Grenada yellowfin and bigeye tuna - longline, troll, & dropline

Due to setbacks during the COVID pandemic and a direct hit from hurricane Beryl in 2024, this FIP has hit many exogenous and unforeseen delays. However, we feel that we are back on track with major accomplishments in 2024. We were selected by the IDB Compete Caribbean project to fund parts of our FIP and that funding was put to use in 2024 after being on hold since before the pandemic. Some of the money was used to contract a multidisciplinary team from Portugal (CH Business Consulting) to build and ICCAT engagement strategy for the Government of Grenada (GoG) to improve their engagement in the ICCAT process and create compliance documents they have yet to submit. This document included basic capacity building for ICCAT engagement including compliance documents. The basic capacity building, the core of the ICCAT strategy, included a country mission, vision, core values and action/execution plans. The compliance documents include a transshipment policy and tuna fishery management and development plan through 2030 including all tuna like stocks under ICCAT jurisdiction. Additionally, the project developed a baitfish risk assessment as required by the FIP workplan and a bycatch risk assessment. These items were vetted with the GoG in multiple virtual meetings and one in-person meeting. In addition to these major milestones, Compete Caribbean hired a government liaison for this project who very well connected in Grenada and with the GoG. Through his work and the hiring of the former head of the CRFM to lead the ICCAT strategy project, major strides were made in the government engagement arena. Governments move slow, but we have been able to make a major leap forward in 2024. Finally, under the IADB grant, Compete Caribbean hired Insight Solutions to develop a cell phone based electronic logbook. This logbook allows fishers to record geo referenced catches, bait use and, soon, bycatch of protected species. The application offers the fishers a way to sell their catch before they have landed and to have the capability of providing an emergency signal for safety issues at sea. We are still seeking funding to launch and socialize the application. The good news is IADB encouraged us to apply for another large grant to support GNEXTT business capacity and the FIP. We will know the results of that proposal in late March 2025.