Abstract

The spiny lobster fishery is very important to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and approximately 25 tonnes are exported annually. Habitat degradation and heavy fishing pressure in the near shore areas are believed to have impacted the local spiny lobster population negatively. At present, social and economic considerations, from the level of harvest to the level of supplying external markets, are not incorporated into management decisions for this fishery. Using both formal and informal interviews, this study identified and characterized the component operations of the lobster fishing industry, from harvest to export operations, examined types of social and economic data possible to gather and options for their use in evaluating fishery performance relative to social and economic management objectives. Fishers were the most co-operative interviewees providing information on: material lifestyle; number of dependents; education level; fishing patterns; weekly incomes and expenditures; supply levels to different purchasers. Fishers’ most common weekly income range was $500-1000 XCD and most fished full-time (92.5 %), with fishing as the main income for the family. The ex-vessel price range most often quoted was $22.05 - 55.13 XCD/kg. Stakeholders who benefitted socially and economically at the post harvest level were identified and some preliminary characteristics of their activities determined. Export markets for spiny lobster included: Anguilla, Barbados, Grenada, Martinique, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, and the USA with marketing routes by sea and air. Additional research is recommended for developing an adequate socio-economic information base to support the formulation of more integrated and balanced strategies for managing the fishery.

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