CRFM & Queen Conch Management Presented by Susan Singh-Renton CRFM Secretariat

CFRAMP  ICRAFD  CRFM CFRAMP - CARICOM FISHERIES RESOURCE ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME ( ) ◦(A) STATISTICS – BIOLOGICAL, CATCH & EFFORT DATA ◦(B) SPECIAL RESOURCE ASSESSMENT UNIT FOR CONCH AND LOBSTER ◦(C) HUMAN & INSTITUTIONAL CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT, e.g. SHORT AND LONG- TERM TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR FISHERIES STAFF, MANAGEMENT PLANS, DEPARTMENT REVIEWS ICRAFD- INTEGRATED CARIBBEAN REGIONAL AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME ( ) – EXTENDED CFRAMP BENEITS TO 4 ADDITIONAL COUNTRIES CARIBBEAN REGIONAL FISHERIES MECHANISM (ESTABLISHED 2002, INAUGURATED IN 2003)

CRFM - OVERVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION Ministerial Council Fisheries Forum CRFM Secretariat TECHNICAL WORKING GROUPS 1) SHRIMP & GROUNDFISH 2) CONCH AND LOBSTER 3) REEF & SLOPE FISHES 4) SMALL COASTAL PELAGIC FISHES 5) LARGE PELAGIC FISHES 6) DATA, METHODS & TRAINING POLICY/ LEGAL DOCUMENTATION 1)CRFM AGREEMENT (2002) 2)COMMON FISHERIES POLICY (2013) 3)DECLARATION ON IUU (2010) 1)OVERALL COORDINATION & TECHNICAL SUPPORT (INCLUDING CONCH VISUAL SURVEYS, & CITES ISSUES) 2)RESOURCE MOBILISATION – DONOR AGENCIES 3)NATIONAL DATABASE MANAGEMENT – CARIFIS 4)CAPACITY BUILDING: FISHERFOLK, LEADERSHIP, PROJECT CYCLE MANAGEMENT, STOCK ASSESSMENT, POST HARVEST TECHNIQUES

CRFM - OVERVIEW OF THE ORGANIZATION Ministerial Council Fisheries Forum CRFM Secretariat ORGANISATIONS CARICOM – EU, KINGDOM OF SPAIN, JAPAN FAO – WECAFC (JOINT WG -2012) OSPESCA (JOINT ACTION PLAN) ACS – CSC ICCAT MAJOR PROJECTS CLME, MASTER PLAN & FOLLOW-UP POVERTY ASSESSMENT STUDY SANITARY PHYTO-SANITARY DISASTER RISK & CLIMATE CHANGE ACP FISH II (QUEEN CONCH)

CFRAMP  ICRAFD  CRFM Statistics and assessment – CARICOM & CARIFORUM COUNTRIES Visual surveys, e.g. Antigua & Barbuda, Jamaica, Belize ◦Implemented in conjunction with conventional data collection  for assessment of stock health & scientific-based management advice. Regional Overview of Queen Conch Resources in CARICOM/CARIFORUM Countries ◦A review completed to promote the management and conservation of the lobster and conch fisheries of CARICOM/ CARIFORUM countries.

CITES-RELATED WORKSHOPS/ MEETINGS Special Regional Fisheries Management Workshop, 2004  (i) Reviewed situation of queen conch fisheries management in CRFM Member States.  (ii) A strategy was developed to improve networking and partnership, research, regulation and enforcement, and involvement of the stakeholders in the management process. Joint Regional Workshop on the Monitoring and Management Jamaica, May 2006 ◦ To assist countries in the development of effective management plans, taking into account regulations and obligations under CITES, the Protocol Concerning Specially Protected Areas and Wildlife (SPAW) of the regional Convention for the Protection and Development of the Marine Environment of the Wider Caribbean Region (Cartagena Convention).

