Training in pelagic fishing to help ease pressure on Jamaica’s reef fish

About 280 fisherfolk across seven fishing communities are to be trained in pelagic fishing, to enable them to go farther offshore to catch larger species of fish.

These include yellowfin tuna, mahimahi, kingfish and swordfish, using horizontal longlines and fish aggregating devices (FADs).

The upcoming training is expected to help ease the pressure on Jamaica's reef fish.

This $63-million initiative comes under the five-year World Bank Promoting Community-Based Climate Resilience (PPCR) Project in the Fisheries Sector.

In an interview with JIS News, Project Manager, Selena Ledgister, said this regional issue of the declining stock of reef fish can be alleviated with pelagic fishing.

“The situation with the reef fish is that it is under extreme pressure from several sources, such as climate change, pollution from land-based sources, fishing, and tourism, to name a few. These stressors impact the reef fish population negatively,” she said.

The communities from which fishers will benefit are Manchioneal, Portland; Annotto Bay, St Mary; Pagee, St Mary; Discovery Bay, St Ann; White House, St James; Lances Bay, Hanover; and Whitehouse, Westmoreland.

Up to 40 fisherfolk from each area will be trained to target offshore pelagic fish far out at sea. Fishers will also be provided with gear needed for training.

Communities were chosen based on their historical involvement in pelagic fishing, Ledgister said, adding that training will be done in phases.

“One community will be targeted per week over seven to eight weeks. The training is split into two major phases – theoretical and practical. The participants are first taught how to fabricate and properly use the fishing gear. They are then given the opportunity to build their own gear and implement them,” she said.

Now in its fifth year, the project is being administered by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining and aims to support offshore fishing by acquiring a Pelagic Training Vessel.

Three artisanal fishing vessels from each community will also be retrofitted with FADs as well as other materials provided to equip fishers to undertake offshore fishing after they have completed training.

- JIS News

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