1. WECAFC/OSPESCA/CRFM/CFMC Working Group on Recreational Fisheries
THE CARIBBEAN BILLFISH PROJECT (GCP/SLC/001/WBK) Project Background Introduction to the workshop, its’ expected products and adoption of the agenda
Regional Workshop on Recreational Fisheries Data and Statistics in the Caribbean
20-22 June 2017
Nassau, Commonwealth of the Bahamas
In collaboration with the Department of Marine Resources of The Bahamas

2. The WESTERN CENTRAL ATLANTIC FISHERY COMMISSION (WECAFC) was established in 1973 by Resolution 4/61 of the FAO Council under Article VI (1) of the FAO Constitution.
The WECAFC is the oldest Regional Fishery Body (RFB) in the Caribbean region and has the broadest mandate and membership.

3. WECAFC Area of competence
WECAFC’s mandate area
51% High Seas
34 Member countries, including also The Bahamas

4. Area of Competence (2) depths
86% Deep Sea

5. Global status of marine stocks
Percentage of stocks assessed
Fishing areas
Atlantic, Western Central
Atlantic, Eastern Central
Atlantic, Southeast
Atlantic, Southwest
Mediterranean and Black Sea
Atlantic, Northeast
Indian Ocean, Western
Pacific, Southeast
Indian Ocean, Eastern
Atlantic, Northwest
Pacific, Northwest
Southern Ocean
Pacific, Western Central
Pacific, Southwest
Pacific, Northeast
Pacific, Eastern Central

6. Status of Fish Stocks in the Western Central Atlantic
There are larger gaps with respects to straddling stocks, pelagic and demersal.
There are RFMOs in addition dealing with salmon

7. Joint Working Groups
OSPESCA/WECAFC/CRFM/CFMC Working Group on Spiny Lobster;
WECAFC/OSPESCA/CRFM/CFMC Working Group on Recreational Fisheries;
CFMC/OSPESCA/WECAFC/CRFM Queen Conch Working Group;
CRFM/WECAFC/JICA/IFREMER Working Group on Fisheries using Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs);
CRFM/WECAFC Flying fish in the Eastern Caribbean Working Group;
WECAFC Working Group on the management of deep-sea fisheries;
CFMC/WECAFC Spawning Aggregations Working Group;
WECAFC/CRFM/IFREMER Working Group on shrimp and groundfish of the North-Brazil Guianas shelf;
OSPESCA/WECAFC Working Group on Sharks; and
Regional Working Group on IUU fishing (RWG-IUU)

8. WECAFC 14 (Panama City, February 2012)
Established the:
WECAFC/OSPESCA/CRFM/CFMC
Working Group on Recreational Fisheries
Tasks:
Economic analysis of recreational fisheries
Recfish data collection improvement
Develop a Regional management and conservation plan
Members:
All countries in the region through RFBs
55 experts active from 17 countries
Other partners:

9. Joint WECAFC/OSPESCA/CRFM/CFMC Working Group on Recreational Fisheries
Expert Workshop on
the Assessment of
Socio-Economic Impacts
of Recreational Fishing
– the Caribbean,
a Beginning
Santa Marta, Colombia
4 November 2012
Discussed the Manual on economic impact assessment of recreational fisheries in the Wider Caribbean Region (Rob Southwick & Brad Gentner)
Agreed to develop a WB/GEF project on “Introduction of billfish management and conservation in the Western Central Atlantic Region”

10. Joint WECAFC/OSPESCA/CRFM/CFMC Working Group on Recreational Fisheries
1st Workshop on the preparation of a billfish management and conservation plan for the Western Central Atlantic
Ft. Lauderdale, USA, March 2013
Discussed:
The GEF/ World Bank pilot project proposal on the “Introduction of billfish management and conservation in the Western Central Atlantic Region”.
The Establishment of the Consortium on Billfish Management and Conservation in the Western Central Atlantic (CBMC).
The draft structure of the billfish management and conservation plan for the Western Central Atlantic.

11. Project development -2013/2014
Working Group members commented on the draft project document
World Bank – FAO and other executing agencies of the OPP finalized and negotiated the project grant agreement.
WECAFC 15 (March 2014) endorsed participation in the project –other partners also endorsed participation

12. Caribbean Billfish Project
Title of Project: Caribbean Billfish Project (CBP) - Component of the GEF-funded, World Bank implemented, project P128437: Ocean Partnership for Sustainable Fisheries and Biodiversity Conservation Models for Innovation and Reform (ABNJ) Project
Project symbol: GCP/SLC/001/WBK
Recipient Country: Regional Subproject for the Western Central Atlantic/Caribbean
Resource Partner: The World Bank
Government/other counterpart: Members of the FAO Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC)
Executing Agency: Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC/FAO)
EOD (Starting Date): 23 February 2015
NTE (End Date): 31 December 2018
Total Budget: USD

13. Caribbean Billfish Project Development Objective
Recapture lost wealth and contribute to sustainable livelihoods in the Western Central Atlantic region through investment in economically, technically and ecologically feasible billfish fisheries management and conservation.
Specific objective:
To develop business plans for one or more long-term pilot
projects aimed at sustainable management and conservation
of billfish within the Western Central Atlantic Ocean.

