Report - Fisheries Industry Census of Dominica FINAL 20090511.pdf

Fisheries Industry Census of Dominica

2008 A Report on the

Census Study Done for the Fisheries Industry by the Fisheries Division

Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica


ii


iii

Abstract

This study examines the results of a census which was done on the fishing industry in the

Commonwealth of Dominica to determine the status of the various components and interrelationships

which comprises the Industry. The census was directed at collecting baseline data and information from

a wide range of actors who impact the industry either directly or indirectly, positively or negatively. The

information was collected using a questionnaire and it was administered by trained data collectors and

enumerators.

The study covered fishers and fishing communities over the entire island. It highlights the perspectives

of fisher folk including fish vendors, middle men, part-time and full-time fishers and other investors

within the industry, for their views and ideas and the role that they played within that sector. The study

identified many concerns of fisher folk as regards the role of Government, issue of subsidies to

fishermen, fisheries management, fishermen and fishing boat registration matters and overall

governance within the fishing industry in Dominica.

The study also identified the various types and quantities of fishing gear used within the industry, types

and number of fishing boats used, methods of propulsion employed by fishermen, range of outboard

engines available and the extent to which Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) impacted the industry.

The census captured some basic demographic information on the fishing industry for use in fisheries

management in Dominica. Age, education status, composition of fishers household and dependences

were also determined which gave some perspective on the social and economic value of the fishing

industry in Dominica.

The overall objective of the census was achieved in providing baseline data in terms of geographic

location of material and equipment, size of the fishing fleet, personnel involved and services provided by

the industry. The information is to be used for providing fisheries management advice to Government

and for making informed management decisions regarding the fishing industry in Dominica


iv

Acknowledgements

The Fisheries Division wishes to thank the following organizations and individuals for their contributions:

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which was the primary financial supporter for the

survey, the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica, especially the Central Statistical Office, for

its invaluable advice and other technical assistance and the Establishment Department, the

enumerators, the respondents and others who supported this study. The Fisheries Division also wishes

to thank Dr. Susan Singh-Renton of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) for her input

and guidance.


v

Table of Contents

ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................................ III

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................................... IV

T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S .............................................................................................................. V

G L O S S A R Y ................................................................................................................................ VIII

1 I N T R O D U C T I O N ....................................................................................................................1

1.1 OVERVIEW OF THE FISHERIES INDUSTRY AND THE FIC .............................................................................1

1.2 OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................................................1

2 M E T H O D O L O G Y ....................................................................................................................3

2.1 PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES .................................................................................................................3

2.1.1 The Questionnaires ........................................................................................................................... 3

2.1.2 The Enumerators’ Manual ................................................................................................................ 3

2.1.3 Selection and Training of Enumerators ............................................................................................. 3

2.1.4 The Target Population ...................................................................................................................... 4

2.1.5 Pre-Existing Data Sources ................................................................................................................. 4

2.1.6 The Pilot Survey ................................................................................................................................. 4

2.2 CENSUS STUDY ..............................................................................................................................4

2.2.1 The Main Survey ................................................................................................................................ 4

2.3 POST-CENSUS ACTIVITIES ................................................................................................................5

2.3.1 Data Management ............................................................................................................................ 5

3 R E S U L T S ..................................................................................................................................6

3.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................6

3.2 RESPONDENT ROLES .......................................................................................................................6

3.3 CHARACTERISTICS OF RESPONDENTS ...................................................................................................7

3.3.1 Sex, Marital Status and Age .............................................................................................................. 7

3.3.2 Household and Dependents .............................................................................................................. 7

3.3.3 Education .......................................................................................................................................... 9

3.4 FISHERS/BOAT OWNERS .................................................................................................................9

3.4.1 Role of Fishers on the Boat ............................................................................................................... 9


vi

3.4.2 Income from Fishing .......................................................................................................................... 9

3.4.3 Fisher Registration .......................................................................................................................... 10

3.4.4 Fishing Activity and Fishing Distance .............................................................................................. 10

3.4.5 Fishing Gear .................................................................................................................................... 11

3.4.6 Fish Aggregating Devices ................................................................................................................ 12

3.4.7 Safety Equipment and Supplies ....................................................................................................... 14

3.4.8 Reason for Fishing ........................................................................................................................... 14

3.4.9 Training ........................................................................................................................................... 15

3.4.10 Factors Impacting Fishing Operations ............................................................................................ 16

3.4.11 Fish Spoilage ................................................................................................................................... 17

3.4.12 Record Keeping ............................................................................................................................... 17

3.4.13 Loans ............................................................................................................................................... 18

3.5 BOAT OWNERS AND FLEET ............................................................................................................. 19

3.5.1 Boat Type and Age of the Fleet ....................................................................................................... 19

3.5.2 Propulsion ....................................................................................................................................... 20

3.5.3 Crew ................................................................................................................................................ 20

3.5.4 Engines by Horse Power and Make ................................................................................................. 20

3.5.5 Cost of Operations .......................................................................................................................... 21

3.5.6 Catch Distribution and Returns ....................................................................................................... 21

3.5.7 Repairs ............................................................................................................................................ 22

3.5.8 Suppliers .......................................................................................................................................... 22

3.5.9 Duty-Free Concessions .................................................................................................................... 22

3.6 CHARACTERISTICS OF VENDORS ....................................................................................................... 23

3.6.1 Types of Vendors ............................................................................................................................. 23

3.6.2 Fish Sold by Vendors ....................................................................................................................... 23

3.6.3 Fish Transportation and Spoilage ................................................................................................... 24

3.6.4 Customers ....................................................................................................................................... 26

3.6.5 Record Keeping ............................................................................................................................... 26

3.6.6 Time Spent vending ......................................................................................................................... 26

3.7 CHARACTERISTICS OF BOAT BUILDERS/REPAIRERS ............................................................................... 27

3.7.1 Site of Operations ........................................................................................................................... 27

3.7.2 Time in the Industry ........................................................................................................................ 27

3.7.3 Customers ....................................................................................................................................... 28

3.7.4 Income............................................................................................................................................. 28

3.7.5 Boats Built ....................................................................................................................................... 29

3.7.6 Jobs ................................................................................................................................................. 29

3.8 CHARACTERISTICS OF GEAR BUILDERS/REPAIRERS ............................................................................... 30



3.8.3 Customers ....................................................................................................................................... 31

3.8.4 Income............................................................................................................................................. 32

3.8.5 Gear Built ........................................................................................................................................ 32


vii

3.8.6 Jobs ................................................................................................................................................. 32

3.9 CHARACTERISTICS OF OUTBOARD ENGINE MECHANICS ......................................................................... 33



3.9.3 Customers ....................................................................................................................................... 34

3.9.4 Income............................................................................................................................................. 34

3.9.5 Engines Worked On ......................................................................................................................... 34

3.9.6 Jobs ................................................................................................................................................. 34

3.10 CHARACTERISTICS OF EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS .................................................................................... 35

3.10.1 Location ........................................................................................................................................... 35

3.10.2 Type of Establishment ..................................................................................................................... 36

3.10.3 Price of Supplies .............................................................................................................................. 36

4 D I S C U S S I O N A N D C O N C L U S I O N .................................................................................. 37

5 A P P E N D I C E S ........................................................................................................................ 43

5.1 MAP OF FISHERIES ENUMERATOR DISTRICTS (FEDS) ............................................................................ 43

5.2 TYPES OF BOATS USED IN THE FISHING INDUSTRY ................................................................................ 44

5.2.1 Canoes ............................................................................................................................................. 45

5.2.2 Keel .................................................................................................................................................. 45

5.2.3 Fibre-glassed Reinforced Plastic (FRP) ............................................................................................ 45

5.3 TYPES OF GEAR USED IN THE FISHING INDUSTRY .................................................................................. 47

5.3.1 Fish Pots .......................................................................................................................................... 47

5.3.2 Nets ................................................................................................................................................. 47

5.3.3 Hook and Lines ................................................................................................................................ 47


viii

Glossary

Boat/Fishing vessel Any vessel, boat, ship or other craft, which is used for, equipped to be used or

of a type that is normally used for fishing or related activities

Boat builder/repairer A person who can build and or repair fishing boats

Boat owner

Someone who owns the fishing boat and usually the engine and fishing gear as

well. The boat owner may also be a fisher or may only be an investor in the

industry

CSO Central Statistical Office

Demersal Fish that are reside on or near the sea floor or reef, such as snappers

Enumerator The person who is charged with interviewing target respondents within the

survey

Equipment supplier A person or establishment which supplies gear or fishing equipment to fishers

FD Fisheries Division

FED Fisheries Enumeration District

FIC Fisheries Industry Census

Fish

Aquatic plant or animal whether piscine or not, and includes any mollusk,

crustacean, coral, sponge, holothurians or other echinoderm, reptile and

marine mammal, and includes their eggs and all juvenile stages

Fish landing site A designated area or location where fish is landed or brought to shore by the

fisher after a fishing trip

Fisher A person who makes a living by harvesting fish from the seas, although

persons who own boats but do not fish are also considered to be fishers

Fishing Searching for, catching, taking or harvesting fish

Fishing gear Any equipment used for the purpose of catching taking or harvesting fish

FLO Zone Fisheries Liaison Officer Zone. One of five zones into which the island is divided

for fisheries management purposes

Gear builder/repairer A person who can build and or repair fishing gear

JICA Japan International Cooperation Agency

MOAFF Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Outboard engine mechanic A person who can repair outboard engines used by fishing boats

Pelagic Fish that reside and travel in the open water from the mid to the upper water

column, such as tuna and dolphin fish

Respondent Someone who responds to a survey by giving information to the enumerator

Survival gear Any equipment that can aid in one’s survival while at sea

Vendor A person who makes a living by selling fish


1

1 Introduction

1.1 Overview of the Fisheries Industry and the FIC The Fisheries Division is the Government agency which has the legal mandate and responsibility for the management of fisheries and other marine resources, and for the overall governance and development of the fishing industry in Dominica. This agency manages the development of the industry based on available data and information and consistent with regional and international undertakings. However, all the data and information necessary for management of the fishery and that of the fish stocks are not always readily available and at best limiting in its content and quality. .

