The Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) adopted management recommendations on queen conch and spawning aggregations of grouper and snapper at its 15th biennial session.
The Commission also adopted resolutions, the first in its 40-year existence.
31 March 2014: The Western Central Atlantic Fishery Commission (WECAFC) adopted management recommendations on queen conch and spawning aggregations of grouper and snapper at its 15th biennial session. The Commission also adopted resolutions, the first in its 40-year existence.
To address the decline or disappearance of spawning aggregations of grouper and snapper in the Caribbean, the Commission recommended a regional seasonal closure for all commercial and recreational fishing activities of Nassau grouper (Epinephelus striatus). All identified spawning areas in the region will be closed between 1 December and 31 March, beginning in December 2014.
The Commission recommended WECAFC develop a regional plan for the conservation and management of queen conch (Strombus gigas), for adoption by the WECAFC at its 16th Session in 2016. The recommendation builds upon the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) decision on ‘Regional cooperation on the management of and trade in the queen conch.’ Recent regional efforts to conserve and manage the queen conch have contributed to stock protection, enforcement of illegal catch and trade, and improved understanding of the species ecology and management needs. The Commission also issued recommendations on regional fisheries management planning and fish aggregating devices (FADs).
The Commission also adopted resolutions, the first in its history, that addressed: existing regional agreements on illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing and on invasive lionfish control; the Voluntary Guidelines on Small-scale fisheries and tenure; the Port State Measures Agreement and the FAO Voluntary Guidelines on flag State performance in the region; and the sustainable management of marine resources of the Caribbean and north Brazil shelf.
The Commission convened in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, from 26 to 28 March 2014. WECAFC is a regional fishery advisory body of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO) with 33 countries and the European Union (EU) as members. [FAO Press Release] [WECAFC Website]