On Friday 22nd August 2025, The Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, through its Green Fund Executing Unit, joined Future Fishers in celebrating the achievements made possible with an $8 million Green Fund contribution awarded in 2020. This investment has been instrumental in advancing sustainable livelihoods, fostering innovation and strengthening the fisheries sector along the Northeast coast of Trinidad and Tobago. Among the milestones celebrated at this event was the graduation of the first cohort in salted and smoked fish production, as well as participants trained in small engine repair. Additionally, prizes were given for their trolling fishing competition. These initiatives are part of the wider Capacity Building of Fishers Initiative for Sustainable Harvest, Education and Research spearheaded by Future Fishers.
Turning Challenges into Opportunities
Research conducted between 2021 and 2023 under the research element of the project called the Baseline Fisheries Assessment, revealed one of the most pressing challenges in the local fisheries sector: the underutilisation of low-value species. The Baseline Fisheries Assessment identified 31 such species, collectively representing 17% of the total catch over 52,000 lbs. Yet, five species; Bonito, Catfish, Platto, Yellow Cro-Cro, and Bannan—accounted for 86% of that weight and 78% of the total individuals caught. These species are often overlooked and undervalued, despite their potential to generate income. The findings highlighted a significant opportunity to reposition these species within the market by adding value through processing, packaging and branding, particularly by salting and smoking.
Empowering Fishers through Innovation
In response, Future Fishers partnered with local communities to establish a cooperative, designed to expand the downstream sector. Through shared equipment, improved market access, and collective empowerment, the cooperative ensures that innovation and economic benefits directly reach fishers. Central to this vision is the launch of the Fishers Business Hub, a platform created to support fisher-led enterprises by:
- Promoting value-added processing, including smoked and salted fish;
- Providing business planning and financial literacy support;
- Facilitating access to finance and cooperative benefits;
- Enabling data-driven decision-making through an information system.
Key Achievements to Date
With financial support from the Green Fund, Future Fishers has achieved the following:
- 96 individuals from the fishing communities trained in First Aid
- 69 fishers trained in Safety at Sea
- 22 fishers trained in Engine Repair
- 22 persons from the fishing community trained in Smoked and Salted Fish Production
- Mapping of sensitive fish habitats through participatory GIS and establishing a fisheries baseline dataset
- 18 fishers trained in Leadership and Financial Management
- Safety operations reviewed across all depots from Matura to Matelot
The Ministry of Planning, Economic Affairs and Development, proudly supports these initiatives executed by Future Fishers, as it fulfil two focal areas of the Green Fund namely; environmental education and public awareness on environmental issues, as well as conservation. Furthermore, this programme also contributes to the achievement of SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Development, through its Salted and Smoked fish training sessions, as it provides skills to persons within the fishing communities which can be turned into sustainable business opportunities. These training sessions also work towards SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production based on the recommended fish used for smoking and salting are considered ‘low value species’, which are usually discarded by fishers resulting in wastage of food and the depletion of those said species.