A significant fraction of the population of Dominica is located along the coastal areas of the island. There is tremendous economic activity occurring along the coast which includes fisheries, quarry operations, dive tourism, coastal agriculture, and recreational activities as well as significant manufacturing and commerce. Fishing forms a major part of the commercial activity in that zone and is a noteworthy contributor to the social and economic livelihood of many people, especially the rural poor.

The coastal system within which the fishing industry operates is a very dynamic one with various users and activities. Some of those activities are complementary to one another, others compete for space and resources while yet others are conflicting and require strategic management interventions. Over the years the fishing industry itself has undergone many changes as it relates to use of gear, fishing methods, changes in size, type and number of boats and movement of persons in and out of the industry.

Dominica operates an open access fishery to its nationals where anyone can harvest the fish resource. This, coupled with fishermen’s reluctance to register themselves and their fishing vessels within the Division registration program, makes it impossible to maintain a proper and updated fishermen and fishing boat registry. This in turn rendered it extremely difficult to determine how many individuals, fishing vessels, and number and type of fishing gear were involved in the fishing industry. This information is critical to the determination of fishing effort and for estimation of the productive capacity and forecasting of production units for the fishing fleet in Dominica.

As a result a National Fisheries Census was done. The entire country as it related to persons involved with fisheries, either directly or indirectly, was covered by the census. A questionnaire was developed and used to collect the relevant data. The census was implemented by the staff of the Fisheries Division during the second half of 2008.

1.2 Objectives The mandate of the Fisheries Division is:

1. To develop the fisheries sector, creating employment opportunities, enhancing food security and generating income for the improvement of the social and economic welfare of all stakeholders.

2. To effectively manage the fisheries resources of Dominica to maintain healthy fish stocks and ensure long-term benefits to all users.


2

Contribute to foreign exchange earnings through fish export and reduce the food import bill by

increasing food supply from the fisheries sector.

The objectives of this Fisheries Industry Census (FIC) were: 1. To capture critical baseline data required for determining the present status of the fishing

industry in Dominica. 2. To collect socioeconomic data and to make the necessary linkages between the physical, social

and economic dynamics that exist within the industry.


3

2 Methodology

All activities related to the census can be grouped into three phases; pre-census, census and post-census. The entire period is from July 2008 to January 2009.

2.1 Preliminary Activities Pre-census activities involved:

Development of the implementation plan,

Preparation of the questionnaire,

The pilot survey,

Selection and training of the enumerators,

Preparation of the enumerator tools (manuals, ID cards) and

Literature review

2.1.1 The Questionnaires

Two questionnaires were prepared to capture information from the respondents. These questionnaires were labeled:

Survey Form: DFIC-01 (Fishers, Boat Owners and Vendors)

Survey Form: DFIC-02 (Support Services: Supplies, Repairs and Maintenance)

The DFIC-01 form is a 62-question document that targeted the major respondent groups, fishers, boat owners and vendors. Fishers could also play the roles of vendor and boat owners, so it was thought best to group questions relating to these titles into a single questionnaire form. The DFIC-02 form is a 39-question document designed to capture data from the support service persons or establishments. For each questionnaire form, sections were marked out for each respondent type targeted.

2.1.2 The Enumerators’ Manual

The manual was prepared to train selected enumerators. It covered topics such as:

an overview and description of the local fishing industry

an explanation of the task the enumerator was required and expected to perform

tips on how to conduct interviews and how to approach and talk to fishers

a detailed explanation of each question on both questionnaires,

description and illustration of fishing gear, equipment and major fish species occurring locally

2.1.3 Selection and Training of Enumerators

The survey took the form of interviews with persons from each respondent group. The island was divided into fifteen Fisheries Enumerator Districts (FEDs)1 shared by ten enumerators. The enumerators were chosen based on their knowledge of the industry, their ability to relate to the fishers and their location of residence within each FED. Enumerators were trained prior to the survey at a one-day session held at the Fisheries Division.

1 A map of the FEDs is available in Appendix 1


4

2.1.4 The Target Population

The census was designed to target persons who work within or support the fisheries industry, with the exception of consumers, relatives and other such persons. The respondent groups targeted were:

1. Fishers (retired and active) 2. Boat owners 3. Vendors 4. Boat builders/repairers 5. Gear builders/repairers 6. Outboard engine mechanics 7. Equipment suppliers

2.1.5 Pre-Existing Data Sources

A list of all persons who identified themselves as fishers during the last national census of Dominica (2001) was obtained with the assistance of the CSO. The FD used this list to supplement its existing Licensing and Registration (LRS) records which is a database of all registered local fishers and their vessels. These two sources helped produce the initial list of persons to be interviewed.

A literature review was done within the pre-census phase to get a sense for how other such surveys were handled in other Caribbean countries. The Marine Fisheries Census of Jamaica (1998) was an especially great help in this regard. Such literature was used to help develop the questionnaires, manuals and reports. The literature also gave insight into the actual implementation of the survey.

2.1.6 The Pilot Survey

A pilot survey was conducted prior to the enumerator training to test the questionnaires prepared for the survey. The pilot was conducted by Fisheries Division staff within the communities of Newtown, Roseau and Fond Cole. About eight persons were interviewed. The pilot provided good insight into the duration of a typical interview and the effectiveness of the questionnaires in capturing the required data. After the pilot various changes were made to the questionnaire.

2.2 Census Study Census activities are those activities that took place while the main survey was being conducted. These activities included:

The implementation of the main census,

Supervision of the enumerators,

Supply questionnaires to enumerators and

Development of the database

2.2.1 The Main Survey

The main survey officially began a week after the enumerator training and after all enumerators had received sufficient copies of the questionnaires to begin their interviews. The survey lasted approximately two months, with all FEDs targeted simultaneously. The coordinator provided overall supervision with additional support by other Fisheries Division staff.

The survey was conducted using a semi-formal interview method, where enumerators asked the questions to the respondent, but in a very relaxed or conversation-like setting, allowing for respondents to provide their own choices or answers for many of those questions. Interviews were done at the landing/operating site or residence of respondents on most occasions. Some details were not verified by


5

sight during the interview, but the enumerators were persons already familiar with many of the persons they interviewed so visual verification at that time was not necessary. Information collected was written on to the forms during the interview. Completed forms were collected by FD staff and returned to the office.

During the survey a “snowball” method was used to gather new names for interview, as there was no prior list of the number of persons operating in the industry apart from the datasets mentioned previously. This involved asking the interviewee if he/she knew of any other person who could be interviewed within the survey. This was asked as the last question on the forms. This tool allowed for reaching a greater number of respondents.

2.3 Post-Census Activities Post-census refers to activities that took place following the main survey, although some of these activities took place while the main survey was under way. These included:

Data editing, coding and preparation

Data entry

Data analysis

Report preparation

Public Sensitization

2.3.1 Data Management

A suitable database (using Microsoft © Office Access) was developed for storage and compilation of the data gathered. Data entry, editing, coding, cleaning, analysis and report preparation were done at the Fisheries Division. Data analysis was done utilizing the available Microsoft © Office Access and Excel software packages.


6

3 Results

3.1 Introduction The survey reached a significant portion of the fisher folk community, interviewing a grand total of 878 persons from 52 communities around the island2. These respondents reported on their 444 fishing boats and over 7807 units of fishing gear operating within the industry.

3.2 Respondent Roles Figure 2 shows the number of respondents by FLO Zone and industry role. Respondents performed multiple roles within the industry and this was captured. The largest group is fishers, who comprised of 749 persons or about 85% of respondents. Some fishers performed additional roles as boat owners and vendors. Only 15% of respondents were non-fishers. Appendix 2 shows the composition of each industry role and the number of persons who had multiple roles.

2 Communities are grouped by FLO zones as shown in Figure 1

Figure 01: Map of Dominica showing the Fisheries Liaison Officer (FLO) Zones and the locations of landing sites


7

Industry Role FLO Zone Grand

Total % of

Respondents 1 2 3 4 5

Boat Builder/Repairer 17 2 7 12 64 102 11.62%

Boat Owner 134 26 62 63 119 404 46.01%

Equipment Supplier 2 1 3 3 1 10 1.14%

Fisher 236 47 119 120 227 749 85.31%

Gear Builder/Repairer 29

2 6 59 96 10.93%

Outboard Engine Mechanic 4 1 1 8 11 25 2.85%

Retired Fisher 4 8 49 2 4 67 7.63%

Vendor 89 18 36 59 70 272 30.98%

3.3 Characteristics of Respondents

3.3.1 Sex, Marital Status and Age

Of the 878 persons who responded to the survey, 96% were male with just 4% being female. About 62% declared they were single with 30% married and the other 8% divorced, widowed or separated. With regards to the age of persons, about 33% were of 40 years or younger and about 25% were 60 or above at the time of interview. These datasets are represented by Figure 3. It was observed that the average fisher is about 53 years of age.

