermen in their operations.
Under the $27 million Emergency Action Plan to Combat Food Insecurity, a further $7 million is allocated, among other things, to procure fish landing equipment, purchase refrigerated trucks for the transport of seafood products, construct 15 fish aggregating devices, and train fishers in boat captaincy, deck handling, fish processing, and safety at sea. Budget 2023 also provides funds to procure a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, which will be available to treat divers who are affected by the bends.
Further, under the Volcano Eruption Emergency Project (VEEP), over $3 million will be invested in 2023 to upgrade fisheries centers in Calliaqua, Chateaubelair, and Owia.
The government also announced in Budget 2023 that the Barrouallie Blackfish Processing Plant, funded largely by a grant from the government of Japan, should begin this year (2023). It is expected that $4.3 million will be expended on the facility, which is anticipated to be completed by mid-2024.
Minister of Finance Camilo Gonsalves said on Monday that the aggressive thrust to increase fishing activity in our waters requires greater focus on sustainability and regulation.
“Anecdotal evidence from fishers along the Windward coast suggests that ash and lahars may have adversely affected near-shore fishing and reef life.” The yields this lobster season, in particular, seem to be suboptimal. We will need to examine year-end data, solicit expert analysis of these anecdotal reports, and take whatever actions are necessary to aid Mother Nature’s recovery. “Going forward, regular scientific analysis of trends in our marine populations will form an indispensable element of our efforts to sustainably harvest our vast marine resources,” he said.