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CRFM Inks New Accords With OECS and UWI to Strengthen Regional Fisheries Collaboration
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS — October 9, 2025 | Times Caribbean Online

The Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) has deepened its regional partnerships with the signing of two landmark Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) — one with the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and another with the University of the West Indies (UWI). Both agreements are designed to bolster cooperation, innovation, and sustainable growth within the Caribbean’s vital fisheries and blue economy sectors.

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Historic Accord with the OECS

The first bilateral accord between the CRFM and the OECS was formally signed on September 30, 2025, during the Sixteenth Special Meeting of the CRFM Ministerial Council, held in St. Kitts and Nevis as part of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA).

The MoU was signed by Dr. Marc Williams, Executive Director of the CRFM Secretariat, and H.E. Dr. Didacus Jules, Director General of the OECS. The agreement, which will span 2025 to 2028, establishes an official framework for collaboration after years of informal cooperation between the two regional bodies.

Dr. Williams described the accord as a “pivotal instrument” for deepening ties and enhancing joint efforts in fisheries governance and marine resource management.

“For many years, the CRFM and the OECS have collaborated informally on initiatives to support Member States. The time has come to formalize this partnership to ensure coordinated and sustained actions across critical areas of the fisheries sector,” Dr. Williams stated.

Dr. Jules emphasized that the MoU “represents bringing the collaboration between the OECS and the CRFM to a whole new level,” noting its focus on resilience-building, harmonization of safety-at-sea programmes, insurance products for fishers, support for youth and women empowerment, and advancing the Blue Economy.

The OECS is home to eight CRFM Member States — Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, Montserrat, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines — making this formal partnership a cornerstone of regional fisheries cooperation.

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Academic Partnership with the UWI

Earlier, on September 9, 2025, the CRFM also strengthened its academic and research collaboration by signing an MoU with the University of the West Indies (UWI). The signing took place between Dr. Marc Williams and Professor Carl Justin Robinson, Campus Principal of the UWI Five Islands Campus in Antigua and Barbuda.

The CRFM–UWI MoU aims to enhance knowledge exchange, joint research initiatives, and capacity-building programs across fisheries, ocean governance, and sustainable blue economy development. The partnership underscores the growing role of academia in shaping evidence-based policy and innovation in the region’s marine sectors.

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Towards a Stronger, Sustainable Blue Economy

Together, these new accords signal a renewed momentum toward regional integration and the sustainable management of the Caribbean’s ocean resources. Through strengthened partnerships among intergovernmental agencies, academic institutions, and Member States, the CRFM continues to advance the shared vision of a resilient, prosperous, and inclusive Caribbean Blue Economy.

For more information, visit crfm.int.

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