Marital Status

Age Range Sex Grand

Total Female Male

Divorced

41 – 50 0.0% 0.4% 0.4%

51 – 60 0.1% 0.6% 0.7%

More than 60 0.0% 1.3% 1.3%

Divorced Total 0.1% 2.2% 2.3%

Married

20 – 30 0.1% 0.2% 0.4%

31 – 40 0.0% 3.3% 3.3%

41 – 50 0.7% 5.9% 6.6%

51 – 60 0.2% 6.3% 6.6%

More than 60 0.4% 12.7% 13.0%

Married Total 1.4% 28.4% 29.8%

Separated

31 – 40 0.0% 0.2% 0.2%

41 – 50 0.0% 0.2% 0.2%

51 – 60 0.1% 0.2% 0.4%

More than 60 0.0% 1.9% 1.9%

Separated Total 0.1% 2.6% 2.7%

Single

Less than 20 0.0% 2.5% 2.5%

20 – 30 0.2% 9.6% 9.8%

31 - 40 0.4% 17.4% 17.7%

41 - 50 0.8% 15.7% 16.5%

51 - 60 0.4% 9.5% 9.8%

More than 60 0.2% 6.0% 6.2%

Single Total 2.0% 60.6% 62.6%

Widow(er) 51 - 60 0.0% 0.1% 0.1%

More than 60 0.0% 2.5% 2.5%

Widow(er) Total 0.0% 2.6% 2.6%

Grand Total 3.6% 96.4% 100.0%

3.3.2 Household and Dependents

On average there were 3 (≈3.39) persons living at the household of the respondents. The maximum number of persons to any one household is 15. A total of 2766 persons reside at the households of the respondents. See Figure 4 for more information.

Figure 03: Respondents by age, sex and marital status

Figure 02: Respondents by FLO Zone and industry role


8

(4b) Household Size by zones

FLO Zone Respondents

(%) Household size

Avg. Min Max Sum

Zone 1 28.76% 3.48 1 10 818

Zone 2 6.85% 3.38 1 10 189

Zone 3 20.07% 3.34 1 15 548

Zone 4 16.28% 3.44 1 13 457

Zone 5 28.03% 3.29 1 10 754

Grand Total 100.00% 3.39 1 15 2766

2074 persons are dependent on the respondents. These are persons who rely on the respondent as a provider and may or may not reside in the same household. On average, there are about 2 dependents per respondent, with the maximum number of dependents for any one respondent being 18 persons. See Figure 5.

3

209

143

107121

107

58

3616 8 8 1 1 1 1

0

50

100

150

200

250

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 15

Nu

mb

er

of

Re

spo

nd

en

ts

Household Size(number of persons living in the home of the respondent)

(4a) Distribution: Household size by respondents

134

175

142

103 102

70

3520

5 4 5 1 1 1 1 10

50

100

150

200

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 15 16 18

Nu

mb

er

of

Re

spo

nd

en

ts

Number of Dependents(number of persons depending on the respondent)

(5a) Distribution: Dependents by respondents

Figure 05: Dependents of respondents: (a) Distribution by respondents, (b) Dependents by zones

Figure 04: Household size: (a) Distribution of household size by respondents, (b) Household size by zones


9

(5b) Dependents by zones

FLO Zones Respondents

(%) Dependents

Avg. Min Max Sum

Zone 1 32.28% 2.93 1 10 631

Zone 2 6.46% 3.37 1 9 145

Zone 3 18.62% 2.82 1 15 350

Zone 4 13.66% 2.82 1 12 257

Zone 5 28.98% 3.58 1 18 691

Grand Total 100.00% 3.11 1 18 2074

3.3.3 Education

Regarding education, 78% of respondents had at least a primary school level of education. Secondary or high school education was attained by 15% and 4% reached tertiary level education at the college or university level. Only 3% reported having no education whatsoever. See Figure 6.

3.4 Fishers/Boat Owners

3.4.1 Role of Fishers on the Boat

Figure 7 shows the distribution of fishers by FLO zone and role on the boat. Over 60% of fishers performed the role of captain on their boats. This probably means that there are numerous one-man boats operating in the industry3. Only 3.5% of persons are investors who do not fish as well.

Fisher Role FLO Zone Grand

Total 1 2 3 4 5

Captain 18.9% 4.6% 8.3% 12.2% 18.8% 62.9%

Crew 12.8% 2.2% 5.9% 5.0% 7.8% 33.6%

Owner (Investor Only) 1.8% 0.5% 0.8% 0.0% 0.4% 3.5%

Grand Total 33.5% 7.3% 15.0% 17.3% 26.9% 100.0%

3.4.2 Income from Fishing

Regarding income from fishing, only 2% of fishers said that they have no alternative source of income. Figure 8 shows that about 39% gained all or most of their income from fishing-related activities, 26%

3 Figure 32 shows that although 49% of the fishing fleet comprises of 2-man-crew vessels, 23% are manned by a

single person.

None3%

Primary78%

Secondary/High15%

College3%

University1%

Respondents by Education Level

Figure 07: Fishers by role

Figure 06: Respondents by education level


10

said that they get about half of their income from fishing and 34% said they got less than half of their income from fishing.

3.4.3 Fisher Registration

About 72% (or 539) of fishers interviewed declared they were registered and 28% said they were not registered. See Figure 9. Refer to Figure 2 for the total number of respondents who were fishers.

3.4.4 Fishing Activity and Fishing Distance

For those persons who do go out to sea, it was observed that they fish on average for 4.19 days a week. The bar chart at Figure 10 shows how often persons fish per week.

None0.28%

Less than half34.35%

About half25.87%

All or most39.50%

Income From Fishing

Yes72%

No28%

Are you a registered fisher?

5.6%

13.5%

18.2% 17.6%19.4%

15.7%

10.0%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Re

spo

nse

s (%

)

Number of days per week persons go to fish

Number of days fished weekly

Figure 10: Fisher Activity: Number of Days fished weekly

Figure 09: Fisher registration status

Figure 08: Income from fishing


11

The bar chart at Figure 11 shows the distribution of fishing activity as reported by respondents for an annual cycle. The first half of the year seems to be the most favored period for fishing, however at least 60% of all fishers are active for 9 out of 12 months of the year.

The average distance fished from shore is 19.23 miles although a large group of fishers (35%) operate within 9 miles. The maximum was 75 miles. There were claims from persons that they could go over 100 miles out to sea. Figure 12 shows this distribution.

3.4.5 Fishing Gear

About 70% of all gear utilized by fishers are hook and line type gear, while 23% are pots and 7% nets. See Figure 13 for more details concerning gear and how it is distributed among the fishing population.

56.5%

56.1%

54.1%

60.0%

64.5%

61.6%

67.5%

73.4%

72.3%

68.3%

68.1%

65.6%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

December

November

October

September

August

July

June

May

April

March

February

January

Number of Fishers (%)

Monthly Fishing Activity

34.27%

17.57%14.76%

25.31%

8.08%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

<10 10-19 20-29 30-40 >40

Re

spo

nse

s (%

)

Distance (miles)

Distance Fished from Shore

Figure 12: Fisher Activity: Distance fished from shore

Figure 11: Fisher Activity: Monthly fishing activity


12

Gear Types % of

Fishers

Units of

Gear

% of Total

Quantity

Line

Bottom Long Line 13.0% 1650 21.1%

Fishing Rod 0.1% 2 0.0%

Hand/Troll Line 32.1% 2881 36.9%

Surface Long Line 6.3% 446 5.7%

Vertical Long Line 8.8% 460 5.9%

Line Total 60.3% 5439 69.7%

Net

Beach Seine 4.8% 88 1.1%

Cast Net 5.0% 97 1.2%

Dip Net 2.2% 43 0.6%

Flying fish Net 8.0% 162 2.1%

Gill Net 6.2% 153 2.0%

Net Total 26.3% 543 7.0%

Pot

Arrow-head 1.9% 272 3.5%

Bamboo Pots 0.7% 49 0.6%

Box Type 5.1% 798 10.2%

Z-Type 5.7% 706 9.0%

Pot Total 13.4% 1825 23.4%

Grand Total 100.0% 7807 100.0%

3.4.6 Fish Aggregating Devices

Regarding Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs), 2.79 FADs are lost annually (see Figure 14). Almost 64% of respondents said that they used FADs at some time, most of which said they used FADs at least once a week (26%). Just over 36% reported to never using FADs as part of their fishing activities. See Figure 15.

24.5%

29.7%

20.0%

11.0%

7.1%

3.2%

1.3%

1.9%

0.6%

0.6%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

Responses (%)

Nu

mb

er

of

FAD

s Lo

st p

er

Fish

er

FADs Lost Annually

Figure 14: FADs Lost Annually by Fishers

Figure 13: Gear by Fishers and Quantity


13

With regard to conflicts on FADs, 25% of respondents said they never witnessed a conflict. Of those fishers who did witness conflicts on FADs, 51% reported to witnessing local piracy, 20% witnessed foreign vessels fishing off FADs in local waters, 16% witnessed some form of vandalism to FADs and 13% witnessed the entanglement of fishing gear. The chart at Figure 16 shows this.

