Earth Today | Kudos to Pedro Bank fishers

THE NATURE Conservancy (TNC) Caribbean Division has expressed congratulations to Queen Conch ( Aligergigas) fishers on Jamaica’s Pedro Bank, following their receipt of the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification for sustainable fishing.

“That’s a huge achievement!” said Donna Oniss Blake, TNC’s Jamaica programme director, in a release to the media.

“The Nature Conservancy is very pleased to have given support to some of the conservation and management of species on Pedro Bank and Cays for almost 20 years,” she added.

The TNC’s support has included the design for a marine spatial plan for the Pedro Bank, involving detailed consultations with fishers and a broad group of stakeholders, and spatial mapping; collaborating and providing data and information on habitats and species; co-managing the Bird Cay fish sanctuary; and developing a management plan for Pedro Bank and its Cays.

The MSC Fisheries Certification is the gold standard for sustainable fishing and applicants must meet rigorous criteria. According to information from the MSC website, the Jamaica conch fishery underwent a comprehensive assessment of the conch population, its impact on biodiversity and the marine ecosystem, and its management systems.

This process also involved thorough evaluation by independent auditor MRAG Americas to verify compliance with MSC’s strict sustainability criteria.

TNC has been working in Jamaica for more than 30 years, with a focus on ocean and fisheries management, climate resilience/adaptation, and coral conservation and restoration.