Last Updated on October 12, 2020, 6:56 AM AST by Anthony Morris
The Marine Resource Sector in St Kitts and Nevis is seeing significant developments, said the Honourable Alexis Jeffers, Minister of Agriculture, in his ‘World Food Day’ speech on October 10.
The Honourable Minister said that the Department of Marine Resources is supporting the increased contribution and registration of fishermen and to this sector.
He highlighted an example of this support which is the establishment of a marketing partnership between the Basseterre Fisheries Complex and RAMS.
The Minister said that this partnership is providing an excellent opportunity to the local fishermen.
He said that the Basseterre Fisheries provides 1000 pounds of plate size fish each week to both RAMS supermarkets in Buckleys and Bird Rock locations by the help of the local fishermen.
He added that the arrangement began in September 2020 and it has yielded dividends for the fisherfolks and the BFC in St. Kitts and Nevis.
The Minister said that the BFC had increased the revenue stream and there is guaranteed market for fishers from all landing sites in the Federation as a result of the arrangement.
The Minister also said that the Department of Marine Resources had finalized the tender documents for new equipment with the Japan International Cooperation System in September 2020.
He said that the grant aid project would provide new equipment (weighing scale, band saws, fish filleting machines, ice processing machines) to the Nevis Fishermen’s Marketing Supply Cooperative and the Basseterre Fisheries Complex and to enhance the service offered to customers and fishers while improving the revenue-generating ability of these institutions.
He stated that this would provide a depth gauge and fishing vessel which would assist in ecosystem management, marine research and enforcement.
The project is valued at 1.5 million USD.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
