The regional launch of IYAFA 2022 was held virtually on November 19, 2021 and can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqqBIlEWnv0. The regional launch highlighted the goals and objectives of IYAFA 2022 while contextualizing them to the Latin American and Caribbean region and inspiring action-oriented celebrations throughout 2022. The speakers included fishers, policymakers, civil society, private sector representatives and various coordination committees.

Acknowledging the uniqueness of the international year and consistent with ongoing efforts across the region, the Honourable Minister Saboto Caesar, Chairman of the CRFM Ministerial Council  called upon:

• Member States to integrate dedicated IYAFA activities in their programmes and promote the achievement of the objectives of the IYAFA 2022 celebrations. Particularly these activities should feature key actions for the region such as Gender equality and women empowerment in the SS fisheries and SS aquaculture sectors; strengthening the adaptive capacity of these sectors to Climate Change and other external shocks like the global pandemic.
• Partners to actively sign up as IYAFA supporters and organize initiatives and events.
• All (member states and partners) to advocate for and support the achievement of the ambitions for the International Year, to turn 21 November, which is currently celebrated informally as World Fisheries Day, into an official UN Day on Small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture, so that we can come together every year in the future to continue the celebrations.

The CRFM recognises the importance of supporting small-scale fisheries at the policy level and has developed the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (CCCFP) which is a binding treaty focusing on cooperation and collaboration of Caribbean people, fisherfolk and governments in conserving, managing and sustainably utilising fisheries and related ecosystems. The CRFM Ministerial Council has also adopted Resolution No. MC 15 (10) of 2021 on the International Year of Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture (IYAFA), which  calls upon the CRFM Secretariat and Member States to promote the achievement of the objectives of the IYAFA 2022 celebrations.

The objectives of IYAFA 2022 are to:

• Enhance global awareness about, understanding of, and action to support the contribution of small-scale artisanal fisheries and aquaculture to sustainable development, and more specifically in relation to food security and nutrition, poverty eradication and the use of natural resources. 
• Promote dialogue and collaboration between and among small-scale artisanal fishers, fish farmers, fish workers, governments, and other key partners along the value chain, as well as to further strengthen their capacity to enhance sustainability in fisheries and aquaculture and to enhance their social development and well-being.

You can learn more about IYAFA’s 2022 theme here: Global Action Plan

Applications are invited from interested and suitably qualified Belizean nationals to fill the position of PROJECT CORDINATOR – Sargassum Products for Climate Resilience Project in the Caribbean, in the office of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat, Belize City, Belize. The contract period will run from 19 April 2021 to 19 August 2021.

Full details of the position may be obtained by accessing the following website - www.crfm.int or contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Applications in English Language with full curriculum details, including nationality, work experience, educational qualifications, summary of professional skills and/or expertise, coordinates (including e-mail addresses) of two referees (who must be familiar with the applicant’s work), and other relevant information, should be addressed to the Executive Director, Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) Secretariat, Belize City, Belize, and sent by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The deadline for the submission of applications is 9 April 2021.

On 4 December 2020, CRFM’s Continental Shelf Fisheries Working Group (CSWG), supported by over 20 national, regional and international fisheries experts, commended both Guyana and Suriname for their organized approaches to sustainable management of the countries’ Atlantic seabob (shrimp) trawl fisheries. These seabob trawl fisheries are certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), which recognizes good standards in fisheries management practices. The MSC label gives Guyana’s and Suriname’s seabob products the competitive edge on the international market!

The regional peer expert group reviewed the progress made on management plans, with special attention being given to how the countries were addressing MSC conditions and recommendations, and piloting agreed new harvest control rules adopted in 2019. The countries were also commended for their active engagement with private sector partners for management cooperation, and with the regional and international NGO and donor communities for research support.

A strong commendation came from the National Coordinator for the REBYC-II LAC[1] project in Suriname, Dr. Tomas Willems. Willems remarked that “It is great to see Suriname and Guyana working together on the management of their seabob fisheries, exchanging information and lessons learned, and jointly tackling research and stock assessment. Assuming that stocks of many more species are potentially shared among the countries of the Guianas - North-Brazil shelf, the seabob fishery provides an important example of how cross-border collaboration can look like in practice.”

During the review of 4 December, both Suriname and Guyana, were able to demonstrate well organized plans and approaches for guiding their seabob trawl fishery management activities. The two countries did highlight some delays and disruptions to their activities caused by the COVID-19 pandemic situation. The industry pointed out that the pandemic had affected its operations as well. The Working Group meeting heard that Suriname had to extend the pilot trial period for the harvest control rule to allow for more comprehensive evaluation of performance of the rule through the natural fluctuations of catches through time, that is, through both low and high seabob production months. Notwithstanding, the pilot trials had allowed Suriname to adjust and refine its systems and procedures for data and information management to cope with the monthly monitoring of catch rates and estimations of the harvest control rule index. The outputs were then used to determine if and by how much the industry would have to adjust its fishing effort levels over time. Guyana had not yet begun pilot trials of its harvest control rule, but indicated that such trials would begin in 2021.

During the review, some key issues of concern were raised in respect of the harvest control rule application and of the catch rate data. If the harvest control rule required industry adjustment actions, the time lag for action was 2 months, but the industry indicated that this time lag may in fact be too long. The Working Group recalled that the best available data and science were applied to the 2019 assessments, and also recalled that its 2019 meeting had identified certain additional data and information, which if made available, could help to improve the quality of the catch rate estimation and, in turn, the quality of seabob assessment results and associated harvest control rules.

In conclusion, the Working Group commended the countries for their planning, monitoring, and reporting efforts, and for the completed harvest control rule trials. The Working Group also agreed to convene a meeting early in 2021, which would devote attention to data and information improvements for the next full seabob stock assessment.

The Continental Shelf Working Group Meeting was chaired by CRFM’s Deputy Executive Director, Susan Singh-Renton. Singh-Renton noted that “In 2019, the CRFM responded to a request by both Guyana and Suriname for regional coordination and peer review of scientific assessments of the seabob shrimp stocks fished by their trawl fisheries. The scientific assessments were successfully facilitated by CRFM’s Continental Shelf Fisheries Working Group, which then also agreed to keep under review the implementation of agreed inter-sessional activities, and this work is ongoing. The inter-sessional activities have been planned to ensure that all the MSC conditions and recommendations are fully met”.

Photo Caption: Seabob trawler operating off the coast of Suriname (Photo Credit: Tomas Willems, National Coordinator for the REBYC-II LAC project in Suriname)

Click here to download a copy of the Press Release

[1] REBYC-II LAC project is the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation supported Project entitled, “Sustainable Management of Bycatch in Latin America and Caribbean Trawl Fisheries”