The Bahamas has been shut out from exporting its multi-million dollar Lobster Tail trade to the European Union (EU) for six months now, with the Government and fisheries sector working feverishly to put a new catch certificate requirement in place before the season opens again in just under one month.

Representatives of the fisheries sector told Tribune Business yesterday this was key to restarting trade, while adhering to the Marine Stewardship Council's (MSC) - the world's leading environmental certification program for wild-caught fisheries - mandates will cost the government and private sector a sizable sum.

Glenn Pritchard, president of Tropical Seafood, and Mia Isaacs, president of the Bahamas Marine Exporters Association (BMEA), said implementing the catch certificate will be the most important focus for the fisheries industry in the next few weeks as the opening of lobster season approaches. According to them, the Bahamas will not be allowed to trade with the EU if the chain of custody for lobster tails is not certified by use of the catch certificates, which will allow purchasing entities to trace catches from their possession all the way back to the fishing boat that made the catch - and possibly even back to the exact spot in the Bahamas the product was caught.

This requirement is part of a global mandate to help countries ensure their food exports are safe and traceable, and that they keep their marine resources in check to ensure sustainability.

The campaign to bolster the Bahamian fisheries industry and ensure that trade with other countries does not founder is being undertaken by a number of agencies and sectors, including the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), the Bahamas Department of Marine Resources (DMR), the Nature Conservancy, the Bahamas Commercial Fishers Alliance, the Bahamas National Trust, the Friends of the Environment and BMEA.

Neither Mr Pritchard nor Ms Isaacs could say how much the implementation of the catch certificate and the MSC requirements would cost the Bahamas, but they did indicate that the financial investment would be considerable. They did say, however, that the private sector and the Government, as well as several non-governmental organizations (NGO) involved, have and will further contribute to its development.

"MSC certification is essential to preserving the livelihood of thousands of Bahamians as well as securing our position in the world marketplace," said Ms Isaacs. "The fact of the matter is that MSC certification will aid the entire Bahamian economy, not just the fisheries industry. "A satisfactory grade from MSC should complement our eco-tourism efforts from restaurants to scuba diving excursions. Everyone will benefit."

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