Abstract

Fisheries management is a highly complex and emotive issue in virtually every COutry in the world. This paper uses the Turks and Caicos Islands and its fisheries as a case study to highlight some of the issues that face fisheries managers though out the Caribbean. The Turks and Caicos Islands fisheries are dominated by free divers collecting Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panularis argus) and Queen Conch (Strombus gigas), additionally there are several boats deploying lobster pots and fish traps. There is no significant commercial pressure on the scale-fish stocks, which make the TCI almost unique in the Caribbean, and there are only several commercial game fishing operations at present within the TCI. Overfishing of the lobster and conch populations is a major concern of the Department of Environment and Coastal Resources (DECR) tasked with managing the natural resources of the TCI.\In order for the DECR to meet these challenges, the implementation of several measure are key. These include:\i) The removal of lobster from restaurant and hotel menus during the closed season;\ii) A reduction in the number of foreign fishermen;\iii) Banning of the book used to catch crawfish;\iv) Development of a method to detect the use of noxious substances used to catch crawfish.\In order for these actions to be implemented, the DECR requires strong political support which needs to be fostered through a comprehensive environmental education program aimed at policy makers, fishermen and the general public. This is especially important because rapid development of the TCI is stretching the resources and capability of the DECR to fulfill its requirements. The rapid growth of the TCI's economy is worrisome for the environment as it is easy to lose sight of the value and importance of the environment both economically in a coutry where the tag line is "beautiful by nature" and socially where entire communities are dependent upon the viability of the marine resources for there livelihood. Development needs to occur but at a pace wbere appropriate importance is placed on the natural environment. The TCI is at a crossroads right now because its fisheries are currently in decline but are still among the healthiest in the Caribbean. If the TCI does not learn from other Caribbean nations that have already been through a similar rapid development and economic growth phase, then the future of the fisheries resources looks bleak.

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