Hundreds of Fishers and Fish Farmers Benefit From Community-based Climate Resilience Project

More than 2,000 local fishers and fish farmers across 15 fishing communities islandwide have benefited from the Promoting Community-Based Climate Resilience in the Fisheries Sector Project.

Funded through a US$4.85-million grant provided by Climate Investment Funds (CIF) and administered by the World Bank, the project aimed to increase the adoption of climate-resilient practices among targeted fishing and fish-farming communities in Jamaica.

Communities impacted by the project include Manchioneal, Portland; Morant Bay and Lyssons, St. Thomas; Hillrun and Twickenham Park, St. Catherine; Pagee and Annotto Bay, St. Mary; Billy’s Bay and Galleon, St. Elizabeth; Whitehouse and Russia, Westmoreland; Green Island and Lances Bay, Hanover; Whitehouse, St. James and Discovery Bay, St. Ann.

A Knowledge, Attitudes and Perception (KAP) Survey conducted during the execution of the project revealed that approximately 55 per cent of fishers reported declines in fish harvest over the last five years.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, told JIS News in an interview that Jamaica, as a small island developing state (SIDS), is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.

“The Project supported the economic diversification for our most vulnerable by creating employment opportunities for fishers who have been directly impacted by the effects of climate change, while teaching them sustainable fishing practices and giving them the tools to preserve Jamaica’s reefs and marine ecosystem,” the Minister said.

“It supports development… through targeted interventions such as capacity-building exercises, training and infrastructure upgrades, with the goal of providing fisherfolk with the skills, knowledge and resources needed to pursue alternative livelihoods in the face of the impacts of climate change on the sector,” he added.

The KAP Survey revealed that 61 per cent of fishers identified bad weather characterised by storms and hurricanes as the primary causes of the observed decline in fish stock.

They also identified overfishing and coral reef damage as contributory factors to the decline in fish harvest over the past five years.

Minister Green said the work of the project was particularly beneficial to farmers and supportive of wider sustainability efforts within the sector.

“It has had an exponential impact on the lives of fishers. For example, close to 300 fishers, through the project, received training in pelagic fishing and were provided with fishing gears for them to do far-sea fishing and catch larger species, which can then be sold to hotels and restaurants, expanding their market and income. Fisherfolk from all other subprojects have also gained alternative income sources,” he said.

The Project was divided into three main aspects, with Component One focused on Strengthening the Fisheries Policy and Regulation Framework; Component Two –  Diversification and Fisheries-based Alternative Livelihoods, and Component Three – Capacity-Building and Awareness-Raising.

Eight subprojects were also implemented with the objective of providing alternative livelihoods in oyster production, sea moss production, ecotourism, ornamental fish production, pelagic fishing, freshwater fish (tilapia) production and fish feed production.

The project also targeted women and youth segments identified as particularly vulnerable to climate change.

Representatives from these groups across fishing communities, aquaculture cooperatives and educational institutions participated in the stakeholder engagement and consultation activities held by the Project.

Minister Green noted that coming from the implementation of these components, there were three major initiatives, which will contribute to the long-term development of the local fisheries sector.

“These are upgrades of the biosecure hatchery, development of fish feed using alternative materials and the enhancement of tilapia curriculum and training resources at the Ebony Park HEART Academy (in Clarendon). The hatchery will support the production of over five million fry per annum and is set to impact over 117 existing Aquaculture farmers. It is anticipated to produce over 3,500 metric tonnes of tilapia by 2025,” he said.

“The development of fish feed will cause a significant rise in tilapia production across the country…[and] the enhancement of curriculum and resources contribute to the development of an ample and knowledgeable aquaculture workforce, proficient in climate-resilient practices, and a significant increase in freshwater aquaculture production stemming from the combined impacts of the fish feed and hatchery,” he noted.

The work of the project also resulted in the renovation of six ponds for broodstock improvement at the National Fisheries Authority’s (NFA) Aquaculture branch.

An enforcement vessel was also acquired under the project boosting the NFA’s capacity to monitor and enforce sustainable fishing practices, contributing to the sustainability of the fisheries sector.

Project Manager, Selena Ledgister, said the project served as a strategic intervention to catalyse transformation in a historically underfunded and overlooked sector.

“This strategic intervention served as a critical link between national climate priorities and their adoption in vulnerable communities. The project created incentives to abandon unsustainable practices that further erode the resilience of the sector. In addition, by strengthening the national enforcement capacity, supporting the formalisation of fishing communities located in ecosystems of strategic importance, and providing technical assistance to improve institutional collaboration between the marine police and fisheries compliance department, the Project made material contributions to ensure that the updated regulatory framework translated into actual behavioural changes to curb illegal activities,” she said.

Miss Ledgister, who was also speaking in an interview with JIS News, said the Project was specially designed to reduce the dependence of communities on a single volatile income stream and ease the stress on key natural resources.

Implementation of the eight subprojects was critical to this effort. The Marine Protected Areas (MPA) intervention focused on monitoring, control and surveillance to improve resilience of marine and coastal ecosystems.

“As a result, partnerships between community groups and the institutional authorities emerged, translating into the introduction of community-led sustainable fisheries management across 20 MPAs, with the direct involvement of 500 fishers. In turn, the community involvement catalysed adoption of climate-resilient fishing practices, as the local wardens ensured that the boundaries of the sanctuaries were enforced, protecting key ecosystems, and avoiding further degradation,” Miss Ledgister  said.

Expected long-term outcomes from the MPA intervention include the spillover of fish from protected sanctuaries to the larger ecosystem, which should result in higher fish capture rates across the country, and consequently, enhanced climate and economic resilience.

