BELMOPAN, Belize (CMC) — The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) says four regional countries have signed on to the agreement formalising their membership in the 22-year-old institution, inaugurated in Belize in March 2003.

The CRFM said that Anguilla, The Bahamas, Dominica, and Montserrat signed the agreement during the recently held Caribbean Week of Agriculture in St Kitts and Nevis.

“Currently, there are 17 member states of the CRFM that have been actively involved in the effective management of the organisation. The CRFM prides itself on meeting the needs of its members with the available resources,” said CRFM Executive Director, Dr Marc Williams.

“When attracting resources to support the implementation of our work program and alleviate the financial burden on member states, the CRFM is frequently asked about its governance framework.”

He said that the CRFM has in the past adopted several key policies to improve its governance framework, including the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy (CCCFP), which enables participating states to collectively undertake the scientific research and studies necessary to determine the status of fish stocks, determine available fishing opportunities and develop rational harvest strategies and fisheries management plans to ensure optimum sustainable use of the resources and protect the ecosystems.

In addition, the Personal Data Protection Policy ensures that the roles and responsibilities of employees of the CRFM Secretariat are clearly defined, understood and followed by all employees, and provides procedural guidance on how the CRFM Secretariat and its governance bodies will implement the policy.

The other policies implemented are the Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy and the Whistleblower Policy.

Williams said that the CRFM is making a conscious effort to ensure that its initiatives are gender-sensitive and considerate of the needs of youth and indigenous peoples.