Government of Jamaica
Source: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining
Montego Bay, Jamaica – The Twentieth Session of the Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC), the largest regional fishery body of the Latin America and the Caribbean under the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), officially opened today, July 8, 2025, in Montego Bay, Jamaica. The hybrid meeting brings together over 25 members of the Commission, and ten international and regional partner organizations, including fisherfolk organizations, and technical experts to review progress, share innovations, and agree on priorities for sustainable fisheries management and marine conservation in the Western Central Atlantic.
The biennial session opened with high-level statements underscoring the importance of more effective and inclusive management of aquatic resources, and the essential regional cooperation to unlock the region’s potential for food security and economic development.
“To grow fisheries and aquaculture in the WECAFC region, it is essential to promote sustainable aquaculture, especially in food-insecure areas, and to expand effective management to fisheries facing sustainability challenges. These solutions and actions are central to FAO’s work in the region, supporting sustainable fisheries, aquaculture, and stronger value chains through its Blue Transformation Roadmap,” said the FAO Assistant Director-General and Acting Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, Maximo Torero.
Over the three-day session, delegates will deliberate on key regional priorities, including the strategic reorientation of WECAFC and the implementation of a roadmap to modernize its structure and mandate. Updates from technical working groups will cover progress on species-specific management efforts such as queen conch, spiny lobster, flying fish, dolphinfish, and spawning aggregations. Special attention will be given to strengthening regional monitoring systems, including the development of a guidance framework to support countries in implementing regional instruments and tracking progress in areas such as combatting the illegal unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, and curbing the effects of climate and protect marine resources, etc.
Participants will also examine the growing challenges posed by sargassum influxes, explore solutions for managing bycatch and fishery by-products, and assess collaboration opportunities with global bodies including the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) and the World Trade Organization (WTO). Recent global developments such as the WTO agreement on fisheries subsidies and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ Agreement) will be discussed in terms of their implications for the region’s fisheries sector.
Delegates will also review the financial and administrative affairs of the Commission, elect new leadership, and adopt the updated 2025–2027 work plan. The chairmanship ending this intersession was held over by CARICOM countries, with Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, as Chair. It is expected that this be passed on to another group of members for the 2025-2027 period.
Building on the achievements of the 2023 session held in Bridgetown, Barbados, the Commission continues to address growing demands for science-based, inclusive and climate-resilient fisheries management, while working to formalize stronger institutional arrangements for regional cooperation.
Speaking at the opening ceremony today, Jamaica’s Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green said, “Jamaica is determined to make fisheries the next frontier of national food security and regional blue economic leadership. Through our active role in WECAFC and our ongoing work to strengthen aquaculture, combat IUU fishing and build climate resilience in our coastal communities, we are elevating fisheries from the margins to the mainstream; not just in Jamaica, but across the Caribbean. As we look ahead to the WECAFC sessions, I am eager to engage with regional partners on bold, science-based solutions that can transform the sector and secure lasting prosperity for our people.”
WECAFC20 aims to position the region’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors as vital pillars for food security, livelihoods and blue economic development, particularly for Small Island Developing States.