The Ministry of Agriculture & Marine Resources announced the Government of The Bahamas, along with the African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Group of States, will partner in hosting the 5th Meeting of ACP Ministers in Charge of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the nation's capital, in September.

Some 40 international delegates will meet for consensus on policy and strategic options for marine resources, in the development of a five-year action plan for member states.

Representing the African, Caribbean and Pacific group was Angela Mitchell, Head of Conference Services, ACP Secretariat Brussels, Belgium, who met with Ministry of Agriculture and Marina Resources Permanent Secretary Rena Glinton at the offices of the Ministry on Tuesday, June 6.

The planned dates of the ACP meeting are September 18-22, 2017 at Melia Nassau Beach resort.

Delegates will focus on building resilient and productive marine ecosystems, ensuring effective fisheries management, ensuring sustainable utilization and trade of fisheries products, and promoting investments and innovations in the fisheries sector to improve socio-economic development -- within best practices to accommodate the realities of climate change.

By Gena Gibbs

Bahamas Information Services