The Development of Fisheries in Jamaica : Report of a Pre-Feasibility1 Study. i')L/ c;: /- IJ ;)~ ':J !.. ._..,/_.,,I _,-- }!/" .._,,- THE DEVELOPMENT OF FISHERIES IN JAMAICA r· rr. .... LIFJr;ARy BcDFORn oc~ANo c ~~l\JsrrrurE OF Box . "" 1•APHy 006 DART MOi..i TH . N.s. Ja;;;v- r 4A~ REPORT OF A PRE -FEASIBILITY STUDY BY W. C. MACKENZIE Department of Fisheries of Canada and W. R. MARTIN Fisheries Research Board of Canada OTTAWA 1967 LIBRARY f\S\\El\\£.S i\ND OCEANS lU\lLiO t'HEQ0E . , PECHES ET OCEANS. SUMMARY OF RECOMMENDATIONS 1. A central port should be constructed on the south coast of Jamaica, probably in the neighborhood of Kingston, to serve as a base for an expanded fleet of distant-water fishing vessels. It should include a) a pier capable of acconunodating a projected fleet of 100 or more vessels (up to 100 ft. in length), landing ultimately as much as 50,000,000 lb. of raw fish annually, b) an ice-making plant and warehouse refrigerated at -20°c, c) space adjacent for additional pro­ cessing facilities(e.g.curing and/or canning plants)and d) facilities (workshops, gear and fuel depots, etc.) for repair and maintenance services. It is reconunended that a feasibility study be carried out to determine a) the optimal location of such a complex within the territory specified, b) the type and capacity of the structures required to meet the objectives (as outlined in the Report) of this part of the development program and c) the construction and other costs involved. It is further reconunended that the feasibility study be undertaken by a team of Canadian Government engineers experienced in assessment of the problems to be met with in harbour development and in the design and costing of the types of structure described. 2. It is recommended that provision of facilities for icing, cold storage and the like at other coastal points be deferred pending further investigation of the requirements and implications. 2. 3. It is strongly recommended that the program of the Govern- ment of Jamaica for the training of officers and other personnel to man the distant-water fishing fleet be expanded as rapidly as possible. It is further recommended, as a first step in this direction, that an official or officials of the Jamaican administration be enabled at an early date to inspect the training facilities offered by the College of Fisheries at St. John's and similar institutions in the Canadian Atlantic provinces, 4. It is reconnnended that an experienced official of one of the governmental loaning agencies (N.S. Fishermen's Loan Board, etc.) in the Atlantic provinces be assigned to visit Jamaica to study the credit needs, creditworthiness and related aspects of offshore fishing enterprises and to advise the Agricultural Credit Board on the develop­ ment of an appropriate program of assistance for this expanding segment of the fishing industry. 5. The purchase of second-hand craft from neighbouring areas of the United States seems to be the soundest method of expanding the offshore fleet in Jamaica for the present. Construction of vessels in Canada for this purpose, therefore, is not recommended. 6. The Government of Jamaica has been advised on the establish- ment of a fish cannery in the island by another consultant. The pro­ ject, therefore, is not connnented on specifically in this report. 3. 7. The distribution of fishery products in Jamaica appears to present no problem at present. It is recommended, therefore, that consideration of measures to re-organize the trade and provide related infra-structure be deferred for the time being. 8. It is recommended that the staff of the fishery administration be raised in status and clothed with greater authority in fields such as resource management and product inspection. The recruitment of additional scientific and technical officers, a) to manage the government-owned fleet, b) to facilitate and coordinate research in fishery resources by outside (university and other institutional) workers and c) to develop statistical services and the like, is also strongly recommended. NOTE ON FINANCING FEASIBILITY STUDIES If, as reconnnended, officers of the federal Departments of Public Works and Fisheries are assigned to the study of the proposed fishing port and complex, their salaries would be paid by their respective departments, presumably, and the only additional costs would be for their travel and for services (secretarial, drafting and so on) utilized while in Jamaica. The study probably would take two to three months, perhaps longer. It is estimated that, if a private firm of consultants were employed, the cost would be in the order of $50,000. Similarly, if an employee of a provincial government were to undertake the study of credit needs and related questions, the cost would amount to his salary plus travel and other expenses while on assignment. In this case, the salary might be recoverable from the