For the pelagic fishing subproject, targeted communities included Manchioneal, Portland; Pagee, St. Mary; Annotto Bay, St. Mary; Discovery Bay, St. Ann; Lances Bay, Hanover; Whitehouse, St. James; Whitehouse, Westmoreland; Billy’s Bay, St. Elizabeth, and Morant Bay, St. Thomas.

Miss Ledgister said this aspect of the intervention promoted the relocation of fishing activities from nearshore to the pelagic zone, to reduce fishing pressure in environmentally impacted areas and opened space for the recovery of fish stock.

“Seven fisher groups with 160 direct beneficiaries adopted climate-resilient fishing practices in the form of pelagic capture. Expected long-term outcomes, which rely on the continuity of the Government’s support beyond closure, include improved reef health, leading to a greater ability to absorb storm surges, as well as enhanced genetic diversity, which will strengthen resilience to environmental change,” she said.

The work of the ecotourism subproject was specific to Galleon in St. Elizabeth with 64 direct beneficiaries.

As a result of the intervention, the Galleon community is now prepared to engage in the provision of ecotourism as an alternative livelihood to expand their revenue stream beyond fish capture outside of sanctuary boundaries.

“In fact, the community has already expanded their value proposition to include kayak tours. [Future outcomes] include significant reduction in reliance on fish capture, improved economic conditions for beneficiaries, and a faster recovery pace for the biodiversity inside and outside the sanctuary,” Miss Ledgister said.

For the Oyster farming subproject, efforts were centred around creating a more sustainable commercial enterprise and a strategic approach to fishery, moving away from wild harvesting.

Harvesting from the wild – typically from mangrove forests – can have negative ecosystem impacts.

Miss Ledgister said by contrast, a commercial growth model operating in a contained and controlled setting is better able to balance environmental and climate-resilience concerns with food security and income generation.

“Two particularly vulnerable fisher groups benefited from the intervention, namely the Western Supreme Oysters community organisation based in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland, and the Green Island Fisherfolk Cooperative Society, based in Green Island,  Hanover. To enable formalisation of the oyster value chain, both communities received training and benefited from infrastructure development and equipment distribution,” she said.

As a result of the intervention, two communities with 33 direct beneficiaries adopted climate-resilient oyster farming as an alternative livelihood.

With the global value of the multibillion-dollar sea moss sector continuing to rise, the sea moss production subproject offered a sustainable approach to an economically viable opportunity.

Seven communities located in Discovery Bay, St. Ann; Oracabessa, St. Mary; Whitehouse, St. James; Lances Bay, Hanover; Whitehouse, Westmoreland; White River Fish Sanctuary, St. Ann; and Bowden Pen, St. Thomas, comprising 112 direct beneficiaries, were targeted for the intervention.

Miss Ledigster said specific features that make sea moss a climate-smart choice relate to its ability to withstand increased water temperatures, drought conditions, and ocean acidification.

“In addition, its rapid growth rate is a considerable advantage when an additional income source is needed to supplement low fish-catch rates. The participating communities benefited from training and development of necessary infrastructure to jumpstart production of sea moss.  As a result of the intervention, seven communities have adopted climate-resilient sea moss production as an alternative livelihood, with an ongoing weekly production of 500 pounds,” she said.

For the Ornamental Fish Farming Subproject, the intervention focused on supporting an emerging network of small-scale artisanal fish farmers.

The subproject benefited the Jamaica Aquaculture and Marine Cooperative (JAMC) community, with 10 direct beneficiaries adopting climate-resilient ornamental fish farming as an alternative livelihood.

Through the provision of training, development of analytics and construction of a packing area furnished with climate-resilient features, the subproject is expected to yield improved economic conditions among participants and an increased ability of producers to comply with international quality standards to establish commercial relationships with foreign buyers.

Miss Ledgister also spoke to the alternative fish feed production subproject, which was critical to addressing the scarcity of high-quality and competitively priced fish feed.

“Key climate-smart features of the intervention included the formulation of fish feed with animal by-products that would otherwise enter landfills, introducing a circular economy perspective. While the intervention benefited the Hill Run Fish Farmers & Agriculture Association (HFFA) based in Hill Run, St. Catherine, comprising 12 direct beneficiaries, it also paved the way for additional employment and income opportunities within the tilapia value chain,” she said.

Beneficiaries and the wider sector should anticipate an increase in tilapia production resulting from the increased availability of high-quality and attractively priced fish feed.

The final subproject – Freshwater fish farming – was designed to support the Ebony Park HEART Academy’s aquaculture training programme, by enhancing the curriculum, developing the required infrastructure and providing the necessary equipment for the operation of a demonstrative climate-resilient tilapia fish farm.

Miss Ledgister pointed out that the intervention directly benefited 200 vocational trainees enrolled in the General Agriculture Level 2 programme.

“Key climate-smart features of the intervention included the introduction of energy-efficient paddle wheel aerators to increase dissolved oxygen in aquaculture ponds and reduce water consumption rates. Renewable solar energy systems and solar water pumps to reduce operational costs and GHG (Greenhouse Gas)  emissions were also installed,” she said.

“As a result of the intervention, trainees were actively engaged in acquiring the technical knowledge required to operate freshwater fish farms using three renovated demonstrative ponds to raise approximately 45,000 tilapia fingerlings. The development of an ample and knowledgeable aquaculture workforce, proficient in climate-resilient practices, and a significant increase in freshwater aquaculture production are expected results,” she noted.

Beginning in March of 2018 the project officially ended in March this year and involved the oversight of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining. For the project to become a sustainable programme, it will be taken over by the NFA.

Overall, the project has contributed significantly to Jamaica’s food security effort and is a part of strengthening the blue economy, by increasing local fish production, with a view to decreasing reliance on imported seafood.