Abstract

The local fishing industry is nutritionally, economically and socially important to Barbados, but recent developments are poorly documented and managers lack up-to-date information. The longline fleet, for example, has grown rapidly since the introduction of the first local vessel in 1990, and has undergone a number of shifts in target species, gear design and fishing operations over this period. However, the current nature of the longline fleet and its fishing operations remain unreported. This study addresses this lack of information by describing the current fleet, its vessel specifications, fishing operations and annual catch, and economic productivity. Data were collected through structured and informal interviews with vessel captains and owners, personal observation and catch monitoring at the main landing site, and at sea observation and monitoring during fishing trips. Landings data were also extracted from the Barbados Fisheries Division database. There are currently over 30 active local longline vessels in the Barbados fleet, fishing year-round and landing around 200 – 400 mt annually. The main target species are yellowfin and bigeye tuna, but swordfish, blue and white marlin and Atlantic sailfish also contribute significantly to the catch. The vessels typically carry 3-5 crew, spend 1-2 weeks at sea, fish around 32-47 km of line and fish in Barbados’ EEZ to the east of the island. The vessels of this high investment fishery are privately owned and financed. Despite approximately 40 % of the catch attracting foreign exchange, economic productivity is highly variable.

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