Four Caribbean countries—Anguilla, The Bahamas, Dominica, and Montserrat—have officially signed the Agreement Establishing the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM), reinforcing their commitment to regional collaboration in fisheries management and sustainable marine development.

The en bloc signing took place on September 30, 2025, during the 16th Special Meeting of the CRFM Ministerial Council, held as part of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture in Saint Kitts and Nevis under the auspices of CARICOM.

The signatories were Hon. Kyle Hodge of Anguilla, Mr. Montez Williams of The Bahamas, Hon. Roland Royer of Dominica, and Hon. John Patrick Osborne of Montserrat.

CRFM Executive Director Dr. Marc Williams hailed the move as an important milestone, noting that all 17 member states have now formalized their participation. He emphasized that the CRFM continues to strengthen its governance and accountability through key policies, including the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy, Personal Data Protection Policy, Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption Policy, and a Whistleblower Policy.

Dr. Williams also highlighted that the CRFM is committed to ensuring its programs are gender-sensitive and inclusive of youth and Indigenous communities.

Established in 2003, the CRFM promotes the sustainable management and development of marine and aquatic resources within member states’ jurisdictions, supports scientific collaboration on fish stocks, and fosters regional cooperation on shared and migratory species.

The CRFM’s 17 member states now include Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, and the Turks and Caicos Islands.