26.1%

22.4%

13.4%

0.2%

0.4%

1.2%

36.3%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Every time I go to sea

Three times a week

Once a week

Twice a month

Once a month

Sometimes

I do not use FADs

Responses (%)

FAD Use Frequency

Foreign fishing boats on local

FADs20%

Local piracy51%

Vandalism of FADs16%

Entanglement of fishing

gear/equipment13%

Conflicts on FADs

Figure 16: Conflicts on FADs

Figure 15: FAD use frequency among fishers


14

3.4.7 Safety Equipment and Supplies

The chart shown at Figure 17 shows how many fishers take certain safety equipment and supplies to sea on their fishing trips.

3.4.8 Reason for Fishing

The primary reason persons gave when asked why they became fishers was that they always wanted to become a fisher. The second most popular reason was because there was a history of fishers in the family of the respondent. See Figure 18 for all the reasons given.

98.9%

88.0%

81.8%

77.9%

77.6%

45.9%

45.8%

38.7%

32.8%

32.3%

26.1%

22.6%

20.5%

9.0%

8.3%

3.0%

0.2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Water

Food rations

Bailer

Engine repair tools and spares

Fisher rain coat

Flashlight

PFD

Magnetic compass

Dry clothes

GPS

Flares

First-Aid supplies

Mirror

Radar reflector

VHF radio (marine)

Cell Phone

Sail

Responses (%)

Safety Equipment and Supplies Carried to Sea

66.9%

49.9%

11.1%

5.0%

2.1%

1.8%

1.2%

0.3%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Always wanted to be a fisher

There is a history of fishers in family

There was no other job available at the time

Not qualified for another job

To make money

It’s a good business

To take care of my family

To always have fresh fish

Responses (%)

Reasons for Persons Becoming Fishers

Figure 18: Reasons for Persons Becoming Fishers

Figure 17: Safety Equipment and Supplies carried to Sea by Fishers


15

3.4.9 Training

Safety-at-Sea was the top training already done by fishers as well as the most requested training course. Figure 19 and 20 show which training programs fishers have already done and which they would like to do.

58.9%

48.7%

48.3%

43.8%

43.4%

43.4%

37.7%

27.9%

26.4%

24.5%

20.4%

14.7%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Safety-at-Sea

Knot-Making

First Aid

Fish Handling and Quality

Fishing Gear and Methods

Navigation

Use of FADs

Record Keeping

Outboard Engine Repair

Fish Processing

Small Business Management

Sustainable Use of Marine Resources

Responses (%)

Training Already Done by Fishers

67.3%

66.9%

60.7%

56.3%

55.5%

55.3%

53.9%

50.3%

50.1%

49.5%

48.9%

44.9%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Safety-at-Sea

Navigation

Outboard Engine Repair

Small Business Management

Sustainable Use of Marine Resources

Fishing Gear and Methods

First Aid

Knot-Making

Use of FADs

Fish Handling and Quality

Fish Processing

Record Keeping

Responses (%)

Training Fishers Would Like to Do

Figure 20: Training Fishers Would Like to Do

Figure 19: Training Already Done by Fishers


16

3.4.10 Factors Impacting Fishing Operations

The top five factors negatively impacting the operations of fishers are:

Fuel availability and cost (76.6%)

Populations of fish (51%)

Migratory patterns of fish (46.2%)

Equipment access/availability (45.5%)

Facilities at landing site (44.3%)

Only 10% of fishers said that non-fisheries-related occupations had a negative impact on their operations. See Figure 21.

Figure 22 shows which factors have a positive impact on the operations of fishers.

76.6%51.0%

46.2%

45.5%

44.3%

30.7%

30.7%

24.8%

20.5%

15.3%

10.0%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Fuel availability and cost

Populations of fish

Migratory patterns of fish

Equipment access/availability

Facilities at landing site

Boat(s)

Finance/credit access

Engine

Weather

Crew

Non-fisheries occupations

Responses (%)

Negative Impacts

30.2%27.8%

27.2%

25.9%

24.1%

23.6%

20.0%

19.3%

16.0%

16.0%

2.6%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40%

Engine

Boat(s)

Crew

Populations of fish

Equipment access/availability

Facilities at landing site

Non-fisheries occupations

Migratory patterns of fish

Weather

Finance/credit access

Fuel availability and cost

Responses (%)

Positive Impacts

Figure 22: Factors Impacting Fishing Operations Positively

Figure 21: Factors Impacting Fishing Operations Negatively


17

3.4.11 Fish Spoilage

Less than 1% of fishers admitted to not using any method whatsoever to prevent the spoilage of fish while they are at sea. Figure 23 shows the methods used to prevent spoilage at sea.

3.4.12 Record Keeping

Only about 28.5% of fishers keep records of their business. Of that number, 71% said that they keep expenses of their operations, 49% keep records of the amount of fish they land and their fishing operations and 72% keep records of fish sales or income. See Figure 24. Figure 25 shows that 73% of all fishers gave no reason for not keeping records. About 6% said that keeping records was not important to them and 21% do not keep records because they do not know how to.

70.4%

30.4%

18.7%

3.8%

2.9%

2.2%

1.5%

1.5%

0.2%

0.2%

0.2%

0.2%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Use ice and cooler or ice box

Banana leaf

Gutted

Crocus bag

Wet Sponge

Bucket with water

Cover with board

Tied to a string or bag

Under seat of boat

Wet Fisherman Rain Coat

Coconut Leaves

Tarpaulin

Responses (%)

Methods Used to Prevent Fish Spoilage at Sea

72%

71%

49%

Income or sales of fish

Expenses of operations

Fishing operations and landings

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Records Kept by Fishers

Figure 24: Records Kept by Fishers

Figure 23: Preventing spoilage of fish at sea


18

3.4.13 Loans

Regarding the difficulty of accessing loans, there was an almost equal distribution of responses for whether access was manageable, difficult or easy (see Figure 26). About 59% of fishers have never taken a loan before. Of those who took a loan the main reason for which they took the loan was to acquire an engine, with the second top reason being to acquire a boat and the third, fishing gear. See Figure 27.

About 51% of respondents reported that they sourced loans from credit union type lenders. Another 32% of loans were from the development bank; almost 14% came through small business enterprise lenders and 11% from commercial banks. See Figure28.

No reason73%

Don't know how to

21%

Don't think it's

important6%

Fishers Reasons for Not Keeping Records

Difficult34%

Easy32%

Manageable34%

Difficulty of Accessing Loans

86.1%

61.2%

29.1%

2.1%

0.4%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Engine

Boat

Fishing gear

Safety or navigation equipment

Boat repair

Responses (%)

Equipment Acquired Via Loan

Figure 27: Loans: Acquired Equipment

Figure 26: Loans: Difficulty of Access to Loans

Figure 25: Fishers Reasons for Not Keeping Records


19

3.5 Boat Owners and Fleet

3.5.1 Boat Type and Age of the Fleet

Boat ownership ratio is averaged at one (≈1.19) boats to every boat owner. The maximum number of boats owned by any one owner is 5. A table showing the distribution of fishing boats by type and length range is given in Figure 29. The most common fishing vessel observed was the keel boat.

Boat Types

Length Range (feet)

Grand Total

Grand Total (%)

No length data

<=10 11-20 21-30 31-40

Canoe 5 71 19 95 21.4%

FRP 2 10 34 4 50 11.3%

Keel 16 8 174 91 3 292 65.8%

Metal 1 1 2 0.5%

Other 3 2 5 1.1%

Grand Total 26 8 256 147 7 444 100.0%

Regarding age of the fleet about 53% of the fleet was reported to be at or less than five years. 28% of the fleet is between six and ten years. The remaining 18% is over ten years. The bar chart shown at Figure 30 shows the distribution.

51.1%

32.6%

13.6%

10.9%

0.5%

0% 20% 40% 60%

Credit Union

Development Bank

Small Business Enterprise Lender

Commercial Bank

Other

Responses (%)

Lenders to the Fisheries Industry

53.5%

28.2%

9.6% 5.5% 3.2%

0%

20%

40%

60%

1-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 21-26

Bo

ats

(%)

Age of Boat (years)

Age of the Boats in the Fishing Fleet

Figure 30: Boat Owners: Age of the Boats in the Fishing Fleet

Figure 29: Boat Owners: Fishing Vessels by Type and Length Range

Figure 28: Loans: Lender


20

3.5.2 Propulsion

The most popular method of propulsion identified was the outboard engine (86%) and secondly was the oar (84%). The oar is carried primarily as a backup method of propulsion for most vessels. Inboards were less common as a means of propulsion, with just over 2% using the method. Sails were utilized by almost 5% of local vessels, again as backup. See Figure 31.

3.5.3 Crew

There is an average of 2.3 crew persons per fishing boat. Figure 32 shows this finding and also provides details on the overall distribution of crew by boats.

3.5.4 Engines by Horse Power and Make

The majority of engines are within the 10 to 49 HP range. Figure 33 has the details.

86.3%

84.0%

4.6%

2.5%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Outboard

Oars

Sails

Inboard

Boats (%)

Propulsion Methods Available Within the Fishing Fleet

1 man crew23%

2 man crew49%

3 man crew18%

4 and above10%

Crew by Fishing Boat

2.7%

65.1%

20.2%

3.5% 3.7% 3.2% 1.5%0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

<10 10-49 50-89 90-129 130-169 170-209 >210

Engines by HP range

Engines by Horse Power Utilized in the Fishing Fleet

Figure 33: Boat Owners: Engines by Horse Power

Figure 32: Boat Owners: Boat Crew

Figure 31: Boat Owners: Propulsion Methods Available Within the Fishing Fleet


21

Yamaha is the most popular make of engine found locally. See Figure 34.