External Aid administration -- as also in the case of federal employees, of course, if there were any point in it. A mission to Canada by an official of the Jamaican Govern­ ment, as recommended with reference to assistance for the training of fishermen, probably would be financed by that Government. THE DEVELOPMENT OF FISHERIES IN JAMAICA REPORT OF A PRE-FEASIBILITY STUDY INTRODUCTION In a submission from the Ministry of Finance of the Government of Jamaica, dated the 5th January, 1966, the Government of Canada was asked to sponsor a comprehensive study of the feasibility of implementing a program for development of the island's fishing industry prepared by the Ministry in collaboration with other agencies of the Jamaican Govern- ment. It was suggested that the study be undertaken in two stages, i.e. a "pre-feasibility" study would first be made and, depending on the outcome, this would be followed by the feasibility study proper. The writers were assigned to carry out the first of these stages of the study and the present is a report on our findings. The purpose of our phase of the study, as outlined in the sub- mission mentioned, was "a) to make preliminary investigations (i.e. with reference to the draft program), b) to formulate, in collaboration with Jamaican officials, specific terms of reference for the feasibility study, c) to reconnnend the best means for carrying out the study (whether by Government officials, by private consultants or a combination of the two), and d) to make cost estimates of the entire feasibility study". For this purpose we spent two weeks in Jamaica, from the 7th to the 15th February, 1967. During that time we interviewed the officials, industrialists and others listed in an Appendix to this report. Prior to visiting Jamaica we stopped at the headquarters of 2. the FAO/UNSF Caribbean Regional Fisheries Development Project in Barbados for a discussion with officials there of the general setting of fishery- development problems in the region. At the request of the Jamaican Government, one of the writers, on his return, met with officials of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Washington, D.C., in order to brief them on our views concerning the proposed pro- gram and related matters. Our opportunities for an examination "in depth" of the fishing industry and fish trade in Jamaica were naturally limited -- our observations were restricted largely to the vicinity of Kingston and Old Harbour. The time at our disposal being short, we decided to concentrate on the collection of relevant information, the most important sources of which are to be found among government, business and university circles in the capital. In this we feel that we were reasonably successful: we were accorded the fullest possible cooperation by all whom we contacted in Jamaica and the exchange of views, without exception, was unreserved. If the report falls short of what might be expected from an exercise of this kind, the fault is ours. The program to be investigated was divided into six inter-related parts, as follows: 1. The provision of an infra-structure appropriate to a modern fishing industry, including -- a) a fishing pier in Kingston harbour, with associated processing, cold-storage and distribution facilities1 , 1 The facilities also would include sea-food restaurants, in line with the development of the Kingston waterfront for touristic purposes. 3. b) icing and storage facilities at other fishing ports, and c) storage depots at strategic points throughout the island to serve the needs of the wholesale trade (vide 6, below). 2. The acceleration and expansion of the existing scheme for training fishermen in the use of modern fishing craft, gear and methods -- and the provision in the Fisheries Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands of the staff, equipment and technical assistance for this purpose. 3. The institution of a plan for the provision of long-term and short-term credit on favourable terms, i.e. at low interest rates, for fishermen. 4. The acquisition of a number of modern fishing vessels2 from Canada, to be made available under long-term credit arrangements to fishermen who qualify under the training scheme. 5. The establishment of a fish cannery, to process landings (of tuna, particularly) from foreign vessels based on Jamaica as well as those of the domestic fleet3. 2 craft of 40-70 ft. in length and capable of operating at distances up to 500 miles offshore were specified. 3 The intention would be to develop an export-oriented industry. 4. 6. The establishment of an island-wide system for the wholesale distribution of fish products, including a fleet of refrigerated trucks and suitable holding facilities (cf. le, above). A study of the feasibility of this program would be expected to provide estimates of the cost of the component projects and thus, in the words of the submission, " ..