Welcome to Bahamas Local, Your Bahamas Online Search Engine

PM Davis: Fisheries Institute Conference will have dialogue that will lead to ‘a range of auspicious, actionable outcomes for the region’

Tue, Nov 7th 2023, 02:38 PM
Politics

While bringing Keynote Remarks at the 76th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute conference, on November 6, 2023, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis noted that that forum would be filled with “fruitful dialogue that, through sustained and considered collaboration, will lead to a range of auspicious, actionable outcomes for the region."

The Bahamas, like the rest of the Caribbean, has a profound relationship with its waters,” Prime Minister Davis said, at the Official Opening, held at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort.  “Since the first Lucayans stepped foot on our sandy cays, the sea and its bounties have played a fundamental role in the livelihoods of this archipelago’s inhabitants.”

“In the 21st century, Bahamian fisheries remain just as vital as they were over six centuries ago, and not just in economic terms,” he added.  “Our fisheries represent our heritage, our culture, and our way of life.”

Prime Minister Davis pointed out that The Bahamas’ foodways were “undeniably” tied to its maritime inheritance.

He said: “Boiled fish, our national dish, and conch salad, a longstanding staple, both come from the sea. Don’t even get me started on fried snapper, steamed crawfish, and stew conch. So much of what we eat in The Bahamas comes from our waters, and, when harvested responsibly, these products represent a constant, renewable resource.”

“For generations, our fisheries have sustained us,” Prime Minister Davis added.  “And we recognise that now, more than ever, it is up to us to intervene to sustain them.”

Prime Minister Davis noted that, in his Government’s Blueprint for Change, it pledged to modernise the fishing industry, create opportunities in ocean sciences, and protect The Bahamas’ sea and marine life.  He added that his Government also pledged to safely and sustainably develop industries around marine biotechnology, aquaculture, and deep-sea exploration.

“From day one, developing sustainable fisheries and expanding our Blue Economy has been a major priority,” he said.

Prime Minister Davis added: “Our goals are fully aligned with the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is appropriately dubbed ‘Life Below Water’.  It entreats us to ‘conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development’.  This means not only maximising the economic returns of our fisheries – an industry which employs tens of thousands of Bahamians, underpins our tourism product, and bolsters local food security – it also means enacting sustainable policy measures, expanding protected areas, and rolling out educational campaigns to support the preservation of what is, in effect, the world’s largest ecosystem.”

Prime Minister Davis pointed out that, for a country such as The Bahamas, which developed import dependencies in the process of decolonisation to fill in the gaps left by non-sustainable and exploitative colonial governments, fishery exports represented a profoundly encouraging anomaly.

“In 2015, the exports of fish and fisheries products accounted for 31% of Bahamian exports, generating some 80 million dollars annually,” he noted.  “Exports in the sector are a valuable source of foreign currency and, even more significantly, they have produced a positive trade balance.”

“This, my friends, is the anomaly,” Prime Minister Davis added.  “And we want more anomalies like this for our import-dependent economy. With fishery imports coming to roughly a third of the profits of corresponding exports, the fisheries sector serves as a promising contributor to reducing our trade deficit. This idea was made especially clear in a 2016 report released by the Food and Agricultural Organisation in conjunction with The Bahamas Department of Marine Resources.”

In light of that, Prime Minister Davis said, those concerned might begin to see how all the UN’s SDGs are interconnected.

“Safeguarding life below water is certainly fundamental to achieving goal 15, which is concerned with preserving life on land. Just as it has a lot to do with Goal 1 (eradicating poverty), Goal 2 (eliminating hunger), Goal 8 (decent work and economic growth), Goal 12 (responsible consumption), and several others,” he pointed out.

“Sustainable development, it follows, cannot be achieved by gazing through a magnifying glass. We must maintain a big-picture view of the many parts; we must consider not just the cog, but the entire system; and we must act in one arena with a view to advancing others in turn,” he added. 

Prime Minister Davis stated that the key to such “nuanced, multi-dimensional endeavours”, as that conference’s theme of “Linking science and society towards a vision for sustainable fisheries” rightly reminded them, will be bringing science and society together to realise sustainable visions.  Science, in particular research and data collection, he added, will be crucial to continued efforts to address the many threats fisheries face.