3.5.5 Cost of Operations

As the main investor in the fishing business the boat owner usually has the responsibility of managing the cost of operations. The cost of operations is shown below by trip (Figure 35) and by month (Figure 36)4.

Item Average Min Max

Bait $28.19 $2.00 $200.00

Crew $82.99 $5.00 $300.00

Food and water $24.93 $5.00 $150.00

Fuel $254.40 $4.40 $800.00

Gear $132.68 $10.00 $600.00

Ice $27.53 $1.00 $250.00

Oil $39.47 $1.80 $300.00

Item Average Min Max

Boat loan repayment $440.57 $100.00 $2,000.00

Engine loan repayment $392.94 $150.00 $1,250.00

Maintenance $412.06 $20.00 $5,300.00

Repayment of Fishing Gear $225.00 $200.00 $250.00

Transportation $122.69 $5.00 $500.00

3.5.6 Catch Distribution and Returns

Overall, it was determined that 88% of all fish caught was sold or otherwise used for some type of gain by the fisher/boat owner. About 12% of fish was given away free or without any sort of returns back to the fisher/boat owner. Normally this is to family or friends within the community or to persons who

4 These values can vary greatly as each fisher’s operation is unique, requiring different gear, boats (sometimes

multiple boats) and crew. Also, it may be possible that fishers declared prices based on a single prominent trip and not their average cost per trip, as expected. This can account for some of the high values.

85.5%

6.1%

4.9%

0.7%

0.7%

0.5%

0.5%

0.2%

0.2%

0.2%

0.2%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Yamaha

Evinrude

Johnson

Mercury

Mariner

Volvo

Suzukie

Chrysler

Westerbake

Cumins

Mercruiser

Engines (%)

Engine Make Utilized by the Fishing Fleet

Figure 36: Boat Owners: Cost of Operations (Per Month)

Figure 35: Boat Owners: Cost of Operations (Per Trip)

Figure 34: Boat Owners: Engines by Manufacturer


22

assist with pulling vessels ashore after a fishing trip. Figure 37 shows how catch used for gain is distributed.

3.5.7 Repairs

Generally gear will require repair annually. See Figure 38.

Item

Frequency Grand

Total Two or more times a year

At least once

per year

Zero times for

the year

Boat 20.03% 17.46% 2.44% 39.92%

Engine 24.49% 8.66% 1.89% 35.05%

Gear 16.91% 6.77% 1.35% 25.03%

Grand Total 61.43% 32.88% 5.68% 100.00%

3.5.8 Suppliers

The majority of fishers get supplies from Roseau or Portsmouth. See Figure 39.

3.5.9 Duty-Free Concessions

Over half of respondents received duty-free concessions from the Government of Dominica. Concessions are given to fishers based on registration status and the nature of the item being imported for use in the industry. See Figure 405.

5 This data is not reflective of only investors, but all fishers operating within the industry.

Boat share23%

Captian/Crew share38%

Engine share22%

Owner share17%

Distribution of Catch Returns

73.6%

46.4%

11.6%

2.8%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80%

Supplier in Roseau or Portsmouth

From overseas

Supplier in respondent's community

Supplier in another community

Responses (%)

Where Fishers Buy Fishing Gear and Equipment

Figure 39: Boat Owners: Suppliers off Fishing Gear and Equipment

Figure 38: Boat Owners: Frequency of Repairs. The percentage of fishers who repair

their boat, engine or gear and how often they do so.

Figure 37: Boat Owners: Catch Distribution and Returns


23

3.6 Characteristics of Vendors

3.6.1 Types of Vendors

Over 90% of respondents are fishers who also vend fish. Not many co-operatives or groups buy and sell fish as part of their operations. This is evident as only 1% of vendors sell fish on behalf of a fisheries group or co-operative. See Figure 41. Refer to Figure 2 for the total number of vendors.

3.6.2 Fish Sold by Vendors

Most fish is sourced from FLO Zone 1. See Figure 42. Refer to Figure 1 for a map of FLO Zones and landing sites.

Fish prices usually remain the same for 65% of vendors when they travel to other communities. See Figure 43.

No56%

Yes44%

Fishers Who Recieved Duty-Free Concessions

A fisher who also vends

fish92%

A non-fisher who vends

fish7%

A non-fisher who vends

for a fisheries group

1%

Types of Vendors

Zone 150%

Zone 23%

Zone 315%

Zone 414%

Zone 518%

Source of Fish for Vendors

Figure 42: Fish Vendors: Source of Fish

Figure 41: Fish Vendors: Type of Vendors

Figure 40: Boat Owners: Duty-Free Concessions


24

3.6.3 Fish Transportation and Spoilage

Most vendors (81%) said that they do not throw away fish due to spoilage. See Figure 44. In the cases where fish is lost due to spoilage, 84% of vendors reported that this occurred only once a week (Figure 45).

For every incidence of spoilage an average of 26.45 lbs of fish is lost. See Figure 46.

The price remains the

same65%

The price usually lowers

24%

The price usually rises

11%

Changes in the Price of Fish by Vendors

No81%

Yes19%

Do Vendors Throw Away Fish Due to Spoilage?

Every time3% 1 - 3 times

a week13%

Only once a week84%

Frequency of Fish Spoilage for Vendors

Figure 45: Fish Vendors: Frequency of fish spoilage

Figure 44: Fish Vendors: Does fish spoilage occur?

Figure 43: Fish Vendors: How Fish Prices Change as Vendors Travel to Other Communities


25

Most vendors hire a vehicle to transport their fish. See Figure 47.

Most vendors store their fish in an ice box or cooler with ice during transport. See Figure 48.

45.5%

30.3%

12.1%6.1%

3.0% 3.0%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

<20 20-39 40-59 60-79 80-100 >100

Ve

nd

ors

(%)

Average Amount of Fish Lost (lbs)

The Amount of Fish Lost by Vendors Due to Spoilage per Incident

Bus5.5%

Co-operative Vehicle

0.5%

Hire a vehicle68.0%

Uses own vehicle21.5%

Wheel Barrow

4.6%

How Fish is Transported by Vendors

67.1%

16.3%

14.2%

9.3%

5.3%

4.1%

0.8%

0.4%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

In an ice box or cooler with ice

Covered with banana leaf, crocus bag or tarpaulin

In a bucket, crate or pail with ice

On the floor of the vehicle

In an ice box or cooler without ice

In a bucket, crate or pail

Basket

Wet Cardboard

How Fish is Stored by Vendors During Transport

Figure 48: Fish Vendors: Storage during transport of fish

Figure 47: Fish Vendors: Transportation of Fish

Figure 46: Fish Vendors: Amount of fish lost due to spoilage


26

3.6.4 Customers

Almost all vendors sell their fish to locals in communities around the island as shown in Figure 49.

3.6.5 Record Keeping

Over 80% of vendors keep no records of their sales. See Figure 50.

3.6.6 Time Spent vending

Over 90% of vendors usually sell their fish within a few hours. Generally fish is sold within a week. See Figure 51. In reference to daily vending, 44% of vendors said that their fish is sold within 2 to 4 hours (Figure 52).

99.4%45.7%

41.3%

34.8%

27.6%

15.5%

0.3%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Community locals

Other vendors

Hotels/restaurants

Foreignors

Fishers (as bait)

Supermarkets

Fisheries Co-operative Group

Vendor Responses (%)

Customers of Vendors

No81%

Yes19%

How Many Vendors Keep Records of their Sales?

Sold in a few hours91%

Sold by the next day

6%

Sold within 3 days2%

Sells within a week

1%

Takes over a week to sell

0%

How Quickly is Fish Sold?

Figure 51: Fish Vendors: How Much Time is Spent Selling Fish?

Figure 50: Fish Vendors: Records of Sales

Figure 49: Fish Vendors: Customers of Vendors


27

3.7 Characteristics of Boat Builders/Repairers

3.7.1 Site of Operations

Most boat builders/repairers come from FLO Zone 5. See Figure 53. Refer to Figure 1 for a map of FLO Zones and landings sites.

3.7.2 Time in the Industry

Most boat builders have at least 10 to 20 years working in the industry. See Figure 54.

Less than 2 hours24%

2 - 4 hours44%

4 - 6 hours22%

More than 6 hours10%

Hours Spent Vending Daily

Zone 121% Zone 2

2%

Zone 37%

Zone 413%

Zone 557%

Boat Builders by FLO Zone

27.1%32.9%

23.5%

11.8%

2.4% 2.4%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

<10 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-50 >50

Re

spo

nse

s (%

)

Time as a Boat Builder (Years)

Time Working as a Boat Builder

Figure 54: Boat Builders: Time Working as a Boat Builder

Figure 53: Boat Builders: Site of Operations

Figure 52: Fish Vendors: Hours Spent Selling Fish Daily


28

3.7.3 Customers

Customers for boat builders/repairers come from the builder’s own community in about a third of the cases. See Figure 55. With regard to customers, 77% of respondents said that they had less than five customers last year (Figure 56).

3.7.4 Income

About 73% of respondents said that they gain less than half of their income from their boat building/repairing activities (Figure 57). Only 4% said that they received all or most of their income from the activity.

All over Dominica

29%

For self34%

Respondent's community

35%

Outside of Dominica

2%

Boat Builders: Origin of Customers

Less than 577%

5 - 1011%

10 - 207%

More than 205%

Boat Builders: Number of Customers Last Year

Figure 56: Boat Builders: Customers Last Year

Figure 55: Boat Builders: Origin of Customers


29

3.7.5 Boats Built

About 78% of respondents stated that they are capable of building keel-type boats. Figure 58 shows the types of boats respondents can build.

