St Vincent to transform seafood sector

Speaking at the formal handingover ceremony, held last week Tuesday (November 1) in his constituency of East St George at the Calliaqua Fisheries Centre (CFC), Calliaqua Village, Gonsalves said prior to the installation of new cooling equipment, fish could not be stored in the chill room for extended periods “because when the sun hit the side of the building, it would warm up the fish.” The MP, turning to Japan’s non-resident Ambassador to SVG, Mitsuhiko Okada, said fisherfolk in his constituency were therefore “grateful” for the donated equipment which now allows them to chill fish “down to about -5 degrees (Celsius) while the cold storage facility can now freeze your fish at below -20 degrees.” The grant aid’s objective is to improve the quality of fish and fish products landed in SVG and to ease the fishing pressure in the coastal waters of SVG. This was done by replacing cooling equipment/ machinery at six fisheries locations; mainly Kingstown, Calliaqua, Owia, Bequia, Canouan and Union Island as well as deploying two Fish Aggregating Devices (FAD) and the procurement of two refrigerated vehicles for the distribution of fish.

A FAD is a man-made object used to attract ocean going pelagic fish such as marlin, tuna and mahi-mahi (dolphin fish). They usually consist of buoys or floats tethered to the ocean floor with concrete blocks. Over 300 species of fish gather around FADs.

(Source: Wikipedia) Now that upgrades have been completed and equipment officially transferred, Gonsalves said the government envisages Calliaqua becoming “a major engine for economic growth and development in SVG.” Apart from growth and development of the seafood sector, including exports to lucrative markets in the US and Europe, the government anticipates that “in the coming few years that in terms of sports, culture, production and services like tourism, this area is going to be an epicentre for growth.” Ambassador Okada echoed Gonsalves’ vision of the future, telling those gathered at CFC on what was a hot, sunny morning that he was “confident that the equipment procured through this grant will help your fishermen strengthen your fishery sector, and help further develop the economy of the country.” Okada pointed out that cooperation between both countries is not limited to the supply of equipment. Rather it includes their “struggles with climate change and disaster risk management” as well as matters before the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

Referring to Japan’s and SVG’s mutual history with whaling, Ambassador Okada told the audience at CFC, and those listening live on radio that day, that “Japan highly appreciates the valuable cooperation that SVG has long been extending to Japan in IWC matters.” “Our two countries also continue to collaborate through technical assistance programmes, under which the Government of Japan provides the people of SVG with training in sustainable fisheries methods and maintenance skills for equipment.

Our fishery sector co-operation has culminated in the Caribbean Fisheries Co-management Project (CARIFICO), which is based right here in SVG.” Okada added that since 2013, Japanese fishing experts have been transferring fishing skills and sustainable fishery management systems to counterparts in Caribbean island nations, including SVG.

“Currently, Minoru Tamura, an expert with the Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA), and Takamitsu Furumoto, a volunteer with the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteer programme (JOCV), are based in SVG and are working closely with their local counterparts in the fishery sector.” The question of renewable energy sources with which to operate the various equipment was raised by SVG’s Prime Minister, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, during his address at the handing-over ceremony.

“We have to be careful when we get the technology from Japan and when all these facilities are installed, that we must have facilities that are not energy guzzlers. Some of the original facilities at the Kingstown Fish Market did not pass muster in that regard. I’ve been advised that these new ones are more efficient.” Smiling as he looked in Okada’s direction, the veteran politician explained that SVG doesn’t want an “electricity bill so high that, as we say in our country, ‘the dance can’t pay for the light’.” “As a result, I would like very much, to suggest, as a matter of urgency, that despite the affirmation of the improved energy efficiency of these new installations, that we have some renewable energy installations to help to propel these facilities...I’m talking about solar photovoltaic systems to run these facilities because it would make a good addition to the efficiency of the operations, and to make the delivery of fish to the consumer much cheaper,” Gonsalves argued. Okada smiled in turn when Gonsalves said, “The people of SVG know that while our Government is visionary, that the PM (Gonsalves) always keeps his feet firmly planted on the ground.” “I don’t want to have my feet firmly planted in the air and that is why I raise these practical questions for additional and urgent consideration,” Gonsalves stated.