“Fisheries in The Bahamas, like many other Caribbean nations, grapple with the devastating effects of climate change, habitat degradation, and unsustainable fishing practices, including poaching,” Prime Minister Davis said.

“In tackling these issues, we stand to gain vital insights by mobilising research and technologies, especially up-to-date data collection methods.”

Prime Minister Davis noted that the tools and techniques of the natural sciences can empower members of society to play a more active and informed part in preserving life below water.

“Data collection will give governments a better grasp of what’s happening on the ground -- or  in this case, on the water -- which will lead to more effective policy interventions,” he said.

“I am certainly not the first to suggest that governance of fisheries has been hampered by the limited availability of data, be it regarding local catch, levels of poaching, the status of ecosystems, or even the degree of oxygen in our waters,” he added.  “Insufficient data is an issue which plagues states across the developing world, not just us in Latin America and the Caribbean.”

Prime Minister Davis pointed out that The Bahamas’ archipelagic geography posed unique challenges to data collection, as there were so many areas where fish were being landed, and so many square kilometres of water to consider. The Bahamas, for instance, he added, occupied roughly the same area as the entirety of the Lesser Antilles, at around 100,000 square kilometres. 

He said: “Despite these difficult realities, we stand to gain a lot from keeping better track of our fisheries given that, as one publication by The Nature Conservancy observed, ‘The Path to Sustainable Fisheries is paved with Data’.  In other words, as the saying goes, ‘if it doesn’t get measured, it doesn’t get managed’.” 

Fisheries that were not sufficiently studied and measured, referred to as data-limited fisheries, were at risk of succumbing to unanticipated or simply unperceived shocks,” Prime Minister Davis stated.

“Researchers at the Perry Institute of Marine Science, as well as the Cape Eleuthera Institute here in The Bahamas, have been instrumental in sounding the alarm on ongoing coral bleaching events and the continued advance of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease,” he pointed out.  “Without their sustained data collection and scientific observations, the plight of coral reefs in our waters would go largely unnoticed, and unaddressed.” 

Prime Minister Davis also said that research and data collection was also critical to efforts to archive the oral histories of fishers, as well as their extensive knowledge of “native” techniques, species, and topographies. 

He said: “By bringing the research methods of science to the agents of society so intimately involved in our fisheries, we stand to gain not only historical insights, but a valuable awareness of what is happening each day on the water. This awareness is not simply descriptive, it can also be instructive – particularly as we seek to implement more sustainable, science-backed practices, such as novel methods for stone crab claw extraction.”

Prime Minister Davis stated that data collection had also proven to be a fundamental step in exporting The Bahamas’ fisheries to the globe in a sustainable manner.

“The Spiny Lobster Fishery Improvement Project, for example, mobilised data on Bahamian spiny lobsters, which we colloquially refer to as crawfish, to achieve a certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the foremost environmental standard for fisheries,” he said.

“This joint initiative was undertaken by the WWF, the Department of Marine Resources, the Bahamas Marine Exporters Association, and The Nature Conservancy, and has resulted in one of our primary exports gaining a competitive edge in international markets,” Prime Minister Davis added.

Prime Minister Davis noted that Bahamian spiny lobster was the first Caribbean fishery to achieve that renowned certification, which verified that the fishery had sustainable stocks, enjoyed a healthy ecosystem and habitat, and was being responsibly managed.

“With the MSC certification, The Bahamas has not just ramped up demand for an increasingly attractive aquatic commodity,” he said.  “We have also shown ourselves to be a sustainable fisheries leader. And for 700 small islands, that is no small feat.”

Prime Minister Davis continued: “By and large, we Bahamians love our waters. From the Androsian bonefisher, to the big game angler in Bimini, to the Spanish Wells crawfish catcher, to the conch vendor at Potter’s Cay, and the BNT conservationist – even to the conch snack consumer – the sea means so much. For us, and the entire Caribbean, Walcott said it best: ‘The sea is history’. But, it is also the future.”

“As we strive toward a more eco-friendly, and economically prosperous future, the sea, and how we sustain it, will be central,” Prime Minister Davis noted.  “Data-driven management, in particular, will be critical if we hope to link ‘science and society towards a vision for sustainable fisheries’.”