3.7.6 Jobs

The cheapest boat type to build was the canoe with an average cost of about $4000.00 for constructing a new boat under 20ft to $6000.00 for a new boat above 20ft. Figure 59 shows the cost for various jobs by boat types for sizes of under 20ft and above 20ft.

Boat Types and Jobs Under 20 ft Above 20 ft

Canoe Boat Repair $150.00 $150.00

Building a new boat $4,055.56 $6,300.00

FRP Building a new boat $20,000.00 $30,000.00

Keel

Boat Repair $150.00 $150.00

Building a new boat $6,446.15 $9,555.56

Fibre Glass - $600.00

Paint $333.33 $366.67

Figure 60 shows the source of materials for boat builders/repairers.

None8%

Less than half73%

About half15%

All or most4%

Boat Builders: Income from this Activity

Canoe17%

FRP5%

Keel78%

Types of Boats Built by Builders

Figure 59: Boat Builders: Average Cost of Jobs

Figure 58: Boat Builders: Types of Boats Built

Figure 57: Boat Builders: Income from the Activity


30

Most jobs are complete within 20 days as shown by Figure 61.

Job Number of Days for the Job Grand

Total <20 20-29 30-39 40-50 >50

Add a feature to a boat 88.00% 8.00% 0.00% 0.00% 4.00% 100.00%

Build a new boat 30.77% 5.13% 25.64% 12.82% 25.64% 100.00%

Fibre Glass 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 100.00%

Paint 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 100.00%

Repair 100.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 0.00% 100.00%

Boat builders generally had little trouble getting paid for work done. About 78% said that they had no problems getting paid. See Figure 62.

3.8 Characteristics of Gear Builders/Repairers


As with the boat builders, the majority of gear builders (76%) reported that they operated within FLO Zone 5 (Figure 63). Refer to Figure 1 for a map of the FLO Zones.

Local Forest15%

Local Hardware

61%

Locally13%

Overseas11%

Source of Materials for Jobs

No78%

Yes22%

Boat Builders: Trouble Getting Pay for Work Done?

Figure 62: Boat Builders: Getting Pay for Work Done

Figure 61: Boat Builders: How Long it takes Boat Builders/Repairers to Complete Certain Jobs

Figure 60: Boat Builders: Source of Materials for Jobs


31


Generally, gear builders/repairers seem to have worked 10 to 30 years within the industry (Figure 64).

3.8.3 Customers

Gear builders tend to work mainly for themselves as seen from Figure 65. About 35% have customers from within their own community.

Zone 19%

Zone 31%

Zone 414%

Zone 576%

Gear Builders by FLO Zone

25.0% 24.0%27.1%

11.5% 11.5%

1.0%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

<10 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-50 >50

Re

spo

nse

s (%

)

Time (Years)

Time Working as a Gear Builder

All over Dominica

17%

For self47%

Outside of Dominica

1%


35%

Gear Builders: Origin of Customers

Figure 65: Gear Builders: Origin of Customers

Figure 64: Gear Builders: Time Working as a Gear Builder

Figure 63: Gear Builders: Site of Operations


32

3.8.4 Income

Almost all respondents (84%) said that they gained less than half of their income from gear building/repair activities. Figure 66 shows the data.

3.8.5 Gear Built

The fish pot was the most common gear type built/repaired as shown by Figure 67. Second were the gill net and then the beach seine.

3.8.6 Jobs

Typically, gear building/repairing jobs are complete within 20 days. See Figure 68 for more details.

Job Number of Days for the Job Grand

Total <10 10-19 20-29 30-39 40-50 >50

Build a beach seine 29.17% 8.33% 0.00% 8.33% 0.00% 54.17% 100.00%

Build a fillet net 40.00% 8.57% 5.71% 8.57% 0.00% 37.14% 100.00%

Build a fish pot 88.52% 6.56% 0.00% 3.28% 1.64% 0.00% 100.00%

Build a long-line 84.62% 0.00% 0.00% 7.69% 0.00% 7.69% 100.00%

About 94% of respondents said that they had no problems getting paid for work done. See Figure 69.

None7%

Less than half84%

About half5%

All or most4%

Gear Builders: Income from the Activity

Beach seine17%

Bottom long line8%

Fish pot40%

Gill net28%

Surface long line7%

Types of Gear Built/Repaired

Figure 68: Gear Builders: How Long it takes Gear Builders/Repairers to Complete

Certain Jobs

Figure 67: Gear Builders: Types of Gear Built/Repaired

Figure 66: Gear Builders: Income from the Activity


33

3.9 Characteristics of Outboard Engine Mechanics


Figure 70 shows that most engine mechanics operate within FLO Zone 5.


Not many, only 9.2% of mechanics, have less than 10 years working in the industry. See Figure 71.

No94%

Yes6%

Gear Builders: Trouble Getting Paid for Works Done?

Zone 15%

Zone 22%

Zone 434%Zone 5

59%

Mechanics by FLO Zone

9.2%

29.3%

21.5%

29.1%

10.9%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

<10 10-19 20-29 30-40 >40

Re

spo

nse

s (%

)

Time (Years)

Time Working as a Mechanic

Figure 71: Engine Mechanics: Years Working as an Engine Mechanic

Figure 70: Engine Mechanics: Site of Operations

Figure 69: Gear Builders: Getting Pay for Works Done


34

3.9.3 Customers

Most customers tend to come from the respondent’s own community as shown in Figure 72.

3.9.4 Income

About 19% of respondents said they make no income from engine mechanic activities, with 14% saying that they make all or most of their income from these activities.

3.9.5 Engines Worked On

Yamaha and Johnson engines are the most popular make of engine worked on by mechanics. Most engines are under 40HP.

Engine Make

Engine Horse Power (HP) Range Grand Total

Under 40 HP

40 - 85 HP Above 85

HP

Evinrude 2.44% 1.22% 0.00% 3.66%

Johnson 14.63% 10.98% 3.66% 29.27%

Mariner 9.76% 4.88% 1.22% 15.85%

Mercury 6.10% 1.22% 0.00% 7.32%

Yamaha 20.73% 15.85% 7.32% 43.90%

Grand Total 53.66% 34.15% 12.20% 100.00%

3.9.6 Jobs

Figure 75 shows the average cost of various engine mechanic jobs. About 70% of respondents tend to complete jobs within a week (Figure 76). With regard to getting pay for jobs, 75% of mechanics reported that they have no problems with their customers (Figure 77).

All over Dominica

26%

For self26%

Outside of Dominica

4%


44%

Mechanics: Origin of Customers

None19%

Less than half57%

About half10%

All or most14%

Mechanics: Income from the Activity

Figure 74: Engine Mechanics: Engines Worked On

Figure 73: Engine Mechanics: Income from the Activity

Figure 72: Engine Mechanics: Origin of Customers


35

Jobs Average Cost

Carburetor cleanup $57.56

General servicing $212.22

Lower unit disassembly and reassembly $128.89

Power head disassembly and reassembly $174.29

Troubleshooting (electrical) $120.00

3.10 Characteristics of Equipment Suppliers

3.10.1 Location

With regard to engine mechanics, it was observed that most operate within FLO Zone 3 as shown in Figure 78.

Within a week70%

1 - 2 weeks18%

1 month6%

More than 1 month

6%

Mechanics: Time to Complete a Job

No76%

Yes24%

Mechanics: Trouble Getting Pay for Works Done?

Figure 78: Equipment Supplier: Distribution by FLO Zone

Figure 77: Engine Mechanics: Getting Pay for Works Done

Figure 76: Engine Mechanics: Time Taken to Complete a Job

Figure 75: Engine Mechanics: Average Cost of Jobs


36

3.10.2 Type of Establishment

The most common type of equipment supplier establishment observed was the marine supply store, which accounted for 67% of responses. See Figure 79 for details.

3.10.3 Price of Supplies

Figure 80 shows a list of some items and the average selling price as offered by equipment suppliers around the island.

Items Average Price Items Average Price

Anchor $185.00 Lead weights $2.20

Artificial bait $3.67 Life Vests $39.99

Buoys/Floats $111.35 Lines $73.18

Diving Glass $45.00 Nets (per ft.) $4.40

Dock Line $40.00 Oil/Lubricants $15.50

Engine Parts $50.00 Plugs $15.00

Fibre Cloth $15.00 Rain Coat $72.55

Fins $125.00 Reels $10.33

First Aid Kits $24.25 Rods $80.00

Flare Guns $220.00 Ropes $634.29

Gloves $17.64 Swivel $26.75

Hooks $34.31 Wire mesh $2.10

Zone 111%

Zone 211%

Zone 334%

Zone 422%

Zone 522%

Equipment Suppliers by FLO Zone

Agriculture11%

General hardware retail

22%Marine

supplies store67%

Equipment Supplier: Type of Establishment

Figure 80: Equipment Supplier: Average Price of Items Supplied to Fishers

Figure 79: Equipment Supplier: Type of Establishment


37

4 Discussion and Conclusion

4.1 Fishers The census provided a means of stock taking within the fishing industry in Dominica at a particular point in time. The results showed that there were 749 fishers in the industry (Fig. 02) who were interviewed, 539 (72%) of which were registered with the Fisheries Division (Fig. 09). The average age of fishers is 53 years. This indicates that most fishers are quickly approaching retirement age and that some management intervention, incentive or succession planning is necessary for the long term sustenance of the industry. It is hoped that the information gathered within this study can be used for the appropriation of a revised Fisheries Development Plan which will take into account factors such as an ageing fisher population among all of the other issues discussed within this document.

