About 280 fishermen in seven fishing communities are to be trained in pelagic fishing, to enable them to go offshore to catch larger fish species.
These include yellowfin tuna, mahimahi, kingfish and swordfish, using horizontal longlines and fish aggregating devices (FADs).
The upcoming exercise is expected to help ease pressure on Jamaica’s reef fish.
The $63-million initiative is 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 declining reef fish stocks can be alleviated through pelagic fishing.
“The situation with reef fish is under intense pressure from several sources, such as climate change, pollution from land-based resources, fishing, and tourism, to name a few. These stressors is negatively affecting the reef fish population,” he said.
The communities where fishermen 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 fishermen from each area will be trained to target offshore pelagic fish in the far sea. Fishermen will also be provided with the necessary equipment for training.
The communities were selected based on their historical involvement in pelagic fishing, Ledgister said, adding that the exercise would be done in phases.
“One community will be targeted every week for seven to eight weeks. The training is divided into two main stages – theoretical and practical. Participants are first taught how to make and properly use fishing gear. Then they are given the opportunity to develop their own equipment and implement it,” he said.
Now in its fifth year, the project is managed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining and aims to support offshore fishing through the acquisition of a Pelagic Training Vessel.
Three artisanal fishing vessels from each community will also be retrofitted with FADs as well as other materials will be provided to equip the fishermen to conduct offshore fishing after they complete the training.
– JIS News
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