“Thank you, and may you all enjoy a dynamic and productive conference.”

While bringing Keynote Remarks at the 76th Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute conference, on November 6, 2023, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance the Hon. Philip Davis noted that that forum would be filled with “fruitful dialogue that, through sustained and considered collaboration, will lead to a range of auspicious, actionable outcomes for the region."
The Bahamas, like the rest of the Caribbean, has a profound relationship with its waters,” Prime Minister Davis said, at the Official Opening, held at the Atlantis Paradise Island Resort.  “Since the first Lucayans stepped foot on our sandy cays, the sea and its bounties have played a fundamental role in the livelihoods of this archipelago’s inhabitants.”
“In the 21st century, Bahamian fisheries remain just as vital as they were over six centuries ago, and not just in economic terms,” he added.  “Our fisheries represent our heritage, our culture, and our way of life.”
Prime Minister Davis pointed out that The Bahamas’ foodways were “undeniably” tied to its maritime inheritance.
He said: “Boiled fish, our national dish, and conch salad, a longstanding staple, both come from the sea. Don’t even get me started on fried snapper, steamed crawfish, and stew conch. So much of what we eat in The Bahamas comes from our waters, and, when harvested responsibly, these products represent a constant, renewable resource.”
“For generations, our fisheries have sustained us,” Prime Minister Davis added.  “And we recognise that now, more than ever, it is up to us to intervene to sustain them.”
Prime Minister Davis noted that, in his Government’s Blueprint for Change, it pledged to modernise the fishing industry, create opportunities in ocean sciences, and protect The Bahamas’ sea and marine life.  He added that his Government also pledged to safely and sustainably develop industries around marine biotechnology, aquaculture, and deep-sea exploration.
“From day one, developing sustainable fisheries and expanding our Blue Economy has been a major priority,” he said.
Prime Minister Davis added: “Our goals are fully aligned with the objectives of Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is appropriately dubbed ‘Life Below Water’.  It entreats us to ‘conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas, and marine resources for sustainable development’.  This means not only maximising the economic returns of our fisheries – an industry which employs tens of thousands of Bahamians, underpins our tourism product, and bolsters local food security – it also means enacting sustainable policy measures, expanding protected areas, and rolling out educational campaigns to support the preservation of what is, in effect, the world’s largest ecosystem.”
Prime Minister Davis pointed out that, for a country such as The Bahamas, which developed import dependencies in the process of decolonisation to fill in the gaps left by non-sustainable and exploitative colonial governments, fishery exports represented a profoundly encouraging anomaly.
“In 2015, the exports of fish and fisheries products accounted for 31% of Bahamian exports, generating some 80 million dollars annually,” he noted.  “Exports in the sector are a valuable source of foreign currency and, even more significantly, they have produced a positive trade balance.”
“This, my friends, is the anomaly,” Prime Minister Davis added.  “And we want more anomalies like this for our import-dependent economy. With fishery imports coming to roughly a third of the profits of corresponding exports, the fisheries sector serves as a promising contributor to reducing our trade deficit. This idea was made especially clear in a 2016 report released by the Food and Agricultural Organisation in conjunction with The Bahamas Department of Marine Resources.”
In light of that, Prime Minister Davis said, those concerned might begin to see how all the UN’s SDGs are interconnected.
“Safeguarding life below water is certainly fundamental to achieving goal 15, which is concerned with preserving life on land. Just as it has a lot to do with Goal 1 (eradicating poverty), Goal 2 (eliminating hunger), Goal 8 (decent work and economic growth), Goal 12 (responsible consumption), and several others,” he pointed out.
“Sustainable development, it follows, cannot be achieved by gazing through a magnifying glass. We must maintain a big-picture view of the many parts; we must consider not just the cog, but the entire system; and we must act in one arena with a view to advancing others in turn,” he added. 
Prime Minister Davis stated that the key to such “nuanced, multi-dimensional endeavours”, as that conference’s theme of “Linking science and society towards a vision for sustainable fisheries” rightly reminded them, will be bringing science and society together to realise sustainable visions.  Science, in particular research and data collection, he added, will be crucial to continued efforts to address the many threats fisheries face.
