The Soufriere Fishermen’s Cooperative (SFC) and the Soufriere Marine Management Association collaborated on a project to send three (3) fishermen and one (1) Fisheries Extension Officer to Grenada on a one-week training course to learn longline fishing techniques. The project was made possible through a small grant from the Gulf and Caribbean Fisheries Institute. The St. Lucian trainees were hosted by the Grenada Fisheries Division who presented a compact programme including presentations on fish handling and safety at sea. The trainees were taught how to construct longlines and each participated in two fishing expeditions landing two yellowfin tunas weighing 139 lbs and 131 lbs. Trainees took note of the modifications done to fibreglass pirogues utilized by Grenadian fishers that are similar to those used in St. Lucia.
Upon return to St. Lucia, a one-day workshop was held in Soufriere where four other members of the SFC were trained in the construction of longlines. One of the trainees has since financed and constructed his own longline to start targeting large pelagics like tuna and dolphin fish (wahoo).
Funding was made available from the following partners:
Funding was provided by the United Nations Foundation under the Coastal and Marine Management and Education in the South Eastern Caribbean (CaMMESEC) project, which is being implemented by the Buccoo Reef Trust in collaboration with the International Coral Reef Action Network (ICRAN). CaMMESEC seeks to improve the Southeastern Caribbean’s marine environment, through enhanced access to research and education facilities and expertise, and the exchange of sustainable practices for tropical islands. Project initiatives aim to reach out to managers, researchers and policy makers across the Wider Caribbean through the international network of ICRAN and partners to ensure that the existing expertise and available information for comprehensive management and marine resource monitoring purposes is further developed.