‘Major decrease’ in fish landings in 2024 as downward trend continues

St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) saw a 27.3% decrease in the amount of fish landed in 2024, while the earnings fell by 19.5% year-on-year.

Acting Prime Minister Montgomery Daniel said this was a major decrease, even as he said that the fisheries sector “is one of the growing pillars of the major economic platform of our economic development here in St. Vincent and the Grenadines”.

Speaking at the Fisherman’s Day event in Calliaqua on Monday, Daniel said preliminary figures show that 1,723,689 pounds of fish were landed and marketed in SVG in 2024.

“This represents a decline of approximately 646,000 pounds when you compare that to 2023, which is 2,369,732 pounds of fish,” he said.

“I want to say to you that there has been a tremendous decrease overall of $14,761,565 when compared to $18,333,138 in 2023.

“This is indeed a tremendous decrease, approximately 27.3% decrease in weight and 19.5% decrease in earnings of 2023,” Daniel said.

He said that fish have been “an outstanding resource” for SVG, adding that the government has to “continue to track the data to help us to continue to guide our activities.

Daniel, a former fisheries minister, said approximately 70 species of fish are landed and marketed at landing sites daily in SVG, including coastal and oceanic species, mussels, reef fish and shellfish.

“And over the years, the shellfish such as conch, lobster, this have been dominating the market, particularly in the export sector, as they are high-value species.

“And so, in 2024, count was the main species landed, accounting for 16.25% or 280,708 pounds of total landings with earnings of $1.75 million.”

However, compared to 2023, conch landings decreased by 45.1% in weight and 44.3% in value, generating EC$1.4 million less year-on-year.

The situation was the same for lobster, with landings in 2024 accounting for 3.8% or 66,156 pounds of total landings, with earnings of $943,197.

This compares to 2023, when landings, decreased by 2.3% in weight and 10.2% in value.

The yellowfin tuna accounted for 12.3% of the landings, with earnings of EC$2 million.

“And so, the general value and weights, total catch of species in 2024 is very much less than in 2023,” Daniel said.

“These statistics are important to this fishery sector to help to ensure that programmes are being organised for ensuring that the fishermen benefit much more than they are benefiting,” Daniel said.

He was speaking at the same event where Fisheries Minister, Saboto Caesar announced that a closed season for conch will come into effect next year, but did not state the duration of the closed and open season.  

Meanwhile, Daniel said 2024 was particularly challenging for the fishing industry.

“I want to indicate to you that the first and second quarters of 2024, fish production decreased drastically due to adverse weather conditions, rough seas, lack of bait and limited markets for fish products,” Daniel said.

“And, in the third quarter, Hurricane Beryl, which caused widespread destruction to the fisheries, infrastructure, personal property, boats, engines and gears. All of that devastated the livelihoods of many Vincentians.”

He noted that the Southern Grenadines — Mayreau, Canouan, Union Island, Petit St. Vincent — was hardest hit, with the fishing industry, particularly conch and lobster fisheries, as well as sea moss farms, suffering tremendously.

“During the third quarter of last year, no fish landings were recorded in the Southern Grenadines and fishers on the mainland had to continue to repair their boats, mend their nets and to get their act together to continue for 2025,” Daniel said.

He said that preliminary figures for 2025 show that 404,021 pounds of fish valued at EC$3.7 million

were landed in the first quarter, representing a decrease of 9.23% when compared to 2024.

“I want to indicate to you that the overall position in the first quarter of 2025 shows that there is a continued decline in fish landings, particularly those in the high value species, such as the large oceanic pelagics, the coastal pelagics and shellfish, which is the conch and the lobsters.”

Daniel said that although the landing of dolphin and lobster increased by 33.2% and 32.5%, respectively, when compared to 2024, “these species have been steadily declining over the past five years.

“Other high-value species, such as conch and yellowfin tuna, continue to decrease,” he said.

In Q2 of 2025, there was a 61.4% and 33.6% decline in landings of conch and yellowfin tuna, respectively.

“But we need to understand that in 2024, the fishery sector suffered significant setbacks in the wake of Hurricane Beryl,” Daniel said.

He said widespread damage was recorded to boat engines, fishing gear and equipment, processing and storage sheds, sea moss plots and products, fishing centres and jetties.”

Daniel said Union Island bore the brunt of the destruction.  An estimated 183 fishers were affected nationwide, with 111 fishers, representing 60.7%, based in Union Island.

Of the 222 fishing vessels were damaged, 141 of them were located in Union Island. Additionally, 157 boat engines were affected, with 116, or to 73%, of them on Union Island.

“Equally, significant damage was recorded to fishing gear, including seines, nets, oars and various other equipment. The fast-growing sea moss industry was also hard hit and the total estimated impact was valued at $1.274 million. Of this, $706,000 accounted for direct damage, and $568,000 represented the loss of product and income to this sector,” Daniel said.

He said the total estimated loss and damage to fishers was EC$13.181 million, made up of EC$7.35 million in damage and EC$5.3 million in loss.

“This blow to the livelihoods of fishers has been most acute in lobster, conch, sea moss and coastal inshore pelagic fishes, namely those involved with ballyhoo, robin, jacks and dodger.”

The acting prime minister said that in all of this, the government’s response has been “decisive”, noting that the Minister of Fisheries, Saboto Caesar, has announced at the same event $2.8 million in direct support to fishers across the country.

“But there’s equally $3 million dedicated to income support over four months,” Daniel said, adding that additional support has come from international organisations, such as the FAO, which would provide approximately US$100,000 under the rapid response window of the UN Central Emergency Rapid Response Fund.

“Since then, the department within the Ministry has been working on several initiatives to ensure that the fishing industry stays afloat,” Daniel said.