CRFM - UNDERWATER VISUAL SURVEYS BELIZE TRAINING IN ANALYSIS OF VISUAL SURVEY DATA & COMPLETION OF SURVEY DATA ANALYSIS & DEVELOPMENT OF MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – TRAINING IN VISUAL SURVEY METHOD AND DATA ANALYSIS. FIELD TRIALS CONDUCTED & SURVEY PLAN DEVELOPED & IMPLEMENTED. CRFM SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS ( present) – ANALYSIS OF VISUAL SURVEY DATA

CRFM SCIENTIFIC MEETINGS (STOCK ASSESSMENTS) COUNTRYYEARDATA USEDASSESSMENT RESULT THE BAHAMAS2006 Landings, catch, effortOverall CPUE and landings trends indicated stability, but CPUE varied with areas, hence precautionary management proposed JAMAICA2006 Catch, visual surveyIncrease in mean exploitable stock density during in m zone. Proposed effort not be increased 2012 Export data, visual surveyDecision framework for managing queen conch under stock recovery uncertainty and climate change considerations ST. LUCIA2007 Total landings, catch, effortOverfished, but overfishing not occurring. Important to establish annual TAC of 35 t or lower to allow stock recovery 2008, 2009 Total landings, catch, effortOverfished. Proposed reduction of annual catch to 30 t to allow stock recovery THE TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS 2006 Catch, effortFishery operating close to MSY level 2007 Historical catch, effort, human population, consumption Same as TAC, closed season and effort controls considered effective. Advice indicated adjustment of export quota to account for local consumption 2010 Catch, effort, vessel licensing, socio-economic survey Fishery operation close to bio-economic equilibrium (tending to zero profits). Proposed effort limit to optmize benefits.

CRFM – 2006 ASSESSMENT FOR THE BAHAMAS OVERALL CPUE (LEFT PANEL) AND LANDINGS (RIGHT PANEL) TRENDS APPEARED STABLE TIME SERIES TOO SHORT TO APPLY PRODUCTION MODEL

CRFM – 2012 ANALYSIS FOR JAMAICA ANNUAL TAC (MT) : DECISION TABLE - EXAMPLE

CRFM – 2009 ASSESSMENT FOR ST. LUCIA A simple biomass dynamics (Schaefer) model was fitted to a CPUE index using the catch estimates. Landings (bars); CPUE (line) MSY (t) Replacement Yield (t) B/BMSY 95%Median5% 41Current Yield (t) (2007) Estimated current yield together with the median & 95% CI for three indicators of interest.

CRFM – 2010 BIO-ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT FOR THE TCI e.g. model outputs for predictions of profits and biomass Profit projections - 4 management decisions Biomass based on four management decisions

CRFM – DATA, METHODS, TRAINING ESTABLISHMENT OF TOOLBOX & NOTEBOOK R – TRAINING MODULES FOR DATA QUALITY CHECKS AND DATA ANALYSIS WORKED & ANNOTATED EXAMPLES OF USED ASSESSMENT METHODS – BIO-ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT OF QUEEN CONCH ‘STOCK’ OF TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS CARIFIS DATABASE  NEXT GENERATION (CRFM’S FORUM ARM HAS REQUESTED URGENT ATTENTION BE GIVEN)

CRFM & CRFM-SUPPORTED DONOR PROJECTS FAO TCP– 1. FAO TCP – DEVELOPED BY CRFM, AWAITING RESPONSE ACP FISH II– 2. ACP FISH II – PROJECT 1 - REGIONAL MANAGEMENT REVIEW AND DEVELOPMENT OF COORDINATED APPROACH PROJECT 2 – TRAINING IN UNDERWATER VISUAL SURVEY METHODS, INCLUDING SAMPLING DESIGN

CRFM MINISTERIAL COUNCIL 6 TH MEETING 6 TH MEETING – INFORMATION AND DATABASE MANAGEMENT ALSO NOTED TO BE HIGH PRIORITY 3 RD SPECIAL MEETING 3 RD SPECIAL MEETING – CONSIDERED QUEEN CONCH MANAGEMENT SITUATION IN HARVESTING COUNTRIES & AFFECTING FACTORS CONSIDERED ACTIONS NEEDED FOR STRENTHENING REGIONAL COOPERATION IN QUEEN CONCH MANAGEMENT 1 ST JOINT CRFM-OSPESCA MEETING 1 ST JOINT CRFM-OSPESCA MEETING - ENDORSED CRFM-OSPESCA JOINT ACTION PLAN – QUEEN CONCH IS INCLUDED FOR CONSIDERATION

Thank you