SVG among five Caribbean Countries in US$ 12.5 million climate resilient project for fisheries and Coastal Communities

More than 21,800 people, including fisherfolk, boat owners, processors and coastal communities across Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago are set to benefit from a new US$12.55 million Global Environment Facility (GEF)-funded regional initiative aimed at building climate and disaster resilience in the fisheries sector.

The Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC), in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), and regional and national partners, said it launched the Climate Change Resilience in the Caribbean Fisheries Sector

Project (CC4FISH-II) at an Inception Meeting held in Dominica on September 15, 2026 to scale up regional intervention in the fisheries sector through 2030.

The project will build on the foundation established by CC4FISH between 2017 and 2022, when the initiative worked across seven Eastern Caribbean countries to assess the fisheries sector’s vulnerability to climate change, strengthen the capacity of fisherfolk and aqua-culturists, and advance the integration of climate adaptation into fisheries governance and planning.

CC4FISH-II responds to the escalating negative impacts of climate change on Caribbean fisheries, leading to depleting fish resources, loss of marine biodiversity and degradation of the Caribbean Sea habitats which affect the food, income and economic development of Small Island Developing States (SIDS) in the Caribbean, the CCCCC states. Funded through the Global Environment Facility (GEF), CC4FISH-II will work directly with small-scale fisherfolk, boat owners, processors, vendors, traders and coastal fishing communities across five Caribbean countries, with particular attention to strengthening opportunities, leadership and livelihood resilience for women and youth.

Speaking at the Inception Workshop, Dominica’s Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy Lakeyia Joseph, said: “No single country can address these climate change challenges alone.

We therefore welcome the opportunity provided by CC4FISH-II to deepen collaboration among countries of the Eastern Caribbean…. We must ensure our fisherfolk, fisheries officers and other stakeholders have access to knowledge, tools, technology and training necessary to operate sustainably in an increasingly challenging climate.”

FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean Dr. Renata Clarke said: “CC4FISH-II represents an investment in the future of the Caribbean. It demonstrates the power of regional collaboration in addressing shared challenges facing the Caribbean’s fisheries sector.

Together, we can strengthen resilience, protect marine resources, and create lasting benefits for communities throughout the region”.

CCCCC’s Executive Director Dr. Colin Young, meanwhile pointed out that:

“Through improved infrastructure, enhanced access to climate-smart fishing practices, and strengthened community-level capacity, we are working to protect and improve livelihoods.

“We are focused on ensuring that when climate events occur, our fishing communities are not only better protected but also possess the tools to recover faster and adapt more effectively.”

CC4FISH-II aims to help Caribbean fisheries adapt to climate change for the long term, using an ecosystem-based approach.