The results showed that 46% (404) persons are boat owners (Fig. 02) and they also serve as boat captain (Fig. 07) in most cases. Only 39% of fishers earn most of their income from fishing activities (Fig. 08). The other 61% are part-time operators. This indicates that there are many boats which operate below optimal capacity and do not contribute significantly to the national fishing effort.

It has been established that the majority of fishers (78%), have only primary school level education (Fig. 06). This poses a major challenge for technological enhancement, improvement and development within the industry. Hence the reason for the low rate of transfer of new technology into practical implementation by fishers who have been exposed to these technologies through organised training sessions conducted by the Fisheries Division. Further incentives need to be introduced to attract more educated persons into the industry to embrace the technological advancement for development of the fisheries industry.

About 59% of fishers indicated that they had successfully completed the safety at sea training programme (Fig. 19) offered by the Fisheries Division. However, very few fishermen carried flares (26%), marine radios (8%), GPS units (32%), or other safety devices on their boats, and only 45% of all fishers carried life jackets which were usually not worn during fishing operations (Fig. 17). It was also observed that a small but significant number of fishermen (1.1%) did not carry water to sea, and about 90 others (about 12%) went to sea without rations. Serious attention needs to be given to such matters. A fisherman going to sea without basic food or water severely reduces his chances of survival in the event of a mishap at sea. Even if his boat and other equipment were to be intact and he was experiencing navigational error he could die from dehydration and or starvation. This indicates that much more work needs to be done in the area of safety at sea and that this mode of behaviour and high degree of negligence does not auger well for the industry. Therefore, the need for passing of the fisheries regulations for making basic safety at sea practices mandatory is critical.

4.2 Fishing Activities The results indicated that fishermen on average fish 4.188 days a week (Fig. 10) at an average distance of 20 miles from the shore (Fig. 12). About 35% of fishers operate within 9 miles of the shoreline. This gives an idea of the limited range of the vessels employed in the industry. This concludes that only about 10% of Dominica’s EEZ is utilized by the existing fishing fleet and that some major fisheries development planning needs to be done for the future development of the industry.

The monthly distribution of fishing activity in Fig. 11 showed that high fishing activity was maintained from January to August with activity peaking in the months of April and May. A small and relatively insignificant drop was observed in the latter parts of the year which was the low migratory pelagic


38

season. This trend could be attributed to the use of FADs which have been employed in the industry for targeting yellow fin tuna and other such species which helps to sustain fishing beyond the customary migratory pelagic season.

During the active months of the year at least 60% of the available fishing effort is utilized with the other 40% of fishing boats in the industry not actively fishing. It is observed that many well maintained boats are inactive and laid up at landing sites around the island for much of the year. This is indicative of the large part-time fisher population, some of whom fish only during the peak pelagic season during their vacation from their regular employment. Others fish more regularly but rarely more than three times per week (as indicated by the Fish Catch and Effort findings). There is need for further incentives and strategies to be employed within the industry to encourage fishers to fish more often.

4.3 Demographics The survey showed that the fishing industry in Dominica is male dominated with 96% of stakeholders being men (Fig. 03) and the other 4% females; with females being mainly involved with fish vending activities. Among the male population 60% were single. Only about 30% of fisher-folk families were married. Of all persons interviewed it was observed that the number of persons per fisherman’s household ranged from 1 to 15.

Over half of the respondents indicated that their household size is between 1 to 3 persons (Fig. 04). The other respondents had household sizes of 4 and above with very few beyond 10 persons per household. It was also observed that 2074 persons were directly dependent on the 878 respondents as far as providing food, shelter, clothing, education and health care was concerned. Dependents ranged from 1 up to 18 persons in a family (Fig. 05). However most fishers had between 1 and 3 dependents while 43% of respondents had between 4 and 10 dependents. This indicated that a significant proportion of fishers have greater domestic responsibilities than initially perceived.

There is also a direct economic dependency by boat builders/repairers, fish vendors, equipments suppliers and outboard engine mechanics who also rely on the fishers for their own livelihood.

The survey also highlighted the greater benefit to be derived from the compartmentalization of the roles in the industry in order to realize greater economic, social and productive potential. It was noted that 32% of fishers sold their own fish (Appendix 2) and did not require any middle men. However such operations do not lend to the optimal productive outputs of fishers who engage in the individual vending of their catch as such time would be better spent fishing thus increasing his production and economic returns.

Based on the very strong social interactions which surrounded the fishing activity it was noted that up to 12% of the catch was given away (see section 3.5.6 of this report) to friends and family without any cash returns to the fisher. This practice contributes to the high level of insecurity and dependence exhibited by many fishers as a significant component of his revenue base is lost through this hand-out practice. If addressed such fishers would be better positioned to servicing their commitments including loans, maintenance of equipment and personal and family welfare among others.

4.4 Credit Access The results showed that of the persons who accessed loans for fishing purposes, almost 70% found that credit access was easily accessible or manageable with 34% of persons expressing that there was great difficulty in accessing credit (Fig. 26). It was also noted that the majority of loans to the industry was granted by Credit Unions followed by the Agricultural Industrial and Development (AID) Bank of


39

Dominica (Fig. 28). About 59% of respondents had never used or accessed the loan facilities available in Dominica and although the reasons for that situation was not captured in the survey, one could assume that collateral for some fishers could be a major hurdle for accessing credit. However, if fishers begin to improve on their operations, fishing more frequently, reducing waste due to spoilage and hand-outs and outsourcing the marketing of fish to others, they may begin to grow their own collateral in time.

4.5 Fishing Gear There are three main categories of fishing gear used for fishing, broadly classified as lines, pots and nets. The lines were rigged to construct surface long lines, vertical long lines, bottom long lines and trolling lines. These comprise 5439 units (70%) of the gear used in the industry (Fig. 13) with trolling and bottom long lines being the most popular.

Nets and pots comprise 7% and 23% of the other gear used in the industry and corresponds to 543 and 1825 units of gear respectively. The results show that 97 fish pot fishers were operating 1825 pots at the time of the survey. This further indicates that each fisher owns an average of 18 pots. Considering the limited shelf size available for use of such gear, the great losses of pots which occur annually due to storms and hurricanes, the observed decline in the demersal fishery from catch data and reef habitat degradation being caused by quarry operations and other land based activities, the number of pots deployed in this fishery is cause for concern. In addition the ongoing ghost fishing study being conducted by the Fisheries Division and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has shown that lost and derelict fish pots continue to fish for at least 14 months after they are lost. Eighteen pots per fisher without any mitigation measures are very significant and some management intervention is recommended in the pot fishery.

4.6 Fish Aggregating Devices The survey results concerning FADs showed that 64% of fishers used FADs during their fishing activities of which 26% used them on every fishing trip (Fig. 15). FADs have facilitated a very significant boost to the fish landings in Dominica and have almost eliminated what used to be a low migratory pelagic season where fishers experienced very little activity in the latter half of the year. However, piracy from French and local fishers as well as user conflict regarding FADs continue to have a negative effect on fish production and safety of fishers. It is recommended that management measures are developed and education programmes implemented to combat piracy and promote conflict resolution.

4.7 Fishing Operations Respondents indicated that cost and availability of fuel was the greatest impediment to successful fishing operations. This was correlated with the fact that outboard engines6 were the dominant method of propulsion for fishing boats (Fig. 31). This therefore renders the fishing fleet to be heavily dependent upon fuel. In addition, the high fuel cost being experienced at the time of the survey prompted this issue as a major factor affecting fishing operations (Fig. 21). An oil crisis could severely affect fish production in Dominica particularly when one considers that fishing boats are no longer designed to accommodate sails as an alternative method of propulsion (Fig. 31). This is also cause for concern as far as it relates to safety at sea. There is also a need to promote and development mechanisms for the access and provision of more fuel efficient engines to service the industry and to engage fishers in multiple days fishing operations against the predominant single day-trip operations.

6 85% of engines employed in the industry are Yamaha outboards (Fig. 34)


40

4.8 Business Operations of Fishers Some level of record keeping is being done by fishers. About 28.5% of fishers responded that they keep some form of records for their businesses (see 3.4.12 for more on record keeping). For those who said they do not keep any records, the vast majority gave no particular reason for not doing so (Fig. 25). This is of concern as record keeping is vital to the growth and longevity of a business. Of the 28% who do keep some form of records, most kept records of the income and expenses incurred (Fig. 24). About half of these keep records of their fishing operations and landings, which involves recording where fish is caught (fishing location), when it is caught (time of day or year), how it is caught (fishing method employed) and how much fish is caught. These datasets are also very important for planning fishing operations and preparing for a fishing season.

Aside from those fishers who endeavour to keep complete records, it is apparent that generally fishers are not sure how they were doing financially and do not operate as a business. This indicates that much more effort is needed to train and encourage fishers to keep some basic, yet acceptable records of their operations. Additionally, banks and other lenders often request of fishers a copy of their revenues or landings for prior years. Therefore it would be of benefit to the fisher to have these records handy in the event of procuring a loan.

4.9 Vendors Most vendors are fishers who sell their own fish at their landing site (Fig. 41). There was a very small group of vendors who actually purchase fish for retail and acted as middle men (about 8%). When vendors travelled elsewhere to dispose of the fish, transportation cost was normally incurred as a result and the price of the fish would be expected to increase. The survey results showed that only 11% of vendors increased their price, 65% maintained the same price, while 24% of persons actually decreased their price (Fig. 43). Although no reason was given for this it is presumed such decrease could be due to poor quality of the fish being sold after having kept the product without ice for significant periods.

