Gov’t Maintains Conch Levy at US$0.50

The levy on exported conch for the upcoming season will remain at US$0.50 per pound.

The House of Representatives, on Tuesday (March 24), approved the Conch (Export Levy) (Rate of Levy) Order and Resolution to facilitate the move.

Piloting the legislation, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Floyd Green, said Hurricane Melissa caused significant damage to the industry and impacted several of the island’s industrial fishers.

“The object of the order, pursuant to Section 3 of the Act is to legally require a person who proposes to export, or who exports conch, to pay to the Veterinary Services Division a levy of US$0.50 or the equivalent in Jamaican currency, for each pound of conch exported during the 2026 conch season.

“In the circumstances, as I indicated, there is no intention to increase the levy, as I think all members of the House can understand,” he said.

Opposition Spokesperson on Agriculture and Food Security, Dayton Campbell, in his remarks, called for the fee to be further decreased, waived or deferred or for fishers to be allowed to make the payment after selling the conch.

In responding to the suggestion, Minister Green indicated that the US$0.50 is a reduced rate from US$1.00.

“So, what we have been doing is maintaining this rate… but it is important that we have some resources because to maintain our MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) certification, we have to do things like annual conch surveys, and it costs. So, we still have to maintain some inflows.

“However, we are taking steps to treat with what you have said, and you will see that probably next week we will bring a bill to Parliament that gives the Minister the power to waive or to accept a partial payment or payment in instalments so that people will be able to export and not have to pay all,” he indicated.

The Conch Export Levy Act was passed in 2009 with its main purpose to facilitate the imposition of a levy to be paid on each pound of conch exported during each conch season pursuant to Section 3 of the Act. The law requires that for each conch season the rate prescribed by the Minister must be approved by Parliament.

Section 9 of the Act, which established the Fisheries Management Development Fund, mandates that all the proceeds of the levy collected are to be allocated to the Fund to facilitate the sustainable management and development of the fisheries sector.

Section 11 of the Act stipulates that any exporter who fails to pay the levy commits an offence and is liable to summary conviction in a parish court to a fine equivalent to five times the value of the unpaid amount of the levy, or $3 million, whichever is greater, and in default of payment, to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 12 months.