The Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (CCCFP) recognizes the need to not only ascertain the status of the Region’s fish stocks but also determine the potential of underutilized and unutilized fisheries resources. as well as develop and maintain national and regional databases, in keeping with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the UN Fish Stocks Agreement. This latter Agreement calls for the strengthening of “existing sub-regional and regional fishery management organizations (RFMOs) in order to improve their effectiveness in establishing and implementing conservation and management measures for straddling fish stocks and highly migratory fish stocks” (Art. 13). It is well recognized that the CRFM, as a Regional Fisheries Body (RFB), would require strengthening in order to fulfil the proposed role of the Competent Agency under the CCFP. It is already fulfilling its mandate under CARICOM and is the logical choice as the Competent Agency. The Fish Stocks Agreement also speaks to international cooperation in scientific research and the use of the best scientific evidence available (Art. 16.1). Other areas of cooperation include enforcement measures, whilst recognizing the special requirements of developing states in relation to the conservation and management of straddling and highly migratory fish stocks (Art. 24.1).

The CARICOM Region has shared, straddling and highly migratory fish stocks. The CCCFP seeks to cooperate with RFMOs and other international organizations in the management of shared, straddling and highly migratory fish stocks (Art. 12.4) The CCCFP seeks to foster the formulation, adoption, implementation and revision of conservation and management measures, including fisheries management and development plans; using the best information available, including traditional knowledge, while encouraging the cooperation of Member States with regional fisheries management organisations in the management of shared, straddling and highly migratory fish stocks (Art. 12).

• Extracted from CRFM Issues Paper No. 1, October 2013 | Adoption and Implementation of the Agreement Establishing the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy