The Ministerial Council of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) has raised concerns over the recent decision by the US government to pursue the listing of the Nassau Grouper, a commercially traded species in the region, under the US Endangered Species Act.
At its meeting in Paramaribo, Suriname on October 9, the Council expressed grave concern at what it considered “extra-national activities and decisions” on the social and economic activities and international trade of CRFM member states.
On 2 September 2014, the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), issued its finding based on the petition from the US-based WildEarth Guardians to list the Nassau Grouper as a threatened or endangered species. The US Government Agency found that the Nassau Grouper was not endangered, but that it met the definition of a threatened species and proposed its listing as such under the Endangered Species Act.
The listing of the Nassau Grouper as a threatened species could impact the region’s ability to fish for and trade the fish. The Council has therefore called on member states to be “proactive in addressing the challenge” noting that the Nassau Grouper is an important commercial species with significant economic value to regional fishers.
The Ministerial Council has also called on Member States of the CRFM to compile the best available data and information on the status and active management of Nassau grouper in their countries, particularly information that could inform NMFS’ final listing and proposed conservation measures. The region must submit its comments to the NFMS by 31 December 2014.
CRFM members are Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St Kitts Nevis, St. Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago and the Turks and Caicos Islands.
