A new chapter has begun for regional fisheries governance in the Caribbean, as Antigua and Barbuda has stepped into the rotating chairmanship of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum, positioning the small island nation to guide 12 months of critical discussions shaping the future of the region’s fishing and blue economy sectors.
The leadership transition occurred during the Forum’s 24th Regular Meeting, which convened fisheries leaders from across the Caribbean in Belize City on April 23 and 24. At that gathering, Ian Horsford, Antigua and Barbuda’s top fisheries official, was unanimously elected to the one-year chairmanship post. He takes over the role from Remone Johnson of the Turks and Caicos Islands, who completed his term this spring.
As a core coordinating body, the Caribbean Fisheries Forum unites the heads of national fisheries agencies from all 17 member states of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). Beyond its governance function, the body provides specialized technical direction to the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), the overarching institution that oversees regional fisheries policy and cooperation.
In his first public remarks following his election, Horsford emphasized the enduring value of multilateral collaboration at a time of global instability. “In these times of geopolitical uncertainty, CRFM — through its various organs such as the Forum — remains a shining example of what can be achieved through multilateralism as we chart the way forward for the sustainable development of Caribbean fisheries and blue economy,” he said.
The two-day meeting covered a broad slate of pressing topics for the Caribbean’s fishing sector. Delegates centered key discussions on finalizing the CRFM’s 2026-2027 strategic work plan, alongside deep dives into core priorities: advancing sustainable fishing practices and aquaculture development, addressing the growing impacts of climate change on marine ecosystems, cracking down on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and linked fisheries crime, integrating gender equity across fisheries policy, and expanding access to renewable energy for actors across seafood supply chains.
In addition to these priority areas, officials reviewed and debated new implementation protocols for the CARICOM Common Fisheries Policy. Two standout components of these new rules are the adoption of regional marine spatial planning — a framework that organizes human activity in marine spaces to balance ecological health and economic use — and mandatory aquatic foods traceability, a system that tracks seafood products through every step of the value chain from catch to consumer.
The importance of the sector to the Caribbean’s social and economic fabric cannot be overstated. CRFM data underscores this impact: roughly 500,000 people across CARICOM member states earn their livelihoods from fisheries and aquaculture, a figure that includes small-scale fishers, aquaculture producers, and workers in dozens of supporting roles from processing to distribution.
This Forum meeting was strategically scheduled as a precursor to the 20th Regular Meeting of the CRFM Ministerial Council, where senior regional government officials will build on the technical agreements reached this week to set formal policy direction for the coming years.