Our Vision

“To promote sustainable use of fisheries and aquaculture resources in and among Member States, by development, management and conservation of these resources in collaboration with stakeholders to benefit the people of the Caribbean region.”

Our Mission

“To promote and facilitate the responsible utilization of the region's fisheries and other aquatic resources for the economic and social benefits of the current and future population of the region."

Structure of the CRFM

The CRFM is the core of a complex interactive network of a wide variety of stakeholders in fisheries. Three bodies together make up the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM). These are: 1) the Ministerial Body; 2) the Caribbean Fisheries Forum; and 3) the CRFM Secretariat.

Membership

Membership in the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism would be open to all CARICOM countries as full members. Beyond this, provision could be made for accession to Associate Membership by three categories of other countries in the Caribbean:

• CARIFORUM States
• Non-CARICOM Caribbean states;
• Caribbean Dependent Territories which obtain special empowerment from their metropolitan powers to join.

Caribbean Fisheries Forum

The Forum is the main technical and scientific decision making arena. It is made up of full members, associate members, and observers. The full members will be the decision making component of the Forum.

Full and associate members will be represented by heads of national fisheries authorities. CARICOM and OECS bodies will be ex officio members of the Forum. Observers may include, but are not limited to, intergovernmental fisheries organisations, fisherfolk organisations and other NGOs, and universities. The CRFM Secretariat will be the secretariat of the Forum.

CRFM Secretariat

This body has previously been referred to in general terms as the coordinating unit. The unit comprises a permanent body of technical, scientific and support staff. Its role will be to:

• Collaborate with national fisheries authorities.
• Formulate the work program and submit to the Fisheries Forum.
• Implement the work program recommended by the Fisheries Forum and approved by the Ministerial Body.
• Provide management and development advice and assistance, particularly in the areas of coordination, communication and technical scientific operations.
• Address urgent or ad hoc requests outside of the regular work program presented by Member governments.
• Serve as secretariat to the Forum and Ministerial Body.