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VERSION:2.0
PRODID:unctad.org
BEGIN:VEVENT
UID:6a4cac2eab104
DTSTART:20220204T183000Z
SEQUENCE:0
TRANSP:OPAQUE
DTEND:20220204T193000Z
LOCATION:Online\, 
SUMMARY:Stakeholder inception meeting on a national analysis to transform l
 ongline fisheries in Barbados
CLASS:PUBLIC
DESCRIPTION:Within the framework of UNCTAD and DOALOS’s  Evidence-based 
 and policy coherent Oceans Economy and Trade Strategies (OETS) project in 
 Barbados\, a virtual national stakeholder inception meeting to transform t
 he longline fishery through expansion of its production whilst tackling in
 put cost reduction was co-organised with the Barbados Fisheries Division o
 n 4 February 2022.\n\nAs part of the key milestones of the OETS project in
  the country\, the objective of the meeting was to present to the stakehol
 ders the design and methodology of (i) a country report that will update t
 he economic valuation of the Barbados longline fishery with a focus on lan
 dings\, costs\, net profits\, return on investment and opportunities for d
 igital transformation with a view to reduce input costs\; (ii) the investi
 gation to explore the market potential for both local and export for Sword
 fish\; (iii) the experimental fishing exercise to identify the best fishin
 g techniques and costs for swordfish (Xiphias gladius) and albacore tuna (
 Thunnus alalunga) harvesting\; and (iv) a training exercise to demonstrate
  best practices for the use of de- hooking devices for the release of enda
 ngered\, threatened and protected (ETP) species such as sea turtles and se
 nsitive species such as blue and white marlins.\n\nChallenges and opportun
 ities\n\nDespite the longline fisheries sector in Barbados contributing to
  over 90 per cent of the island’s total catches of  tunas\, billfishes 
 and swordfish\, and generating direct and indirect value-added economic im
 pacts valued at $5.3 M\, as well as other economic opportunities such as a
  strong global demand for raw fish and increased capture and export potent
 ial of the sector’s key products (e.g.\, tuna and swordfish)\,  stakeho
 lders face challenges to fully maximise the benefits from these opportunit
 ies. Stakeholders at this meeting agreed that increased understanding of b
 enefits arising from sustainable fisheries sector and  improved and stren
 gthened capacity of stakeholders are especially crucial as the country rec
 overs economically post-COVID-19 pandemic.\n\nThe way forward\n\nThe activ
 ities presented to 20 national stakeholders at the meeting reflect the key
  objectives outlined  by the Government of Barbados under the OETS projec
 t\, to be implemented within the span of six months and envisaged to conti
 nue beyond the OETS Barbados project timeline. A recently published UNCTAD
 -DOALOS-FAO report on the country’s large pelagic longline fishery provi
 ded the baseline information relevant to necessary further analysis and co
 nsultations with all relevant stakeholders.\n\nThis meeting is one of the 
 first of a series of national consultations to ensure stakeholder engageme
 nt\, buy-in and definition of the implementation plan are demand-driven an
 d at the core of the actualisation of strategic actions to support sustain
 able trade in Barbados’s longline fishery sector.\nrecently published UN
 CTAD-DOALOS-FAO report\n\nView meeting on unctad.org\nhttps://unctad.org/m
 eeting/stakeholder-inception-meeting-national-analysis-transform-longline-
 fisheries-barbados
DTSTAMP:20260707T073510Z
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