It would appear that vendors were not making a profit when they attempt to distribute fish to other communities or that the landing price was already high enough to absorb the added cost of transportation. This is noteworthy as it was established that 68% of vendors actually hired a vehicle to sell their fish (Fig. 47).

Eighty four (84%) of respondents claimed that they experienced some loss of fish due to spoilage at least once per week (Fig. 45), and 54% experienced more than 20lbs of fish loss due to spoilage per week and in some cases up to 100lbs per week (Fig. 46). This is very significant and a cause for concern as persons could be losing considerable revenue after a hard fishing day. Further investigation is required to determine the full extent of this problem and more education and post harvest handling training programmes is needed to help improve on this situation. Another area that could assist with this situation is the enforcement of regulations requiring the vending of fish only at designated vending facilities. This will ensure that vendors do not have the fish exposed to the elements where it can get contaminated and spoil more rapidly. The current situation is very worrying as it potentially poses a health risk to the fish-eating populace.

It was observed that more than 67% of vendors transported fish on ice for sale to the public (Fig. 48). Considering that most fish was sold within 2 to 4 hours when displayed for sale (Figs 51 and 52), the great loss indicated above seem to come from fish not being iced at sea. Therefore, more emphasis needs to be placed in that area and it is recommended that all boats built after 2009 are fitted with ice boxes. Training programmes need to be done with both the fishers and the vendors to help them


41

improve on the quality of fish they provide and educational programmes need to be delivered to the public highlighting the importance of knowing about fish quality before purchase.

4.10 Boat Builders There are about 102 boat builders in Dominica with major concentration of builders in FLO Zone 5 which includes the Roseau area, followed by Zone 1 (Fig. 53). Boat builders are located in specific communities and in most cases the clientele is from the same community (Fig. 55). Most boat builders are self taught and boats vary in design and quality from one community to another. Since fishing communities are small, demand for boats per community is low, hence 77% of respondents claimed that they had less than 5 customers per year (Fig. 56) and the majority of boat builders earned less than half of their income from this activity (Fig 57). About 34% of boat builders are also fishers who build or repair their own boats, 35% get their clientele from their own communities and 29% receive clients from different parts of the island (Fig. 55) based on the reputation they had established. The keel boat is in greatest demand and provides a fairly stable fishing platform (Fig. 58). See Figure 59 for cost of boats and various repair jobs within the industry.

With regard to the quality of fish as mentioned previously, it would be of benefit to the industry that boats constructed after 2009 are fitted with an ice box for the safe storage of fish while at sea. Such a program will require training current and new boat builders to build the ice boxes into the boats.

4.11 Gear Builders There were 96 gear builders/repairers interviewed during the survey (Fig. 02). Most of them build and repair their own gear since they are also fishers who operate their own nets and pots. The gears constructed are fish pots, gill nets and beach seines. It is apparent that the art of net construction and mending is slowly being lost to the industry. This could probably be attributed to the reduced number of nets being used in the coastal pelagic fishery which has collapsed in areas such as Layou and Colihaut and is on the verge of collapse in other areas that used to be famous for that type of fishery. As a result most gear builders (84%) earn less than half of their income from this activity (Fig. 66).

There is a great need to examine the coastal pelagic fishery in Dominica which contributed as much as 42% almost half of the total fish landing in 1998 (Fish Catch and Effort findings). The source of this problem needs to be addressed to ensure sustainable fisheries development in the coastal waters of Dominica.

4.12 Outboard Mechanics The results showed that the Yamaha outboard engines constituted 85% of all engines used in the industry (Fig. 34). Within the industry there exists a small group of 25 outboard engine mechanics most of whom have over 10 years working experience (Fig. 71). Their customers come from their own communities (Fig. 72) except the Roseau Fisheries Complex which provides a government repair service to the fishing public. In most cases the level of business generated was not enough to sustain them (Fig. 73) and they therefore supplemented their income by other activities. Some mechanics were also fishers who can do their own repairs (Appendix 2).

This small group of service providers to the industry is very valuable. By rendering broken down engines operational in the quickest possible time, they enabled fishers to reduce waiting time and to get back into production without too much delay. They help to minimize loss of income to fishers as a result and prevent zero fishing effort for extended periods. However, with 444 boats within the industry, each carrying at least one engine, this produces a ratio of one mechanic to every 18 engines. Another issue is


42

that in many cases, these mechanics are not professionally trained to do the work; hence 26% work on their own engines.


43

5 Appendices

5.1 Appendix 1: Map of Fisheries Enumerator Districts (FEDs)

FED Communities

01 Delaford, Veille Case, Thibaud, Anse Du Me

02 Calibishie, Woodford Hill, Wesley 03 Marigot 04 Carib Territory (Atkinson, Salibia,

Bataka, Sineku) 05 Castle Bruce, Tranto, Good Hope,

San Sauveur, Petite Soufriere 06 Rosalie, La Plaine, Delices 07 Petite Savanne, Fond St. Jean,

Stowe, Grand Bay 08 Scotts Head, Soufriere 09 Pointe Michel, Loubiere,

Newtown, Roseau (RFC) 10 Pottersville, Fond Cole, Canefield,

Massacre 11 Mahaut, Jimmit, Tarreau, Layou,

St. Joseph, Mero 12 Salisbury, Batalie, Coulibistrie,

Colihaut 13 Bioche, Dublanc 14 Portsmouth 15 TaneTane, Toucari, Cottage,

Clifton, Capucin


44

5.2 Appendix 2: Respondents by Roles The illustration below shows the number of respondents from the Fisheries Industry Census holding

single or multiple roles in the fisheries industry.

Fisheries Industry Census: Respondents by Roles

Roles BB BO ES F GB OEM RF V Total

BB 5 68 3 90 35 7 2 37 102

BO 68 7 3 369 56 16 22 177 404

ES 3 3 7 3 1 1 0 2 10

F 90 369 3 278 88 20 0 241 749

GB 35 56 1 88 4 8 1 29 96

OEM 7 16 1 20 8 3 1 11 25

RF 2 22 0 0 1 1 42 3 67

V 37 177 2 241 29 11 3 25 272

Codes:

BB Boat Builder/Repairer

BO Boat Owner

ES Equipment Supplier

F Fisher

GB Gear Builder

OEM Outboard Engine Mechanic

RF Retired Fisher

V Vendor


45

5.3 Appendix 3: Types of Boats Used in the Fishing Industry There are three main vessel-types in use in the Dominican fisheries industry. The traditional canoe is still in use but its dominance has been reduced by a gradual introduction of the wooden keeled boat and fibre-glassed pirogue as the vessels of choice. The transition has been encouraged because of the relative instability of the canoe as opposed to the pirogue and the wooden keeled vessels. The introduction of those newer fishing vessels has also facilitated improvements in fish handling and fish quality at sea because some of them can be fitted with ice boxes.

5.3.1 Canoes

These are dug-out vessels. They tend to range from 15 to 22 feet in length. Canoes are mainly used for shorter trips and operate near shore (usually with 2 miles) as they can become fairly unstable in rough seas. Some canoes are powered, but often times they can be propelled through the water only with the use of oars. These boats are usually used now for targeting coastal pelagic and reef fish (demersals).

5.3.2 Keel

These are also small open vessels; however they are built with marine ply over a skeleton frame structure with a keel for a backbone. Currently, these boats are built with a coating of fibre-glass for reinforcement (called fibred keels). Keel boats generally fall between 15 and 25 feet in length but can be shorter or much longer. Keel boats are able to operate much further out at sea than canoes. They carry bigger outboard engines and thus are able to venture 25 miles to sea or more. Ice boxes are built into some boats for the storage of fish. Pelagics are the main types of fish targeted, although they are considered multi-purpose or multi-fishery.

5.3.3 Fibre-glassed Reinforced Plastic (FRP)

These boats are similar in size and scale of operations as the keel boats. They are usually built using a mold and often called pirogues. FRP boats sometimes carry ice holds or ice boxes, like keels, and are seen to be more stable in rougher seas. They are also safer and more hygienic boats to work on as they


46

usually have smooth flat surfaces, whereas the wooden boats may have splinters or nails protruding that can harm the fisher or his catch.


47

5.4 Appendix 4: Types of Gear Used in the Fishing Industry

5.4.1 Fish Pots

These are box-like structures constructed of wire mesh supported by a slender wooden frame. Fish pots come in numerous shapes and sizes, from the arrow-head (which is pictured below) to the Antillean Z-trap. Demersals, such as snappers, groupers and lobsters are usually the targets for this gear. Fish are lured to the pot or trap using bait, which is placed inside of the gear before setting. Pots are set on or near reefs or known banks.

5.4.2 Nets

Nets are nylon-mesh devices used for ensnaring fish. Unlike the fish pot, which is passive, nets are active gear as they are usually used to en-circle schooling fish. In some cases fishers throw rocks into the water to scare fish into the net where they can be ensnared. This gear is usually used on canoe vessels near the coast targeting coastal pelagic such as jacks, mackerels or sardines.

5.4.3 Hook and Lines

Hook and line gear come in many varieties. The two main varieties are hand lines and long lines. This gear is used for catching both pelagic and demersal fish.


48

Documents

Report - Fisheries Industry Census of Dominica FINAL 20090511.pdf