Volume 77
Bahamas Best Catch: Using Knowledge, Perceptions, and Motivations to Design a Sustainable Seafood Campaign
Authors
Karlisa A. Callwood, and Makeda Serju Download PDF Open PDF in BrowserOther Information
Date: November, 2024
Event: Proceedings of the Seventy-Seventh Annual Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute
City: Gosier
Country: Guadeloupe, French West Indies
Abstract
The fishing industry in The Bahamas employs over 9,000 individuals and has an export value of $70 million, with the top targeted species being the Queen Conch (Aliger gigas), Caribbean Spiny Lobster (Panulirus argus) and Nassau Grouper (Epinephelus striatus) (FAO 2016). Yet, landings for these species have fluctuated throughout the years. Seafood has both cultural and economic importance in The Bahamas. These seafood items are commonly used to create iconic cultural dishes that are eaten throughout the year locally. Tourism also has a large impact in the industry, often leading to increases in demand. Additionally excessive fishing pressure/overfishing, habitat degradation, inefficient management, and other factors, have led to the decline in population of many of these species. (Stoner et al 2019; Sherman et al 2018; Smith and Zeller 2016)