The United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), in cooperation with the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea of the Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations (DOALOS), is executing the project "Evidence-based and policy coherent Oceans Economy and Trade Strategies" (OETS project) which started in January 2018 and is expected to be completed by June 2022; the project is within the framework of the eleventh tranche of the United Nations Development Account. The beneficiary countries of the project are Barbados, Belize, and Costa Rica.
In the context of the OETS implementation action plan, the study "Swordfish Market Analysis Report for Barbados " has been commissioned to explore the market potential for both local and export of Swordfish (Xiphias gladius). In addition, the project is conducting an experimental fishing exercise to identify best fishing techniques and costs for Swordfish harvesting. The fishing exercise will also investigate the impact of circle hooks on catch composition and the rates of live vs. dead capture of all species at haul-back taken by local longline gear.
The workshop is a continuation of the inception report “Stakeholder inception meeting on a national analysis to transform longline fisheries in Barbados | UNCTAD” held in 4 February, 2022. The preliminary analysis gave insights about the key issues and opportunities that exist along the value chain to promote the expansion of the local and export Swordfish market. This final report’s key findings suggest that there is room for expansion within Barbados’ sustainable limits. It cautions, however, about the barriers that have hindered development in the past including high operational costs, limited access to funding and inconsistent data collection. Enablers also exist, which can be promoted as interventions for changing practices such as communication tools and technology, youth engagement and fisherfolk leadership, representation, and advocacy. The upcoming workshop will provide recommendations for future development of Swordfish local and export markets including innovative ideas for marketing Swordfish.
Workshop objectives
- To provide an overview of the final activities under the UNCTAD-DOALOS OETS project and its contribution in promoting sustainable trade of products and services in ocean-based economic sectors within the UNCLOS framework.
- To present and discuss the findings of the Swordfish Market analysis and discuss recommendations for marketing and selling Swordfish locally and abroad.
- To present the preliminary findings from the Swordfish experimental fishing exercise and discuss the most efficient and cost-effective harvesting techniques.
- To discuss the impact of circle hooks on catch composition captured during the experimental fishing exercise.
