CRFM Continental Shelf Fisheries Working Group and FISH4ACP collaborate on Atlantic seabob shrimp assessment
A technical working group of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), the Continental Shelf Fisheries Working Group (CSWG), is collaborating with the global value chain development programme FISH4ACP, private sector processors, and the Seabob Working Groups of Guyana and Suriname to convene a joint stock assessment workshop in Guyana from 11 to 15 March 2024.
The assessment of the seabob, a short-lived shallow water shrimp found in the Western Central Atlantic, will cover the stocks of Guyana and Suriname, situated in the North Brazilian Shelf Large Marine Ecosystem. The assessment aims to review and validate the most recent scientific evaluations of the Atlantic seabob fisheries of Suriname and Guyana. The results will be shared with industrial and artisanal fishery stakeholders from Guyana and Suriname for their input during the last two days of the workshop, on 14-15 March 2024.
During the workshop, regional and international technical experts will propose harvest control rules (HCRs) and the related fisheries management plans, considering compliance with Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification requirements. The seabob fisheries in Guyana and Suriname are MSC-certified; Suriname’s fishery was first certified in 2011, and Guyana’s fishery was certified in 2019.
The Seabob Working Groups of Guyana and Suriname—made up of representatives from the respective Fisheries Departments, the industrial and artisanal seabob sectors, and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF)—will subsequently lead the implementation of the meeting’s outcomes and recommendations.
The CRFM CSWG aims to promote the sustainable utilization of continental shelf resources and associated ecosystems through reviewing and analysing fisheries and related data to inform management strategies consistent with the ecosystem and preventive and participatory approaches to fisheries management.
FISH4ACP is a five-year fish value chain development programme spanning 2020 to 2025. It is being implemented by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) with funding from the European Union and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development.
In Guyana, FISH4ACP is working towards a sustainable, resilient, well-managed, and inclusive shrimp fishery to strengthen the country’s position as a leading exporter of Atlantic seabob shrimp. This will ensure the long-term stability of stocks and bring more benefits to local fisherfolk, especially women.
The CRFM collaborates with FAO on the implementation of FISH4ACP.