UPDATES CFMC
October 2024
In the Caribbean Fishery Management Council (CFMC)'s bulletin you will find announcements, facts about marine species, and valuable information on fishing rules and regulations for Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.
FISHING FISHING AS PART OF AS PART OF OUR REGION’S OUR REGION’S
FOOD SECURITY FOOD SECURITY
Food security is a basic aspect of any community. The health and lives of its members depend on it According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), food security is achieved when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient safe and nutritious food that satisfies people’s daily energy needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.
Small-scale fishing–as we know in our US Caribbean zone–contributes to the food security of our region. Our fishers provide an additional source of protein throughout the year. In turn, fish and
seafood is distributed by the fishers themselves and in fish markets, fishing villages and restaurants.
Fishers in the US Caribbean–Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands–contribute significant quantities to the
supply of fish and seafood available for our consumption. For example, in Puerto Rico, in 2023, approximately 1,756,155 pounds were counted in 32,271 reported fishing trips, according to the most recent report from the Commercial Fisheries Statistics Program (PEPC) of the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (PRDNER) submitted to NOAA Fisheries as a Performance Progress Report. On the other hand, if we visit the NOAA Fisheries website, under the Southeast Region Annual Catch Limit Monitoring section, we will find that for both St.Thomas/St. John and St. Croix, the number of landings in 2021 exceeded 240,000 pounds for each of these districts, almost half a million pounds landed in the US Virgin Islands.
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The Caribbean has a great variety of edible fishes. Some of them, like certain species of snappers and groupers, have
V I S I T V I S I T ||
fishing prohibitions in certain seasons of the year. The purpose of these prohibitions is to protect the species during their reproductive seasons. This ensures fish for the future. Other species are not so well known and there are no fishing prohibitions for them, but they are equally tasty and nutritious. These species are known as underutilized species. The blue runner, the rainbow runner and the lionfish are examples of this kind of species. Wellknown species or underutilized, both are part of the wide variety of fish and seafood provided by our fishers in the Caribbean.
Food security is a broad topic and has a lot of aspects related to it. We invite you to read and share Marejada, volume 20, number 2 for more information about this topic and the contribution of fishers to food security in our region.
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Marejada is produced by Puerto Rico Sea Grant. https://issuu.com/seagrantpr/docs/marejada
We appreciate the collaboration of Wilson Santiago Soler, Puerto Rico Fisheries Liaison, and Dr. Sennai Habtes, from the USVI Department of Planning and Natural Resources, to obtain the information on the landings. To see the ACL Monitoring section on the NOAA Fisheries webpage, you must access https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/sustainable-fisheries/southeast-region-annual-catch-limit-acl-monitoring.
Chefs Take Over Chefs Take Over
On July 8 and 9, 2024, a group of 15 chefs from Puerto Rico attended the “Can I Eat that Fish?” continuing education course It was organized by Jannette Ramos García, who has vast experience in outreach and education efforts aimed at promoting fishing and consumption of underutilized species The objectives of the workshop were the following:
Promote underutilized species with a focus on sustainability. Many species of fish and seafood that are often underutilized are just as tasty as the most popular options. Promoting its consumption helps reduce pressure on overexploited species and encourages responsible fishing practices
1. Menu diversification. Using lesser-known species allows chefs to innovate and diversify their menus, offering diners new culinary experiences and unique flavors not usually found in conventional options.
2. Support fishing communities. Continue contributing to the economic development of local fishing communities that depend on fishing, and help them to maintain their traditions and livelihood.
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3. Food awareness. This type of course also educates chefs about the importance of marine biodiversity and the need to protect marine ecosystems, promoting more conscious and responsible consumption.
