Trinidad and Tobago Fisheries Division

Trinidad and Tobago Fisheries Division
Agency name	Fisheries Division
Nativename	Fisheries Division, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries
Formed	1919
Preceding1	Department of Fisheries
Jurisdiction	Republic of Trinidad and Tobago
Headquarters	Port of Spain
Employees	approx. 200
Minister	Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries
Chief1	Chief Fisheries Officer
Parent agency	Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries

Trinidad and Tobago Fisheries Division

The Trinidad and Tobago Fisheries Division is the statutory fisheries management and regulatory body responsible for conservation, development, and administration of marine and inland fisheries in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It operates within the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries and interacts with regional organizations, international agencies, research institutes, and civil society to implement policy, licensing, monitoring, surveillance, and extension services.

History

Established in the early 20th century, the Division traces institutional roots to colonial-era fisheries administration and post-independence reform efforts involving the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, the Office of the Prime Minister, and the Ministry of Agriculture. Historical interactions include cooperative arrangements with the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Caribbean Community, and the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, as well as bilateral arrangements with United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Japan, and France for technical assistance. Key milestones involved implementation of fisheries legislation, participation in regional instruments such as the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission negotiations, and engagement with Caribbean Fisheries Forum initiatives spearheaded by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Institutional development benefited from partnerships with academic institutes like the University of the West Indies, regional NGOs such as the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute, and donor agencies including the Inter-American Development Bank and the World Bank.

Mandate and Legal Framework

The Division derives authority from statutes enacted by the Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago and regulations promulgated under the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. Its legal framework intersects with instruments like the national Fisheries Act, maritime boundary agreements with Venezuela and Guyana, and obligations under multilateral treaties including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, and regional protocols negotiated within Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and CARICOM. Enforcement responsibilities coordinate with agencies such as the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard, the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service, and customs authorities to implement licensing, quota, closed seasons, and gear restrictions referenced in domestic regulations and international commitments.

Organizational Structure

The Division is organized into administrative, technical, enforcement, and extension units reporting to the Chief Fisheries Officer and the Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries. Functional sections include fisheries management, resource assessment, aquaculture development, training and extension, legal services, and enforcement coordination with the Trinidad and Tobago Coast Guard and regional surveillance bodies. The Division collaborates with statutory bodies and parastatals such as the Fisheries and Fisheries Products Council and interfaces with academic partners like the University of Trinidad and Tobago and the University of the West Indies. International liaison offices coordinate with the Food and Agriculture Organization, the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission, and the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism.

Programs and Services

Operational programs include licensing and registration of fishing vessels, issuance of permits for artisanal and industrial fleets, aquaculture promotion, post-harvest handling training, market inspection, and fisheries extension services. Service delivery involves coordination with entities such as the Port Authority of Trinidad and Tobago, the Ministry of Health, and the Ministry of Works and Transport for infrastructure, sanitary certification, and cold chain development. Capacity-building programs engage donor partners including the European Union, the United Nations Development Programme, and the Caribbean Development Bank to support community-level livelihood projects, safety-at-sea training, and gender-inclusive initiatives aligned with regional programs by the Caribbean Fisheries Co-management Alliance.

Fisheries Management and Conservation

Management measures administered by the Division target key commercial species and habitats, including demersal stocks, pelagic fisheries, reef-associated assemblages, and mangrove nursery areas. Conservation actions are informed by species listings of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and overlap with marine spatial planning advanced in collaboration with the Ministry of Planning and Development and environmental agencies such as the Environmental Management Authority. The Division participates in region-wide stock assessments under the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Fisheries Unit and transboundary fisheries dialogues involving Venezuela, Grenada, Barbados, Suriname, and Guyana. Fisheries management tools include seasonal closures, size limits, gear restrictions, marine protected area coordination with the Chaguaramas Development Authority, and bycatch mitigation measures developed with international partners like the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Research and Monitoring

Research programs are conducted in partnership with the University of the West Indies, the CARICOM Fisheries Unit, the Centre for Resource Management and Environmental Studies, and regional laboratories. Monitoring covers stock assessments, catch statistics, observer programs for industrial fleets, and marine biodiversity surveys using methodologies promoted by the Food and Agriculture Organization and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. Data sharing occurs with regional repositories maintained by the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism and international bodies such as the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization and the Global Environment Facility. Collaborative projects have included tagging studies, coral reef monitoring with the University of the West Indies Seawall Research Group, and aquaculture trials supported by the WorldFish programme.

Community Engagement and Industry Relations

The Division conducts stakeholder engagement with artisanal fisher associations, cooperative societies, women’s groups, and private sector actors including processing plants, exporters, and port operators. It liaises with trade associations such as the Trinidad and Tobago Manufacturers' Association and commodity-focused bodies to facilitate market access, sanitary standards, and value-chain improvements. Community outreach leverages training with institutions like the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology for climate resilience, partnerships with NGOs such as the Trinidad and Tobago Conservation Association, and collaboration with regional development banks and bilateral partners to support livelihood diversification, disaster risk reduction, and sustainable seafood certification initiatives.

Category:Fisheries in Trinidad and Tobago Category:Government agencies of Trinidad and Tobago