“Fisheries in The Bahamas, like many other Caribbean nations, grapple with the devastating effects of climate change, habitat degradation, and unsustainable fishing practices, including poaching,” Prime Minister Davis said.
“In tackling these issues, we stand to gain vital insights by mobilising research and technologies, especially up-to-date data collection methods.”
Prime Minister Davis noted that the tools and techniques of the natural sciences can empower members of society to play a more active and informed part in preserving life below water.
“Data collection will give governments a better grasp of what’s happening on the ground -- or  in this case, on the water -- which will lead to more effective policy interventions,” he said.
“I am certainly not the first to suggest that governance of fisheries has been hampered by the limited availability of data, be it regarding local catch, levels of poaching, the status of ecosystems, or even the degree of oxygen in our waters,” he added.  “Insufficient data is an issue which plagues states across the developing world, not just us in Latin America and the Caribbean.”
Prime Minister Davis pointed out that The Bahamas’ archipelagic geography posed unique challenges to data collection, as there were so many areas where fish were being landed, and so many square kilometres of water to consider. The Bahamas, for instance, he added, occupied roughly the same area as the entirety of the Lesser Antilles, at around 100,000 square kilometres. 
He said: “Despite these difficult realities, we stand to gain a lot from keeping better track of our fisheries given that, as one publication by The Nature Conservancy observed, ‘The Path to Sustainable Fisheries is paved with Data’.  In other words, as the saying goes, ‘if it doesn’t get measured, it doesn’t get managed’.” 
Fisheries that were not sufficiently studied and measured, referred to as data-limited fisheries, were at risk of succumbing to unanticipated or simply unperceived shocks,” Prime Minister Davis stated.
“Researchers at the Perry Institute of Marine Science, as well as the Cape Eleuthera Institute here in The Bahamas, have been instrumental in sounding the alarm on ongoing coral bleaching events and the continued advance of Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease,” he pointed out.  “Without their sustained data collection and scientific observations, the plight of coral reefs in our waters would go largely unnoticed, and unaddressed.” 
Prime Minister Davis also said that research and data collection was also critical to efforts to archive the oral histories of fishers, as well as their extensive knowledge of “native” techniques, species, and topographies. 
He said: “By bringing the research methods of science to the agents of society so intimately involved in our fisheries, we stand to gain not only historical insights, but a valuable awareness of what is happening each day on the water. This awareness is not simply descriptive, it can also be instructive – particularly as we seek to implement more sustainable, science-backed practices, such as novel methods for stone crab claw extraction.”
Prime Minister Davis stated that data collection had also proven to be a fundamental step in exporting The Bahamas’ fisheries to the globe in a sustainable manner.
“The Spiny Lobster Fishery Improvement Project, for example, mobilised data on Bahamian spiny lobsters, which we colloquially refer to as crawfish, to achieve a certification from the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), the foremost environmental standard for fisheries,” he said.
“This joint initiative was undertaken by the WWF, the Department of Marine Resources, the Bahamas Marine Exporters Association, and The Nature Conservancy, and has resulted in one of our primary exports gaining a competitive edge in international markets,” Prime Minister Davis added.
Prime Minister Davis noted that Bahamian spiny lobster was the first Caribbean fishery to achieve that renowned certification, which verified that the fishery had sustainable stocks, enjoyed a healthy ecosystem and habitat, and was being responsibly managed.
“With the MSC certification, The Bahamas has not just ramped up demand for an increasingly attractive aquatic commodity,” he said.  “We have also shown ourselves to be a sustainable fisheries leader. And for 700 small islands, that is no small feat.”
Prime Minister Davis continued: “By and large, we Bahamians love our waters. From the Androsian bonefisher, to the big game angler in Bimini, to the Spanish Wells crawfish catcher, to the conch vendor at Potter’s Cay, and the BNT conservationist – even to the conch snack consumer – the sea means so much. For us, and the entire Caribbean, Walcott said it best: ‘The sea is history’. But, it is also the future.”
“As we strive toward a more eco-friendly, and economically prosperous future, the sea, and how we sustain it, will be central,” Prime Minister Davis noted.  “Data-driven management, in particular, will be critical if we hope to link ‘science and society towards a vision for sustainable fisheries’.”
“Thank you, and may you all enjoy a dynamic and productive conference.”
 Sponsored Ads