Abstract

Fisheries continue to play an important and sometimes underrated part in the economies of OECS Members States, providing both full-time, part-time and seasonal employment, contribuiting significantly both to domestic food security and national GDP. Offshore resources and larger pelagics are felt to have the best potential for increased exploitation and present an identifiable path for technical and economic diversification. At national levels there are indications of fishers becoming both more professional and more committed. The subregional fisheries sector is now managing to attract private investment from persons who, with few traditional links with fishing, are bringing a new level of professionalism to it. There has, in recent years, been a significant investment in fisheries infrastrocture in the OECS sub-region, contributing to a transformation process in some Member State fisheries. In some areas moves have been made to manage existing resources, but the existing technologies are inadequate to take up the challenge of resource management and the exploitation of new resources. Additionally, national policy statements and objectives for fisheries need to be further developed and clarified to assist the implementation of national fisheries strategies.

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