The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MOAF) has exercised its rights under World Trade Organisation rules to suspend imports of cheap tilapia from South-east Asia.

 

The ban was implemented in April following concerns of the local veterinary division that the imports have not been meeting sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards.

 

Dr Marc Panton, chief technical director in the MOAF, said the action was based on international reports received by his ministry, which was also moving aggressively to reinstate the once-vibrant tilapia sector, which was wiped out by the cheaper imports.

 

An Aquaculture Fish Monitoring Committee has been created by the ministry for the revival of aquaculture and to calibrate supply and demand, he said.

 

"We were the largest producer of tilapia in the Caribbean but, due to a liberal trade policy, productive capacity was wiped out. We have the capacity to produce and we want to bring it back."

 

Development of land fishing, Panton said, would both provide employment and reduce pressure on sea sources of fish, which are currently depleted.

 

As noted by the 2009 Economic and Social Survey of Jamaica, a publication of the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), marine fish production was relatively stable, but inland fish declined by 12.6% - leading to an overall decline in fish production of 5.3%.

 

The overall decline was due to increased competition from cheaper imports, as well as reduced consumer demand, reflecting the impact of the downturn in economic activities on consumer spending, the PIOJ said.

 

But, real value-added fishing is expected improve this year based on programmes which assist farmers in terms of technology, markets, extension services and loan financing.

 

The ministry's Fisheries Division last year launched a nationwide campaign to have all fishermen registered and licensed for planning purposes. It is estimated that more than 30,000 fisherfolk - of whom approximately 89% are unregistered - operate locally.

 

According to Panton, legislation to ensure the sustainability of the industry being pushed for passage by year end includes the regulation of destructive spear-ground fishing, and changing the size of wire mesh on nets from 1.25 inches to 1.5 inches to allow younger fish to escape.

 

The changes, the technical director said, will be implemented in consultation with the sector. He added that loss of income to fishermen would be compensated through land fishing, community-based aquaculture projects.