National Policy for Fisheries and Aquaculture.

The National Policy for Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Bahamas is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach. The objectives of the policy are to (I) ensure the sustainable development of the sector, (II) assist fishers and fish farmers to provide healthy products to the population, (III) enable fishers and fish farmers to develop their businesses profitably, (IV) increase collaboration between the Government and the private sector, (V) increase international and state support to the industry, and (VI) support the implementation of the Caribbean Community Common Fishery Policy at the national level. The development of the present policy was supported by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations through its Technical Cooperation Programme.
This policy lays down strategies in an environmentally, socially and economically sustainable manner for the development of the three main sub-sectors: (i) commercial fisheries sub-sector, (ii) recreational and sports fisheries sub-sector, and (iii) small-scale aquaculture sub-sector, with the aim of developing a sustainable, diverse, competitive and economically viable fisheries and aquaculture sector. The productivity, profitability and marketability of the sector will be enhanced to promote economic diversification, provide income to producers and processors, and to provide high quality, healthy food that meets the requirements of national and international markets to the consumers. Furthermore, consumer awareness will be raised on the nutritional and health benefits of fisheries and aquaculture products, environmental benefits of these resources and their role as responsible consumers. The value and volume of fisheries and aquaculture products for export will be increased through sustainable production, value addition and market diversification and by enhancing the value chain.
Social inclusion, equity and fairness will be integrated into the sector to create job opportunities, reduce poverty, enhance livelihoods, ensure national food security for all, and to deliver social, cultural, economic, and recreational benefits to communities, particularly to Family Island communities. The access of fishers and anyone active in the fisheries and aquaculture sector to health, safety, social protection and national insurance programmes will be ensured. Awareness-raising and training programs targeted to women and other groups will be carried out to create equitable access to the fisheries and aquaculture sector as a means of employment and poverty alleviation.
In order to overcome the continuous threats of overfishing, illegal fishing, habitat destruction, pollution and climate change, sustainable management of fisheries, aquaculture, water and other related natural resources will be achieved in an environmentally responsible manner. To this end, this policy puts emphasis on the protection of aquatic biodiversity of indigenous species, the conservation of ecosystem services and their functions, the management, control and eradication of invasive species, and the rehabilitation of overexploited stocks. Ecosystem approach will be applied in fisheries to plan, develop and manage fisheries in a manner that addresses the multiple needs and desires of societies, without jeopardizing the options for future generations to benefit from the full range of goods and services provided by marine ecosystems.
Management measures will be taken to reduce illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing through improved enforcement capacity, improved regional level collaboration and improved capacity for Monitoring Control and Surveillance. The legal and policy frameworks will be strengthened and sectoral governance will be improved to increase the contribution of the sector to the national development objectives. Moreover, the institutional capacity of the Department of Marine Resources will be enhanced and its cooperation with other government agencies, local communities, academic and research institutions, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations and international and regional development and fisheries management partners will be strengthened.