Dominica is among 20 countries invited to the inaugural Technical Meeting and Workshop of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC), scheduled to take place in Panama City, Panama, from May 7 to 8, 2025.
The event marks the first formal gathering of the FAO and ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) since the signing of their Exchange of Letters of Agreement in March 2024, shared an FAO statement. The primary goal of this agreement is reportedly to enhance coordination between the two organizations, maximizing resource utilization, and minimizing efforts that overlap. A focus of the workshop, which will see 32 experts convene, will be improving data collection for fisheries management and sharing critical information on Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing activities within the regions they govern.
During the workshop, attendees will establish a framework for discussing ways to enhance fisheries data reporting. Presentations will shed light on current trends in fisheries statistics, emphasizing the reporting obligations established by ICCAT and WECAFC. Key topics will include existing standards in place and the ongoing discussions focused on adopting new ones. A significant aspect of the workshop will address the Coordinating Working Party on Fishery Statistics and the harmonization of standards between the organizations, providing a platform for potential collaboration and future progress.
Highlighting the critical need for data to support sustainable fisheries management in the Caribbean, ICCAT’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Camille Manel, expressed the importance of this collaboration, stating, “In perfect coherence with its commitment to strengthening its cooperation with the WECAFC, expressed through the exchange of letters, ICCAT is pleased to host this first joint workshop to address the crucial issue of improving the communication of fisheries data on tuna fisheries.”
Mrs. Yvette Diei Ouadi, WECAFC Secretary, also emphasized the significance of reliable data in addressing emerging challenges related to marine biodiversity conservation and fisheries sustainability in the Caribbean.
The workshop aims to culminate in a practical action plan to tackle the identified data gaps, providing a roadmap for future initiatives to enhance fisheries management throughout the region.
“…Reliable and timely data and information are critical to inform our common response to newly emerging issues in the realm of the conservation of marine biodiversity and sustainability of fisheries resources, ” asserted Ouadi.
Other participants in the workshop include delegates from Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.
