Agriculture & Fisheries Minister Floyd Green has highlighted increasing the number of fish sanctuaries and heightened training in deep sea fishing as two areas of focus to improve the fisheries sector.
Mr. Green, speaking Sunday on Radio Jamaica's That's a Rap, said the declaration of more protected areas will lead to a rejuvenation of fish stocks and bring a much needed boost to the sector and by extension the economy.
He added that training of fishers in additional forms of fishing will support the sustainability of the fisheries industry.
Mr. Green explained that, given the vast expanse of sea that Jamaica's fishers can access; "about 24 times" the size of the island's land mass, training is necessary for them to be able to earn more.
Diversification was also important, he stressed, pointing to "other forms of mariculture that we think are important, looking at things like seaweed... oysters..."
"We have to give our fishers other things that they can do to ensure wealth creation, and that they are able to take care of our families," he concluded.
The Fisheries Minister was speaking in the context of the 60th anniversary of the Snowboy Disaster of 1963, when 40 people, most of them being fishermen plus the crew of the vessel, perished when the boat sank en route to the Pedro Cays on July 1 that year.
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