14. 4 Components
Generating value and conservation outcomes through innovative management.
Strengthening regional billfish management and conservation planning.
A Functional and Responsive Consortium on Billfish Management and Conservation (CBMC).
Business plans developed for pilot investments in sustainable management and conservation of billfish.

15. Implementation arrangements
FAO/WECAFC –Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission –Executing agency
Project Management Unit (PMU)
hosted by WECAFC Secretariat at
FAO Subregional Office for the
Caribbean in Barbados
Project Steering Committee (PSC) – to provide guidance, discuss progress and planning
Consortium on Billfish Management and Conservation (CBMC) hosted by International Game Fish Association (IGFA) in Ft Lauderdale, Florida

16. Capacity building supported by the Caribbean Billfish Project under activities 2.2.1, and 2.2.4
Second Regional Workshop on Caribbean Billfish Management and Conservation of the WECAFC/ OSPESCA/ CRFM/ CFMC Working Group on Recreational Fisheries , Panama, 9-11 November 2015
Blue Week 2016: The International Conference to Promote Blue Growth and Investment, Grenada, May 2016

17. Capacity building supported by the Caribbean Billfish Project under activities 2.2.1, and 2.2.4
3. Capacity building for Regional Fisheries Governance session at WECAFC 16, Guadeloupe, June 2016

18. Capacity building supported by the Caribbean Billfish Project under activities 2.2.1, and 2.2.4
Participation of Caribbean SIDS delegates in COFI 32, July 2016, and in the ABNJ/Common Oceans side-event
Participation in the CBD – FAO Sustainable Ocean Initiative
Global dialogue with regional seas organizations and regional fisheries bodies on accelerating progress towards the Aichi Biodiversity Targets Seoul, Republic of Korea, September 2016
6. Third Regional Workshop on Caribbean Billfish
Management and Conservation,
Barbados, 4-6 April 2017

19. Caribbean Billfish Project study reports 2016
Review of billfish stock status
Review of legislative frameworks
Socio-economic impact assessments
Management approach options
The value of billfish stocks
The condition of billfish stocks
Workshops and meetings reports

20. Introduction to the Workshop
Contribute to Project Result 3.2. A regional Billfish management information system established by the CBMC and hosted at the WECAFC Secretariat
3.2.1: Draft a recreational fisheries data collection scheme, including information forms, for annual reporting by states to FAO for testing in the WECAFC region.
3.2.2: Organize a regional capacity building workshop on recreational fisheries data collection, with emphasis on billfish catch and landings data and information collection and analysis.
3.2.3: Establish a regional fisheries management information system (FMIS) for billfishes, in support of regional management plan implementation and the pilot projects.
3.2.4: Collect, analyze and disseminate billfish management information, using FAO systems and collaborative protocols with partners (CRFM, OSPESCA, IOCARIBE, ICCAT, TBF, etc)

21. Objectives of the Workshop
To review data collection strategies and methodologies currently in use for recreational fisheries;
To outline best practices and define minimum data requirements for Caribbean nations recreational fisheries;
To finalize an agreed format and input sequence for prioritized data capture through the developing SmartForms software;
To develop agreed policies and standardized processes for the collection, analysis and use of data from Caribbean recreational fisheries held within a centralized regional database;
To improve the capacity of participants to effectively implement modern data collection programs for recreational fisheries;
Investigate opportunities for the customized SmartForms template to also effectively collect comparable data from other fisheries that capture billfish species, and explore potential feedback mechanisms.

22. Agenda of the Workshop Tuesday:
Recreational fisheries data collection methods and approaches (Roy, Juan Pablo, John)
Logbooks (Yann)
Wednesday:
Billfish data and opportunities to fill data gaps (Nelson)
Fisheries Management Information System (FMIS) (Yann)
Thursday:
Data collection tools and Smartforms (Anton)
EU DevCo fish stats project development update (Raymon)
Conclusions and recommendations (all)

23. Concluding remarks THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING
This is a technical workshop – informal approach
FAO, international and regional experts provide advise and facilitate discussions with presentations – but you decide the outcome
We have some opportunities to continue the activities under the CBP and other projects – what should be the next steps?
We can pay attention to the subjects that you find important.
We can test smart forms, logbooks and other tools in some countries
The Department of Marine Resources and FAO/WECAFC wish you a fruitful workshop
THANK YOU FOR PARTICIPATING