For two days, the renowned Puerto Rican Chef Carlos Portela guided the participants in the handling and preparation of different species of fish. His intervention included a theoretical session (conference) and a hands-on one-day session carried out in the kitchen of the DeRaíz restaurant, located in Mayagüez, PR
Group of chefs participating in the workshop along with Chefs Carlos Portela and Juan Camacho, and Jannette Ramos García, coordinator of this educational effort
Chef Carlos Portela gave a presentation to the attendees
“As a professor, Chef Carlos Portela imparted knowledge about the different underutilized species, their characteristics and how they can be prepared creatively. One of his most important lessons was the use of all parts of fish, thus promoting the concept of zero waste in the kitchen. Additionally, he taught specific culinary techniques for working with these ingredients, ensuring that chefs felt comfortable and confident using them in their menus. Their experience and passion for sustainable cuisine inspired the chefs to experiment with new flavors and value the importance of using marine resources responsibly,” explained Jannette Ramos, who also gave an introductory presentation on the variety of species available in the Caribbean and the importance of offering legal and in-season products.
As part of the course, Nelson Crespo, commercial fisher and CFMC Puerto Rico District Advisory Panel (PRDAP) Chair, offered a presentation focused on best practices when using marine and coastal resources, and the relationship between fishers, chefs and restaurants. He emphasized the role of fishers not only as suppliers, but also as educators since they can guide their clients on the preparation of certain species and which ones can be caught and consumed in certain seasons during the year.
Photo 1 Participants in the kitchen of DeRaíz Photo 2 Jannette Ramos García, workshop coordinator Photo 3 Nelson Crespo, commercial fisher and PR-DAP Chair
At the end of the course, participants completed a test that showed the following results:
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Increased understanding among chefs about the importance of using underutilized species and their role in marine sustainability.
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Participants developed new recipes and culinary techniques, incorporating these ingredients into their menus, allowing them to offer unique options to their customers.
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By learning to work with less popular species, chefs were able to make better use of available resources and minimize waste in the kitchen.
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The course fostered relationships between chefs and fishing communities, creating a support network that benefits both, by promoting the purchase of local products.
This event was possible thanks to a collaboration between the CFMC, Puerto Rico Sea Grant, Orujo Taller Gastronómico and its Chef Carlos Portela, the University of Puerto Rico and its Continuing Education Division, and the DeRaíz Restaurant in Mayagüez, PR and its Chef Juan Camacho.
The CFMC and Puerto Rico Sea Grant continue collaborating in efforts focused on the sustainable us of fishery resources / Picture in the right: Nelson Crespo, Jannette Ramos, Chef Carlos Portela, Chef Juan Camacho
THE ROLE OF FISHERS FISHERS RESTAURANT RESTAURANT AND THE IN THE WORDS OF NELSON
CRESPO NELSON CRESPO INDUSTRY
What is the fishers’ role and contributions in the restaurant industry?
The commercial fishers play an important role in the restaurant indu the ones who provide a variety of fresh products to the restaurants staff on the best practices to manage the species, so that they can b product to their customers Furthermore, the fishers have the respo restaurant managers about the species they can sell and which spec You can also guide them on fishing seasonal closures and prohibitio
How do you develop an effective relationship between fishers and restaurants? What are the commitments that both parties must assume?
First, an environment of trust must be developed between both parties The fishers need to sell their catch, and the restaurants need fresh fish and the certainty of having the product as frequently as possible The fishers bring a fresh high-quality product and the restaurant must maintain that quality and pay the agreed price for it They should commit to selling species that are not prohibited and offer local alternatives when a product is not available.
How can fishers and restaurants work together to offer seafood that is in season, of quality and that complies with the law?
Education is very important not only for the fishers, but also for the people who work in the restaurants and the customers as well. Restaurant staff members must know the fresh products they offer and educate their customers about it: where it is caught, the depth at which the species is caught, how it is processed, among other aspects An educated customer will feel more confident about the product and motivated to continue visiting the restaurant The fishers and the restaurants must not offer prohibited species Educational posters about closed seasons and prohibited species should be posted in restaurants, and every time we are approaching a closed season announce it to customers and promote other species as an alternative Also, each restaurant should offer weekly specials of species with lower demand to diversify their menu. By doing this, they can explore which of these species customers like the most in order to include them in a set menu. In turn, they can increase the options in their menus, helping to reduce fishing pressure for species with more demand.
