The state of the Eastern Caribbean flyingfish and the updated sub-regional flyingfish Fisheries Management Plan (FMP) for this valuable and shared resource were discussed at the Special Meeting of the Joint Working Group on Flyingfish in the Eastern Caribbean, convened in Barbados on 1-2 October, 2018. This Working Group, which is constituted by the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) and the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), plays an important role in monitoring, evaluating and advising on the implementation of the sub-regional flyingfish FMP, which is supported by an ecosystem approach to management of flyingfish sub-project under the UNDP/GEF Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems (CLME+) Project. The Working Group will also contribute to the regional state of the marine environment and associated economies report as well as to monitoring and evaluation of the CLME+ Strategic Action Programme.
Attending the meeting were Chief Fisheries Officers, as well as representatives of fisherfolk organizations, the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, and development partners such as FAO-WECAFC, the University of the West Indies (UWI), the Caribbean Natural Resources Institute (CANARI), and the French Marine Research Agency – IFREMER.
“This meeting of the Joint CRFM/WECAFC Working Group on Flyingfish is timely and important given the challenges we face in the region from climate related changes affecting the marine environment and flyingfish stocks, and ultimately the livelihoods and food security of thousands of persons engaged along the entire flyingfish value chain,” said Milton Haughton, Executive Director of the CRFM.
The entire Press Release can be found in the attached document and on the CRFM Secretariat’s website at www.crfm.int.
In November 2017, the UNDP/GEF Project “Catalysing the Implementation of the Strategic Action Programme for the Sustainable Management of Shared Living Marine Resources in the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems” (http://www.clmeproject.org) awarded a consultancy to identify Options for a regional Permanent Policy Coordination Mechanism and a strengthened Regional Governance Framework for shared living marine resources and ocean governance in the CLME+ Region, with a Sustainable Financing Plan. The mandate for this consultancy arises from the CLME+ Strategic Action Programme, which was politically endorsed by over 30 government ministers representing 25 countries and 6 overseas territories in the CLME+ region. Leading the consultancy is the Centre of Partnerships for Development, based in Barcelona, Spain (
ugust 8, 2017 – The Interim Coordination Mechanism (ICM) for the “Sustainable Management, Use and Protection of the Caribbean and North Brazil Shelf Large Marine Ecosystems” (the CLME+ region) has been formally established on July 27 through the signature of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) by 5 member inter-regional governmental organisations. 
e 10-year Strategic Action Programme (SAP) for the CLME+ region, the 5 year UNDP/GEF CLME+ Project and the forthcoming establishment of a global “CLME+ Alliance & Partnership” for the sustainable management, use and protection of marine resources” were among the different CLME+ initiatives highlighted by the Project Coordination Unit (PCU) and Project Partners at the recently concluded UN Ocean Conference in New York (5-9 June 2017).
